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Surveillance of consumers by retail anthropologists
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What happened if surveillance of consumer by retail anthropologists should not be allowed? Shopping activity has a vital role in the economy today because it impacts to all aspects of developing economies. With the development of the society, consumers have changed their habits when they shop. They focus on the service of the store which is good or bad, so they can decide where they can shop. To meet this demand of the consumer, the retail store and business are hiring retail anthropologists to find out how and why consumers buy or not buy products and the processes of customer shopping like. Retail anthropologist is a person who studies shopping habits based on the information that he or she supervises the consumers in order to choose the best locations for new retail store and the best designs for the space within each store. Some people argue that surveillance of consumers is manipulative and unethical; however, it will bring some advantages for both consumers and retail store because it can make consumer easier to shop, help retailer follows the consumer, and improve customer experience.
Many people think that retail anthropologists install several cameras at the store to observe the privacy of the customer, but this action has an ability to make consumer easier to shop. To grab the attention of customers, what the retail need to do is provide them with comfortable feeling when they are
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This is just the action of a retail anthropologist to analyze and learn the shopping habit. Without surveillance of consumers, the customers will have a lot of challenges when they go shopping, and the retailer cannot provide best services for the consumers. People who argue surveillance of consumers is a manipulative and unethical need to rethink about
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.
Hansen, Torben, and Hans S. Solgaard. New Perspectives on Retailing and Store Patronage Behavior: A Study of the Interface between Retailers and Consumers. Boston, Mass: Kluwer Academic Publishers, 2004. USC Upstate Ebook. Web. 28 February 2011.
Acts of consumption- buying, window shopping ,browsing- are routinely recorded, stored and made available for advertisers. Profiles of the lifestyles of consumers are now so finely granulated and accurate that retailers are likely to know better than the consumers what he or she will buy and when the purchase will take place . Automated programs on ones computer , known as the “bots,” have better memories of consumer preferences than does the consumer . Information machines such as TiVo gather data if viewing habits and on that basis anticipate consumer desires for
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.
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.
Paco Underhill has created a way for stores to draw more customers in and spend more money by getting in the mind of the customers. I found some of Underhill’s theories to be true. Underhill’s theories have helped provide research of the actions of consumers inside of American Eagle, Meijer and Hollister, these theories include, the need for shoppers to acclimate to their surroundings, the way customers turn into stores, and by placing most used products in the farthest places away from the
In times of overconsumption shopping is considered today to be a stressful, exhausting and time consuming situation to the postmodern consumer. In order to bring back the interest of the postmodern consumer to visit the store, retail has surrender to Internet by providing all the necessary information on the new trends in social platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and main Websites that gives us the opportunity to participate in the new means of consumption by giving us voice as society became dominated by the power of digital information, also allowing us to shop online. The disadvantage of a postmodern society to brands and capitalists is that consumers can now dictate their own methods of consumption therefore opting to avoid a physical shop visit and instead it can be possible to do it at their homes. By understanding the story of branding spaces and its cultural impact I intend to share my ideas on the current social and political situation of retail by using local examples such as the extravagant yet powerful Selfridges flagship store in London by describing their methodologies used for a effective costumer experience in comparison to its competitors, their ethos towards the environment and how it relevant it became for the British economy. In this essay I will also share my opinion (as a costumer) on what could be done for an improvement within brands and how does it affects society moralities and the cultural impact.It can be understood by statement above the importance of an environment that stores should provide to its costumers. Without any excitement factors within the space there will not be any other reason for costumers to spend their money in stores. As well as product quality and set prices, the more ex...
... and direct interaction markets opened to the public on a day to day basis. A bias approach blaming producers for their methods is not the best approach due to the fact that they are only doing what they promised which is to make goods available for all and neither is blaming consumers for the simple fact that obligations can make one change their way of life completely. The only option is to make sure that both parties are well aware of current happenings and set in-house reformations structured to ameliorate the problems. The process of becoming ethical shoppers requires dedication due to its immensity and activists should persevere to make a difference. The influence may change many communities on a global scale who are in search of better living and others who are no longer willing to accept exorbitant goods produced in same warehouses as the inexpensive ones.
Companies foster these strategies to achieve goals in marketing and to profit from shoppers drive. I think that people shop more and more with retailers expanding their business everywhere. As Gladwell article “The Science of Shopping” comment on shoppers behaviors the moment they enter the store they start browsing, also comment on shoppers being right handed simply because they go to right after walking in. shoppers spend abundance of time in store focusing on detail what to buy and to get out of best shopping journey they could have. During the time I spend reading and targeting on The Power of Habit why we do what we do in life and business, a realization come to light that we are control by habits and we as a shoppers get to try a new things and to have the finest shopping experience businesses encouraging shoppers what to do as leaving Stater
By researching the wants and needs consumers, food companies have obtained several methods to manipulate them. In “The Supermarket: Prime Real Estate,” Marion Nestle explains that supermarkets hire social scientists to study the emotions and unconscious minds of consumers to help them promote their business (497-498). Researching is done in order to better understand their clients and execute the best methods to control them. Nestle explains that researchers constantly interview shoppers to get a better sense of what they like to shop for (498). When researchers get an insight into what customers are interested in they can incorporate that information into supermarkets themselves. When supermarkets offer memberships to customers and those customers receive benefits, supermarkets also benefit with information from the consumer. Through a membership, supermarkets are able to carefully record each customers’ buying habits (Nestle 498). As customers apply for a membership, they unknowingly help companies get a better idea of how to use the unconscious mind to promote their sales. However, supermarkets do inform the consumer on the use and purpose of a membership within the terms and conditions. Supermarkets also give the shopper the responsibility to choose whether they want a membership with the store or not. Although supermarkets do inform the consumer, they
Who doesn’t like shopping? I can’t name one person. Phyllis rose states many positive qualities in her essay “Shopping and Other Spiritual Adventures in America Today”. One of the positives qualities she mentions about shopping is that it’s a form of therapy. Being that I love to shop. Rather it’s online or going to the stores it’s something I also find very therapeutic. You don't really need, let's say, another sweater. You need the feeling of power that comes with buying or not buying it. You need the feeling that someone wants something you have--even if it's just your money. To get the benefit of shopping, you needn't actually purchase the sweater. After a long stressful work or school day there’s nothing more relaxing than walking around
... of consumer behaviour, lays emphasis on the objectivity of science and the consumer as a reasonable and sensible decision maker. While, the interpretive point of view is in contrast to that of the positivist, in that it emphasises on the importance of the subjective meaning of the consumers individual experience, hence, it suggest that whichever behaviour a consumer performs is subject to diverse interpretations to a certain extent than just a single explanation to it.
Consumerism has always been a big part of society back in the golden days. In today’s society, the ongoing debate of wants and needs are not justified by an individual’s wealth, but it is rather opinionated by the generalized public. Not only are the consumers getting caught in this mess, but many retailers are being sucked in as well. Retailers, have to stay up to date with the latest trends, to make sure they get their products across. Human identity is no longer determined by how much a person makes an hour, but by the commodities they possess. Consumers are so centralized on the materialistic items, that they forget what is more valuable and important. Unfortunately, the frivolous consumption has taken over the
When comparing two different ways of shopping most people do not even think about, they do both and not even realize it. In today?s society people shop while at work, after work and on the weekends, whenever time permits. Did you ever stop and think how can I get more time in the day for family or just myself? The best way to figure out with all the recourses we have; still most of us go into a store and spend time looking through racks and waiting in endless line to just purchase something. I compared going into a store verses online shopping; to see which on will save you time and money.
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)