I complicate the claim that the surveillance of consumers by retail anthropologists is manipulative and unethical. Retail anthropologists are people who study the shopping habits of customers. Retailers use surveillance cameras to retain and analyze information for the merchant that will help them understand the shopper’s needs and design a store layout that will keep the customers coming back. Although it can be manipulative, it is ethical. In a Stanford article, “The ethics (or not) of massive government surveillance, the authors state, that "If you haven 't done anything wrong, you have nothing to fear” (Wu, Chung, Yamat, Richman). If consumers are not doing anything wrong, then they have nothing to fear from surveillance cameras. As Burk declares in his YouTube video, “retailers can anticipate shoppers’ needs and desires, discover the points of engagement and friction in the shopping process, and last but not least improve the retail experience and measure how shoppers respond. Overall, their goal is to optimize shoppability of the store.” Although some claim that retail anthropologists’ placement of surveillance cameras for consumers while shopping is manipulative, it is not in fact unethical because their actions are meant for the benefit of the consumers, the benefit of the producers, and most importantly, shoppers are aware of the surveillance cameras.
The manipulation of retail anthropologists and the information that is acquired by surveillance cameras help improve shopping experiences for consumers. Although some people may feel insecure about them being watched, the results of such program helps assist consumers by making their shopping experiences more enjoyable, with a store layout that is specifically designed for ...
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...optimize shoppability of the store. One day, we will have cameras in every store, and the shopping experience will be tracked and customized to the consumers’ needs. Just like we get accustomed to other things in life that change around us, we will all soon agree that these options that retailers are taking without our permission will soon be invaluable and we will thank them for such ease. Although, it may not easy for some people to agree; if they were to take the time to be able to fully understand the retailer’s idea behind such techniques, it would change their mind. And if they are able to accept such change, at least they would not feel so betrayed. Under these circumstances, the observation of consumers is a provision to help boost the market with its sales and development. In addition, it creates the preeminent aftermath for both the retailer and customer.
Macy’s intended to deliver enhanced shopping experiences to its consumers through dynamic department stores and online sites. In this regard, the company developed a North Star strategy that allows it to improve its sales growth and to develop its existing core activities. The company’s consumer research monitors, analyze and anticipate their needs and wants based on the changing market trends. This allows it to strengthen its customer base and also helps it in identifying new markets and customers. Macy’s also identifies different styles and designs based on various occasions and events that allow it to capture the changing preferences of its customers. The company also celebrates various iconic events to interact with its customers which
Shopping is not simply a chore; it is also an experience. Shopping for clothing is a particularly personal decision, and various motivating factors can cause one shopper to choose a particular store over another store. Some consumers go to the store to confirm that they belong to a certain social stratum, others because they enjoy the thrill of a bargain. According to Daniel Miller in ‘Making Love in Super Markets’, the behavior of consumers in supermarkets tends to fall into two categories: ‘treat’ shoppers and ‘thrift’ shoppers.
Over the years, the American department store has developed and evolved as not only a commercial business but also a cultural institution. While it has weathered many storms and changes since its inception and throughout history, its most predominant enemy has been a change in the lifestyle of the American people (Whitaker, 2013). As the customer’s needs and wants have shifted, department stores have struggled to keep up with demands. It has been argued that the decline of the department store has been ongoing for the last 50 years (Whitaker, 2013). This dissertation aims to understand how the department store has historically played a role in consumer culture and spending, and additionally, how this has evolved and changed in today’s retail market. Although department stores may not be able to take all the credit for inventing modern shopping, they certainly made its conventions and conveniences commonplace. They set a new standard for the way the consumer should expect to be treated, the type of services that should be provided, and the convenience that should attend the process of acquiring the necessities and niceties of life all in one place. They made shopping into a leisure pastime. This environment meant shopping was a means of freedom to look around, pick up objects with no obligations to buy. As one historian remarked, department stores: “encouraged a perception of the building as a public place, where consumption itself was almost incidental to the delights of a sheltered promenade in a densely crowded, middle-class urban space” (Whitaker, 2006). Although this perception and view of the department store has changed over the years, this paper aims to follow the trail of how and why that happened.
We live in a capitalist society, and many of our everyday actions are integrated with the economic system. When we walk into any store, we are participating in the grand tradition of capitalism but, as in all social structures, there are rules. When we enter stores, we must act proper in order that the economic processes can go smoothly. For my social experiment, I plan to enter a Walgreens and subvert the capitalist process by staying in a store for an extended period of time and requesting free goods. I plan to directly ask an employee if I can have items for free, and also request outrageous discounts. I chose to conduct my experiment at Walgreens because it is a small store that has a variety of products. That way, I can wander the
In a world ran by money, Paco Underhill has discovered a way for stores to generate a larger profit. In “The Science of Shopping”, Malcolm Gladwell reports on retail anthropologists to examine their theories they use. Gladwell does this to inform store managers on how to set up their stores to maximize their profits. Paco Underhill has shopping down to a science. Inside American Eagle, Meijer and Hollister his theories of the decompression zone, invariant right, and zoning can be found.
