Paying attention

1) Lush (personal grooming products)
2) Aveda (personal grooming products)
3) The Body Shop (personal grooming products)
4) L’Occitane (personal grooming products)
5) Bath & Body Works (personal grooming
products)
6) Apple (personal technology products)
My selections were made on what would be fun for me to
observe.

2

 Before entering:
◦ Bright store window, like a fruit market, confusing messages which draw people in
◦ “Vegan”, “natural”, “lush” notices sound like food
◦ 4’ X 15” sign in neon yellow & green & white, capital letters in sans serif font
◦ Other signs appear handwritten, as if the signs are homemade
◦ This local store is an area within Macy’s: the outer carpet changes to light wood with
higher ceilings and brighter lights in Lush
◦ Tables just outside the opening to the store are unfinished wood piled high with
colored balls and bars of bathing items
◦ Aromatherapeutic scents draw you into the area
◦ People appear to be having fun inside… I wanted to find out what it’s about
◦ Items are unwrapped and available to pick up, smell, touch and play with

4

The environment:

 Soft pastels of bath items against cream walls, with wood floors and unfinished wood
racks and tables; bright colored wrapped gift boxes line one wall
 Lush Emotional brilliance, a game to marketing tool that one will remember, an avenue
to product sales, and buys sales time for the staff to bond and explore the customer’s
emotional state that will help them suggest appropriate products or lead to a spa
treatment building the case for a sale.
 Store & shelves are brightly lit, the light is affected by the colors of the items
 Sounds of water, people excitedly talking about products, the whir of the Emotional
Brilliance game, and music. The music that was being played while I was there was
upbeat young artists. This fit with a young fun atmosphere.
 The store was warm, and the humidity was comfortable.
 The cash register is on one side of the store, but is not staffed constantly – staff roam
with the customers. Security is electronic and not easily visible.
 Multiple smells of their many spa products contain aromatherapy components, which
make you feel good. These scents are more subtle than the nearby perfume counters
and many contain fruit, vegetable and other food components
 I wanted to stay there awhile and try their products, but their small space makes it
difficult to maneuver if there are too many customers there at once.
 The environment speaks of youth and fun, but the actual products are spa quality of
higher caliber than the space in which they were sold.

5

Personnel:
 Personnel approached in less than 5 minutes – their script appears to be greet, determine what the person
likes in colors and smells and how she or he feels, excite, and offer choices.
 Other customers appeared to receive similar treatment by the two staff to 5 customers.
 The age of the staff are 25-35 years old, 2 men, and one woman were present.
 The sales people demonstrated the products on themselves and customers, and stated they use them
themselves. They also would spray something on themselves and then remark to each other – “check how
this smells” as you shop using that dialogue between sales staff to inspire people to try things.
 All staff wear chic, black clothing accented with color in jewelry and hair accents.
 Sales people do match the store image: edgy, creative, fun, & positive.

 Products:
 The first products I saw were unwrapped pastel bath salts balls, they looked as fun and strange as that
sounds
 Lush arranges products by function in rack and table areas of different, eclectic size and shape. Smaller and
larger size options of products are arranged together, except where size is determined by cutting off chucks
of product or dipping out creams or liquids into various sized containers
 No “on sale” items were visible or offered
 Lush staff gave me a hand massage while demonstrating three of their products, and offered numerous
samples of soap, lotion, creams and masks.
 Most products were approximately eye level with extra stock lower and higher on shelves.
 Colorful gift box collections, perfumes, refrigerated masks and the more expensive creams are less
accessible and in corner racks or on higher shelves near the cash register. The least expensive products were
outside or by the opening to the store.
 Lush’s prices are not always obvious. Where marked they appear hand written. For the most part, the prices
are scanned when the customer checks out. The sales consultants look at a price list when queried.
 Impulse items near the cash register include lip creams and nail buffers.
 Packaging – minimal, paper, recycled containers and paper bags

6

 Customers:
◦ All customers I saw came in alone.
◦ The average age and gender of the customers that I saw was 30s to 50s, and mostly
were women.
◦ When customers entered the store, they did not all follow the same path through the
products. Because it’s a relatively small space, if someone is in one area other
customers tend to go another direction.
◦ On average the customers I saw stayed in the store more than 10 minutes.
◦ Customers did and were encouraged to pick up products, sample them, smell them
and inquire about them. Handwritten appearing notices explained the contents,
particularly the natural food and herb components.
◦ All customers I saw appeared to be browsing, but most also purchased something
before leaving the store.
 Other observations:
◦ Lush markets to people who like natural products, recycling, charity, world peace –
that is, “old” hippies and younger people who want to save the planet and those who
are interested in organic food. They also appeal to playful people who like to have
fun, and manipulate items in the environment.

