Why We Buy: The Science of Shopping

Historically, men haven’t been much involved in shopping, but in recent decades they have begun to participate more. Explain two reasons for this trend. 

Retailers often save money by reducing staffing at their stores, but doing so this can lead to reduced store revenues. Why is this so? Explain using two examples. 

Envirosell sends teams of trackers to a client’s store to observe shoppers’ behaviors; it also installs video cameras to record customer actions. Some critics have decried this process as “Orwellian” and called the trackers “spies.” Why do the critics make these allegations, and what are Envirosell’s rebuttals?

What is it about shoppers around the world that makes them behave similarly, and what makes them act differently? Give examples of each. 

Name three ways in which women shop differently from men, and explain why each one makes women the more important gender for retailers. 

How does the Internet threaten brick-and-mortar stores, and what can those stores do about it?

Signage is critical to a store’s performance, yet many stores get it wrong. What are two of the common errors, and why are they mistakes? 

Retail executives often assume, falsely, that they know what’s going on in their stores. Why is this, and what can they do to be better informed?