1. CRASH COURSE ON CREATIVITY OBSERVATION LAB
Before you enter the store:
Does the store draw you in? If so, how? Yes, with lowest prices of products displayed outside store
Is the door open or closed? Open
How does this make you feel? Welcome and time saving in opening door and peek into store.
How big is the sign lettering and in what font? What does it tell you about the store? Pretty big
ENVIRONMENT:
What is the color scheme of the store? How does this affect you? White/blue. Feels light and
clean.
What type of floor does the store have? How does this effect the environment? How high is the
ceiling? How does this feel?
Single floor. Too many products in too less space. Ceiling is high around 20 ft.
How brightly lit is the store? How does this affect you? How loud is the environment?
What is causing the noise?
Light is ok in front racks but dimmed on back ends or last end of store for some of the rows.
Adequate spacing between racks could have helped. There was noise of people shopping. Not
much noise from elsewhere.
Is there music playing? If so, does it fit the environment? Is the store warm or cold?
Is the store crowed with merchandise or is it sparse? Does the store have a distinctive smell?
Where is the cash register located? How visible is the store security?
How long do you want to stay in this store?
No music playing. No, there should be light instrumental music. Cold. Crowded. Yes, the smell is
distinctive in terms of this particular one.
Cash register is located just near to entrance door. Security is visible at entrance door and for rest
it is not so highly visible. I would not like to stay long due to crowd and noise.
Does the environment influence the perceived value of the merchandise?
NO.
PERSONNEL:
How long does it take before a sales person initiates contact? Does the salesperson have a script
to follow with each customer? Does the salesperson treat different customers differently?
What is the ratio of salespeople to customers? What age and gender are the employees?
Are the salespeople using the store products? Do the salespeople have a uniform?
Do the salespeople match the stores image?
2. Do shopping on our own except when some item is not found we ask salesperson to help us. No
script to follow. There are around 10-15 salespersons. Age is <30 and mostly males. Not sure if the
employees use but one of them told us he uses the product. Yes there is uniform. Yes, image and
schema is matched.
PRODUCTS:
What is the first product that you notice?
Flour bags lying on left hand of entrance door.
Is there a central display table with featured products? Where are items that are “for sale” located
in the store?
No such central table or display of products.
How are the products arranged? By function? By price? By color? Are there free samples or
demonstrations?
By Function. No free samples.
What products are at eye level?
Daily necessary groceries like oil, soaps etc. are at eye level.
What items in the store are in the least accessible locations? Where are the most and least
expensive products located? Are the prices of the products easy to find?
Are there impulse items near the cash register?
Vegetables, detergent powder etc. Most expensive and least expensive are located in adjacent
racks or rows. The labels are missing from some of the racks or confusing at times.
CUSTOMERS:
Are most customers alone or with someone else? What is the relationship? What is the average
age and gender of the customers?
Most of the customers are with someone mostly family person. Average age is around 35 and
gender is mix of male and females.
When a customer enters the store, do they tend to walk in the same path or direction? - How long
do customers stay in the store, on average?
Yes the path or position of racks is such that the y have to walk in direction. On an average 10-20
mts.
Do customer touch the products? Is this encouraged?
Yes. Not sure if encouraged or not. But it is allowed.
Do most customers appear to be on a mission or are they browsing? What percent of customers
purchase products in the store?
Most of them are there to buy one or the other stuff. Around 70-80% as it is majorly a grocery
store