In the world of business, retail profiling is a tool many corporations use to prevent crime. In other words, an employee of a business may focus on certain characteristics of an consumer, such as race, to help them find people whom may be stealing or partaking in other various forms of fraud. Retail profiling is socially unacceptable because it is a form of racism or stereotyping. It is a very common practice and it is hard to find a resolution because most workers may not even notice they are profiling during a shift.
Nordstrom retail stores have large hallways, and everything is presented in a very classy manner. The color scheme includes pale yellows, whites, and gold, to provide a more elegant appearance in the store in order to make the shopped feel special. The design is also seen through product organization. Compared to stores like Macy’s, which organize their products based on brand, Nordstrom organizes their products based on lifestyle. Because of this, it is easier for shoppers to find clothes similar to their style as opposed to by brand. In effect, shoppers will purchase more products. This also is a type of experiential retailing, where Nordstrom customers are able to experience the elements of their lifestyle within one section. More so, the product presentation will draw people’s eyes to products, even if they are not looking for it. This gives Nordstrom a competitive advantage in relation to other similar retail stores because it makes their store look more glamorous and high-end. While other stores may focus on value, Nordstrom utilizes the retail positioning strategy to make a customer feel more high-end and
Most retailers know that the appearance of their stores plays a big part in determining consumer behavior. As such, they seek to use it to their advantage. Sport Chek sells various types of sports merchandise mainly to middle and upper class citizens of Canada. The company has many stores and online portals. The design of the stores communicates to customers that goods in the store are of high quality. Therefore, customers come with the expectation to pay a premium. The main elements that the store uses to influence consumer behavior include the choice of construction materials, careful choice of colors and shapes, and creative use of lighting. These elements have an impact on the affective, cognitive, and behavioral responses of potential customers. The channel strategy used by the company is effective because of Sport Chek’s strong brand name. The company can benefit more from a better channel strategy for its online shopping portal that can help it to take advantage of the global high-end sports market.
The goal for my ethnographic study is subjected to the study of the people of Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart is a place that varies from city to city, but still attracts many of the same people. Everyone knows the weird people that wear ridiculous things to do their normal routine of shopping. That is why I have chosen to do my mini ethnography one day while shopping as an insider at the local Wal-Mart in Auburn, Alabama. Wal-Mart is a large center for shopping that attracts many different types of people, while creating an environment within itself.
As technology get more advance, people use cameras, tracking devices in the stores to track customers shopping behavior. The retailers apply every detail that they get from anthropologists to get people buy their products. Some people claim that the surveillance of consumers by retail anthropologists is manipulative and unethical. However, the claim is not entirely true. Many retail use the data they get from anthropologists and apply it to their store to create great experiences for their customers, encourage customers to revisited, and ultimately improve business performances.
Samantha Ureno Professor Zia English 99 22 January 2016 The Science Behind Sports Authority “Nothing in a grocery store is where it is by accident. Every item on a shelf has been planned” (Paco Underhill). In the articles, “The Science of Shopping” by Malcolm Gladwell and “How Target Knows What You Want Before You Do” by Charles Duhigg, these authors exemplify effective marketing strategies which were composed by Paco Underhill and Andrew Pole. Underhill is an environmental psychologist; additionally he employs the basic idea that one’s surroundings influences ones behavior and invented structuring man-made environments to make them conducive to retail purposes.
Looking good is one of the priority that people always want to keep especially when it comes which retailer store you do your shopping. In this essay our work will be based on Truworths, as Truworths is one of the retail stores and leading fashion retailers. We will also look at how it incorporates with other well-known fashion stores.
In a simple way, the retailer needs to create a warm, friendly and an approachable retail space to attract consumers.The visual displays is an imperative element of branding of any store. If the stock is presentable, it is bound to appeal to the shoppers. If the shoppers appreciate the store layout and product, they are likely to spend more time in the store, and in return reward the store with sales. Along with the products for sales, the staff, the décor, the store interiors, the trial rooms arrangement, the lightings and music also form an inclusive elements boosting store sales. (fibre2fashion, 2008)
Like traditional shopping, online shopping has its benefits including: better prices, a variety of choices, saving time and money, no crowds and its convenience. But to every advantage there are disadvantages, including privacy and security, trying to find clothing items, and questions that can’t always be answered right then. Now that online shopping exists and is becoming more popular, malls need to start reinventing themselves. Many articles and journals have shared stories about different mall owners that have tried different ways to help keep their malls from falling apart.
The nature of the business of retailing puts retailers at a assumed risk of incurring costs because products are bought with the assumption that consumers will purchase. Additionally there are external factors that may also pose risks such as natural disasters, theft, spoilage and fire. In other circumstances retailers also extends financial credit to customers in the form of credit sales which facilitates the smooth transition from retailers to the marketplace. Retailers are in constant contact with customers which gives them the opportunity to research and study buyer’s behaviour. This involves collecting information about changes in customer preferences, perception and shifts in the demand curve. Through advertising within their stores retailers are able to exhibit and introduce existing and new products to the marketplace. Ultimately retailers are in the business of selling products to customers to achieve their goals of generating