7

Outside the store:
 Aveda stands on a corner space near the food court in the mall. The glass, light
wood, gray and silver color palate are elegant. The interior warm finished oak
shelves highlight the subtly colored bottles of bath and body products.
 The door is open and wide which makes me feel welcome to enter. The main sign is
about 4’ by 1’ tall in capital letters in a sans serif font. Logo symbols are used
instead of bars in the beginning and ending letters A in Aveda.
 To me the colors, straight clean lines in silver and white against gray and tan are
classic and elegant.
The environment:
• The color scheme of the store is tan granite floors, cream high ceiling with an artistic silver
and colored glass chandelier. Racks and shelves are black and finished oak wood. These are
arranged flush against the walls with additional low wood kiosks across the space covered
with easily accessible merchandise. The wood balances the cool tones of the color scheme
and make me feel holistically balanced.
• The store has sufficient light, but uses directional lighting which enhances the feeling of high
class merchandise.
• Sounds from outside the store are muffled with low sounds of waterfalls or streams in the
background. These sounds are often used for yoga and meditation, so enhance the sense
that these products will relax and enhance your well-being.
• Aveda used to offer chakra scents: this store retained its chakra statue – a nod to Aveda’s
aromatherapeutic message.
• Tea brews with the scents of Asian spices – this is offered to customers as they roam through
the store.
• The store feels warm, with merchandise carefully packed in colored types
and functions.
9

The environment:
• The cash register rests on a wood counter in the back, side area of the store. Security is
not seen, but cameras are assumed.
 The store has a cool overall tone, but the sounds of water and aromatherapeutic smells
are relaxing. It was not as inviting as Lush, I did not want to stay more than about 15”.
 Despite its nod to yoga and holistic products, the environment feels cold.
 Contents feel upscale and almost snobbish.
The personnel:
◦ Part of the reason I didn’t feel like staying longer in the store was because of the
supervisor. Two young women were supervised by a middle-aged woman who
watched their every move and listened to everything they said.
◦ My sales member was young but kind, effective and instructive about products,
contents and best uses. She warmed a cream for a hand massage and surprised me
with her observations of my product interests.
◦ Initial contact was initiated within 8 minutes – staff gave me time to wander and
reach the back of the store before broaching my product interests.
◦ The Aveda script was to determine what the person came into the store to buy, show
them options, offer them tea, then discuss new products and gifts for the holiday
season.
◦ Dressed down as I was, the older woman assessed that I was not planning on
spending a lot of money so wanted the younger woman to move on. For that reason,
I think that the staff does treat customers differently according to their appearance of
affluence.
◦ The ratio was ~two staff to one customer.
◦ My sales woman told me that she uses Aveda hair and body products.
 Sales staff did not appear to wear a uniform per se, however they all wore
classic skirts, blouses, stockings and low heels with minimal jewelry.

10

Products:
◦ The first products I noticed were shampoo and conditioner combos. This is what
Aveda is known for, but new versions were displayed prominently.
◦ A central display table inside the front door was tastefully covered with
Himalayan Joy - a new holiday line. Like Lush, there is a natural, holistic bent to
their product line. Aveda combines this with a charity and giving to the Third
World angle, as they buy paper products from Nepal.
◦ For sale items were few and not easily noticed, but those that were available
were on a rack near the cash register.
◦ Products were arranged by function, color and size. Price was also a factor as
they boast an exclusive line which is on a high rack close to the cash register.
Like Lush, there are often larger and smaller sizes of the same product in the
same area.
◦ Sales staff demo hand creams, salts, and offer hand massages, and provide tea
to customers. This adds more time to the shopping experience in their stores.
◦ Most of the products at eye level are Aveda hair care best sellers and product
mainstays.
◦ The least accessible products were the gift boxes: they offered to take a few
down so I could examine them. Prices were not marked.
◦ The least expensive products were also near the cash register where they could
easily be added to a purchase with impulse buying.
◦ The prices are difficult to find and marked on decorative tags in each area. This
was easier than Lush’s pricing to determine as one shops.

