OBSERVATION: FIRST STEP IN CREATIVITY

Stanford Online: A Crash Course on Creativity

Assignment #2

6 STORES OBSERVED:

1. Perfect Blend – local coffee shop

2. I Love Books – local bookstore

3. Pet Smart – chain pet supply store

4. Panera – chain upscale fast food restaurant/bakery

5. Staples – chain office supplies store

6. Pride – Gas station/convenience store

LOCAL COFFEE SHOP

GREAT LOCAL CAFÉ

• Aroma

• Plenty of Comfortable Seating (Front and Back of Cafe)

• Variety of Food Choices

BUT MOST CUSTOMERS ONLY PURCHASE COFFEE, PASTRY

• Samples might entice visitors to buy more substantial menu items

• Staff recommendations or highlighted specials with staff descriptions could help regulars try something new

LOTS OF MOMS WITH YOUNG CHILDREN STOPPED IN(BUT NO GOOD SEATING FOR THEM)

• Child-proof back room to allow mommy groups to meet together with their kids

• Back room is set back a long way and would not disturb other customers

LOCAL BOOKSTORE

GREAT LOCAL BOOKSTORE / GIFT SHOP

FOR BROWSING

• Old Books Aroma

• Piles of books, cards, and other gifts

• Helpful staff

• Well-worn floor!

BUT POOR DESIGN FOR HELPING CUSTOMERS FIND HIGHER COST PRODUCTS

• Upon entry, face two huge rows of cards

• Books and gifts aren’t organized well for focused search

• No helpful insight from staff

• Provide staff recommendations on recent books

• Redesign store layout so books and gifts are prominently displayed as you enter, not cards

CHAIN PET SUPPLY STORE

COMPLETELY WELCOMING ATMOSPHERE FOR PET OWNERS AND THEIR PETS• Pets explicitly allowed in store

• Staff will sit down on floor to play with pets, try out products

• Training and grooming services in store

• Pet cleanup stations inside and outside of store

BUT STORE IS SET UP FOR PURCHASING ONLY

• No place for pet owners to connect, for pets to play

• No reason to go to store unless ready to purchase

• Dog run in or outside of the store to bring pet owners together?

• Could facilitate more impulse shopping and more spending at Pet Smart

CHAIN RESTAURANT/BAKERY

WELCOMING ATMOSPHERE

• Light music, soft lighting, comfortable seating

• Free WiFi

• Pleasant coffee/bakery aroma

BUT NOT VERY PERSONAL

• Small touches can make Panera feel more like the local café to which they aspire:

• List staff recommendations/descriptions of breads and sandwiches

• Blackboard with staff recommendations of combinations – which coffee flavor with which soup?

• Allow customers to request music playing (from specific playlists)

CHAIN OFFICE SUPPLIES STORE

EXPENSIVE ITEMS ARE PROMINENTLY DISPLAYED• Brookstone products; iPad accessories, computers

BUT DON’T MOST PEOPLE SHOP AT STAPLES FOR BASIC SUPPLIES?• Paper, pens, folders in the back of the store

• How can Staples make customers feel like their needs are the priority, not up-selling?

• Move regular purchases up closer to the front with a few, well-selected high price items.

• Create a “test lab” at the back of the store where customers can sit and test out new products – give them a reason to make the trip to the back to the high-margin products

GAS STATION / CONVENIENCE STORE

STANDARD GAS STATION WITH GREAT CUSTOMER

SERVICE

• Sell gas, cigarettes, snacks, and other convenience items

• Store is plain and unappealing, as you’d expect

• However, the staff is incredibly friendly and helpful. They often come out from behind the desk to assist customers (before they are asked)

BUT NOT OPTIMIZED TO SELL

• Large items (2 liters of soda) and non-frequent items (medicines) greet you when you enter

• Instead, put baked goods and other high-frequency items in the entrance, not just on the counters