11

Customers:
◦ 3 other customers entered the store while I was present – ages 20s-50s, all female.
◦ They all entered by the main door, but did not follow the same paths.
◦ People stayed less than 10 minutes except for the two older ones who stayed ~20
minutes.
◦ The younger customers appeared to know what they planned to buy, the older ones
were browsers.
◦ Customers touched the products, but sales people came to ask address those who
were seen using products or opening bottles to smell the contents.
◦ 100 percent of people I saw in the store purchased something.
 Other observations
◦ Aveda appears to be much more conservative in its approaches
to products, display, and sales methodology than Lush.
◦ Using Aveda will not make you feel fun or joyful, but the
impression is that it will make you a better person – better
groomed, more upscale, and at the same time support people in
need (eg. The Nepali from whom they buy all their paper and
other Third World countries that supply some of the product
ingredients).

12

Before you enter the store:
 Unlike Lush & Aveda, The Body Shop store affords less open view of what is inside and what
is happening inside. Posters block the view of the store interior, as do interior displays
which make it difficult to see to the back of the store from the outside.
 The door to the store is open and reminds me of old pharmacies with green and white
ceramic tile and evergreen colored shelving.
 I’m not sure I want to enter because I don’t know what is inside or how many people are
there.
 The store sign is quite large - ~ 10 feet by 2 feet in capital serif font with the “The” in
smaller script font.
 To me, this says it’s a no nonsense, down to earth store but with flourishes of the delicate.
Not a bad way to approach soap and cosmetics.

Environment:
 The store colors, evergreen and white, are outdated. When The Body Shop first opened in
the States this was a trendy color scheme, but that time has passed by. They need an
environmental update to show that they are keeping up with the times.
 The ceiling is also a lighter green. The shelves which surround the walls are evergreen also.
On many of them the paint is peeling and needs attention. Unfinished wood racks and
tables break up the main selling space.
 The store is brightly lit, but the dark green accents throughout the space absorb a lot of it,
so there are dark areas where it is hard to read the small font on products.
 The store is not loud, but there are more customers than in the other two stores so the
sounds are of busyness.
 They were playing muzak-style music.
 The store was warm with cold drafts and more humid than I would have liked.

14

Environment:
◦ The store was packed with merchandise on shelves in the front and sides, although
shelves to the back of the store were almost empty in many areas. The clerk told me
that this was due to the current merchandise buy two get one free sale.
◦ The store smelled of Body Shop cinnamon candles that were placed around the store.
◦ The cash registers were located in the far back left of the store on a table specifically
for that purpose, as in Aveda.
◦ Store security was not visible, but cameras are assumed.
◦ I stayed in the store about 20 minutes while I explored the counters and racks, tested
and smelled products throughout the large floor space and shelves.
◦ In the case of the Body Shop, the outdated color scheme and peeling paint on the
racks made me wonder if the products themselves were also outdated. I also
wondered if the sale was part of a strategy to clear everything out rather than to draw
customers and build sustaining brand loyalty.
Personnel:
◦ Store personnel took about 10 minutes to greet me, and only when they viewed me
testing and opening products to see what was inside. While that is allowed and
testing encouraged in this store, they seemed to view it two-fold: that I was serious
about understanding the products and they wanted to be sure I used the testers
provided so not to contaminate the products to sell.
◦ Sales staff were very busy, so any typical script used was cut to the bone: was I going
to buy, encourage me to take advantage of the sale, and determine if
I wanted or needed further help.
15

Personnel:
◦ The sales staff concentrated most of their time on people who were buying on the sale and
in volume.
◦ There were about one sales person to five customers. Sales staff were all women at that
time: mostly in their 40s but with some younger and a couple older women. Sales staff
appeared to approach customers of their same approximate age.
◦ Sales staff wore an evergreen apron which was the color of the environment, but in general
they did not seem to conform to what I would think people would look like interested in The
Body Shop’s community fair trade, charity, and natural ingredients.
Products:
◦ The first products I noticed were the candles and oil air fresheners, since other
customers were standing in front of the table with limited edition body butters
directly in line with the front door.
◦ Items that were for sale were throughout the store, these were non-limited edition
items that serve as the basis for their bath and body product line.
◦ Products were arranged by scents, ingredients (such as shea butter, almond, etc.),
and to a lesser degree by function. There were areas for candles, air fresheners and
cosmetics, several spaces for gift sets.
◦ I did not see free samples or demonstrations while I was there, but this could be
because the store was in a sales mode.
◦ Gift boxes were in the least accessible locations and were the most expensive items
in some cases. Those were items that I would have had to ask for assistance to
examine.
 Product prices were easy to find, well marked with printed tags.
 Impulse items, such as lip butters and small hand creams were near
the cash register.
16

 Customers:
◦ Most customers appeared to be shopping with someone else. I only saw women and
girls on this day, and assume that these were women with friends, women with
sisters, women with daughters. The average age of the customers I saw was 40.
◦ Due to the sale and number of women in the store (at most ~ 30 women), we all took
a variety of paths through the store to examine items.
◦ Most women appeared to stay about 15 minutes in the store, although some were
longer and appeared to be using the sale to stock up for holiday gifts.
◦ Customers touched the products, smelled the products and used the testers to gain a
feel for the products. Unlike Lush but as in Aveda,
people seen using products were approached by
sales staff.
◦ Most customers appeared to be seriously engaged in
purchasing items from the sale, although some were
like me, browsing.
◦ ~85% of customers bought products while I was present.
 Other observations:
◦ As I noted above, the average age of shoppers was 40
which appears also to be the store’s target audience as
viewed in one of the large posters in front of the store for
one of their limited lines.

17

Before you enter the store:
 L’Occitane’s corner-oriented store reminds viewers of Japanese traditional architecture –
black and tan verticals balanced as a shoji (gate) or as frames of tatami mat screens. It
looks clean, elegant and clear on its functionality.
 The door is open, although narrower than entrances to Lush, The Body Shop and Aveda.
The floor space is small, similar to Lush, which gives them both the feel of a boutique.
 The main sign is about 7’ X 2’ at its greatest points. They’ve used a flat jet black for the
letters in serif capital font. The lettering matches the black architectural details on the
interior and exterior of the store. L’Occitane backlights the letters of the sign to make it
more noticeable. “Occitane” is set in larger font. The L’ and en Provence (of Provence) are
smaller which focuses memory on one word while still advertising this is an international
company for grooming products made in France. The L’Occitane means “the woman
from L’occitania” which is in Provence.
 The exterior hints of upscale items which may not be commonly available.
The environment:
 The color scheme of the storm is gold, jet black and tans. The products and natural
woven baskets of dried herbs and flowers provide the accent colors. Racks are glass
with black wrought iron with some French country distressed white small tables for extra
products. The cash register counter is darker wood with glass insets.
 The store is brightly lit, with mirrors well set to enhance the lighted corners.
 The ceiling is high and white, with directional lighting used to focus light on the displays.
 The floor is warm finished wood.
 The store environment was relatively quiet, although soft instrumental music played in
the background.
◦ The room emanated various smells depending on what area you stood. L’Occitane’s
line features plant and herb products – some areas smelled of rose, some of lavender,
others verbena. It’s easy to tell what the smell is because the odor is marked also by
cascades of dried lavender or roses.

19

The environment:
 The store was warm with appropriate humidity.
 While there is a lot of merchandise, the shelves are not packed. Extra products are
available, but hidden in counters and closed shelves.
 The small cash register is in the back of the store facing the door. Store security is not
seen, but cameras are assumed.
 I wanted to spend some time there to read and understand the contents and benefits of
their various products.
 The classic elegance of the environment does make me think that products are
expensive, but the value comes from the facts they are from France, they use natural
products, and that therefore it’s a special person who can and does purchase them.

Personnel:
 A sales person approached me within 4 minutes of entering the store.
 The script varied: some people entered and asked immediately for what they wanted.
Others roamed the store. Where someone knew what was wanted, the staff obtained it,
but also demonstrated sales and a charity soap item. Other new items were offered for
demonstration. Where the person was new to L’Occitane, the staff also described the
values of their product line – authentic, elegant, simple, organic, and French.
 Few customers came through while I was there – 5 people were helped by 2 young
saleswomen, probably in their 20s.
 Sales staff wore elegant black skirts and tops or black dresses and an L’Occitane apron.
 It’s hard to imagine what a French authentic, organic upscale sales clerk would
look like, but these two women seemed to fit the environment.

20

Products:
 The first product I noticed was a new line, “magical leaves and marvelous flowers” which
were marketed in the front of the store. Like most of their products, soap, bath gel, lotions
and creams are available wrapped in pretty colored upscale packaging.
 In addition to the above, on another central table were their two highest end skin care
lines: Immortelle and the newest one, Divine.
 For the most part, sale items are not advertised with big signs. They offer two for one in
some of their lotions, or alternately with the purchase of two items from a skin care line
the purchasers gets a box of sample size skin care items from that line. They also do this
for their shampoos and conditioners. One perfume item was repackaged with a skin
conditioner for the same price (my understanding is that L’Occitane is phasing out that
line).
 Products are arranged by scent and function except for gift boxes and the skin care lines
which are displayed by price point, then contents.
 Most products are displayed at eye levels with demonstration products at waist level.
 No demonstrations occurred while I was there, but they do have them periodically.
L’Occitane is excellent about generously providing samples and are especially so for those
who buy.
 Prices are discretely marked with decorative tags. Gift box prices were more difficult to
ascertain.
◦ Impulse items like small soaps, small tubes of lotion, & lip balms were near the cash
register.

21

Customers:
 While I was there, two women came into together, quickly looked around and left. Three
other women browsed and then purchased things. It looked like the women who left
were friends. The age of customers was split between middle-agers and younger
women.
 More so than the other stores I observed, customers here did tend to follow a similar
track through the store: main tables, left to wall displays of items, then the other wall
moving clockwise.
 Customers do touch the products and testers, but within a minute or so, a clerk will ask
if help is needed. I found it more useful to have the clerk demo a cream for me and
probably received a larger portion of product than I would have used on my own.
 As with The Body Shop, some people were there to pick up a product they needed so
were in and out. Some just browsed. 3/5ths of customers made purchases.
Other observations:
 While products for me are very visible, the store has an overwhelmingly
feminine appeal to it which may limit browsing by the average man.

22

Outside the store:
 Bath & Body Works has a large store, with a large open door. Posters of a woman of color
obscure some of the interior, but it makes me feel good to see promotion of diversity in
their marketing which makes me want to enter.
 Their large sign streams about 10’ X 2’ across the store front. The dark cobalt font is
sans serif and playful, and the placement of the letters lets the bottom of the Y fall over
to the door.
 The outside of the store suggests a younger, more playful than the Aveda, The Body Shop
and L’Occitane consumer bases.
The environment:
 Bath& Body Works’ color scheme is a bright combination of light blue, cobalt blue, tan
and white. White ceramic tile covers the floor and there’s a cream-colored high ceiling.
The color scheme with the white floor and ceiling makes the environment bright and yet
warm and inviting.
 The store is brightly lit and merchandise can be easily viewed even in corners. They use
directional and fluorescent lighting in this space which makes me feel comfortable.
 The environment is loud. Popular top forty music is playing, but the store is also filled
with people who are there for a sale. The music suits the younger crowd who shop there,
although there are as many middle-aged women present as younger ones.
 The temperature is warm and feels slightly humid from all the people.
 The front main floor space feels roomy although has many tables with featured
merchandise: Their Forever Red and Cashmere Glow lines were prominently featured
there.
 Candles and oil scents were on display to the left of the store, and racks on the right of
the front space were neatly, and fully lined with bath and body products.

24

Environment:
 The store mainly smelled of vanilla scents although walking through the aisles one had
scents of flowers, foods and plants.
 In the second half of the store where there it is shaped like an H that does not
completely close, one finds rack upon rack of items of all kinds and a long cash register
counter with 4 registers. All of these were in use, with 4-5 people in each line to check
out.
 Because of the sales environment of too many people, sales staff running to retrieve
items and people asking lots of questions I didn’t want to stay long.
 The business of the environment made me believe that there were some good bargains
to be had there.
Personnel:
 A sales person never waited on me in 20 minutes. In order to get their attention,
customers needed to approach staff.
 Salespersons asked what people were interested in, described the sale, and directed
them to areas of the store. Once the customer retrieved her items, she entered the
queue at the cash register.
 I did not see any difference in approaches to customers by sales staff.
 The day I was there, there was an ~ one staff to 4 customer ratio.
 Sales staff I saw were of mixed ages, but all white women from their 20s to 50s
 I could not ascertain if the sales staff use the products themselves.
 The sales team all wore aprons, but there was diversity in what they otherwise wore –
slacks, khakis, and skirts.
◦ Bath & Body Works is about good grooming, and not all of them reflected that image.
There was a lot of stress, so the environment was not young and fun. Lastly, I did
not see the racial diversity that might have been indicated by the photo of the young
black woman with Cashmere Glow.

25

Products
 The first product I noticed was Cashmere Glow, their new young line marketed to African
Americans. A high end display was created on a table as one walked in the door. Nearby
was their second line, Forever Red. These areas were tasteful and offered more information
than at the racks and bins nearby.
 Sales signs were located in the outer space with more located in the back cashiers area.
They advertised “2 products if you buy 3” and this discount applied to most of their lines.
 Products were arranged by scent, function and to some extent price since signature lines
cost more.
 The most expensive products were the gift boxes which were difficult to access.
 Prices were well-marked with tags.
 Impulse items were near the cash registers although it looked like some of them had been
moved away from the cash register counter area given the crowds shopping. The least
expensive products were located in the bins in the back area of the store. That area
reminded me of K-Mart or Ross.
 There are testers around the store, but I did not see free samples or demonstrations.
 Most of the products at eye level were the higher scale versions of their bath and body lines.
Customers
 Most customers I observed with single women, or women with friends or daughters. Their
ages ranged from 20s to 50s.
 When customers entered the store they did not tend to follow the same track: some went
left, some went right, some went straight. Many made a beeline to the back deep sales
racks.
 Most people stayed in the store between 20-40 minutes. This length of time was largely
due to the delay in check out.

26

Customers
 People did pick up the items, smell them and examine the packaging, but I saw no
demonstrations.
 Most people there seemed to be on a sales mission, likely stocking up for the holidays
from comments I overheard.
 Approximately 80 percent of customers purchased something while I was there.

Other observations:
 Bath & Body Works offers more affordable options
for personal grooming that also offer some
natural ingredients. Their customer audience
therefore includes some who could not afford
products in Aveda, Lush or L’Occitane and for some,
who can even not justify the extra cost of The Body
Shop. That said, all of those companies offered
a sense of identity that was less salient in the
marketing at this store.

27

Outside the store:
 The Apple Store draws you in right away. The opening to their store, their door,
runs almost the entire width of their floor space. This is unlike any other store in
the area. The door is open wide without any clear focused walkway in. This
makes me feel that the store is open to anyone.
 Apple is also different in that it does not advertise the name of it’s store in words.
Instead, they use the Apple white logo, which is about a 3 ½ ft. square. The apple
logo is also lit so it’s very bright.
The environment:
 The color scheme is white, silver and gray. Accent colors come from the light finished
wood tables, the black and white products, blue accent lighting and the staff’s bright
blue aprons. It’s clean, it’s primary and it’s functional.
 The floor is large gray tiles of something not stone and not carpet. It’s perhaps recycled
product.
 The ceiling shines high, flat and flush with very large bright white flat light tiles
intermingled with light gray panels.
 The store is very brightly lit, although in the back along the sides where there are
accessories the lighting is poorer and less functional.
 The environment was relatively quiet despite all of the technology. This was achieved
through the use of earplugs that people use testing products. The environment looks
like a classroom or an architectural firm layout instead of a store.
 The real noise is from people talking about the products with staff and others.
 I did not notice music playing while I was there.
 The store was not warm nor cold.
29

Environment:
 A great deal of merchandise was displayed but not crowded. This was achieved through the
use of long tables with interspaced customer stations along each side with additional ipads
set as informational units.
 Apple smelled like steel and money.
 Apple does not use cash registers. Instead their staff wear ipad units or iphone units that
can scan credit cards and email receipts to your home. Since staff wear them, they are
always there when needed.
 The staff provide one level of security and watch customers as well as selling. While that is
true in all of the stores, it’s especially true at this one. Security cameras are clearly visible in
Apple.
 I wanted to stay for several hours to play with various items, however it was the launch day
of the ipad mini so too crowded to browse when others wanted to buy.
 Everything about Apple screams intelligent, creative, functional.
Personnel:
 I was in the store for ~ 20 minutes before speaking to a salesman who I approached with a
question. This may be atypical, since there were more customers than on a normal day.
 While scripts are likely, it seemed to depend on the products of interest. There were too
many products and too many people to well-assess this aspect.
 Customers appeared to be consistently courteously treated and responses to questions
appeared to depend on what the sale person had assessed as the customer’s level of
knowledge of technology. I was pleasantly surprised at the consistency between sale reps.
 There were approximately 26 sales reps on duty plus 4 technology repair specialists whose
table lies along the back of the store. There were approximately 55 people in the store when
I was there, so the ratio of staff to customers was more than 1 staff to 2 customers. I
assume this high number was needed in order to demo the products.

30

Personnel:
 Staff ages run from 20s to 60s. All appear to have great technological experience and
the ability to talk about it in common language.
 Staff wear bright blue aprons.
 The staff definitely match the stores image: intelligent, creative, and fun. Staff were
men and women, and from all races. Facial piercings and tattoos were also evident, but
fit the space.
Products:
 The first item I noticed was a MacBook, although right next to it and every other product
was an ipad with the description of the item. This eliminated unnecessary paper and
tags, demonstrated their other product, and made the space easily cleaned.
 There is no central display table, but many of them spreading vertically back from the
door. This visual effect also draws customers in so they can view what is displayed.
 I saw no sales items anywhere in the Apple Store.
 Products are arranged by function then price and sometimes by size. Technological
complexity is another factor for how items are arranged.
 There are free demos, and people are encouraged to test all of the items. Of interest
was the children’s waiting area near the back of the store, where all of them – even
under 7 years – were working on store ipads.
 Products are rarely at eye level at Apple – they are at hand level since that is how people
will be using them. The exception are the accessories racks along both sides of the
back of the store.
 The most expensive items were in the center tables of the store. The least expensive
were at side tables along the front walls.
 The prices of the items could be found on the ipads next to the items.
 Since there is no cash register, impulse items may be suggested when
closing a sale by the reps.

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Customers:
 Apple customers were of all types – families out to buy an iPhone for granny, lone men
and women looking for a new computer or pad, retirees there to upgrade. There was no
average age, gender and it’s the only store in which I saw customers of all races
shopping together.
 Customers do not take the same path through the store: they locate the items they are
interested in and then go there. If they browse – which is difficult with that volume of
people – they move in paths depending on which areas are open to move.
 Customers touch and demo the products themselves without great interference from the
staff. Most people were there when I entered and still there when I left – over an hour.
 About half of the customers appeared to be browsing and the rest appeared to be ready
to buy something.
 Sales that day looked like approximately 60% of people made at least one purchase.
Other Observations:
 Customers appeared to be having fun and were committed to the Apple
brand.

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 Mottos:
◦ Lush: fresh handmade cosmetics, come & play
◦ Aveda: the art and science of pure flower & plant
essences
◦ The Body Shop: discover a world of ingredients,
amazing ingredients sourced through community
fair trade
◦ L’Occitane en Provence: From Provence, France,
authenticity, respect, sensoriality and continual
improvement Bath & Body Works: straight from the
heartland, committed to making fragrance fun
◦ Apple: think different

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 Sales spaces must be open, inviting, intriguing and attract their target customers
effectively
 Color, furniture, flooring and attention to trends and updates help keep companies sales
steady. Peeling paint and lack of upkeep send the message that the products may be
similarly poor. Spaces must be clean, safe and well-lighted.
 Sales staff should match the image and marketing of their products.
 Products should be readily available for testing with explanations nearby.
 Products make us feel better about ourselves, so companies are selling us a new version
of ourselves. With that in mind, they bring in charity, recycling and other environmental
issues. We want to learn or experience something new, so the business model needs to
transform to keep up with or project trends.

35

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