The science of shopping

In the work I do, I observe features, habits, cultural differences and ask why, while combining appear-ances and defining origin-places in near and faraway islands. On the other hand, Paco Underhill, author of Why We Buy, The Science of Shopping, does the same, but confines himself to shoppers’ habits in urban areas. He has undertaken behavioral research in the retail environment.

Reading through a guide that could lead me to self revelations, the first step Underhill embarked on in his research project was to produce a detailed map of the stores’ doorways and aisles, display shelves and racks, counters, shoppers’ sex, race, ages, and description of shoppers’ attire to discover behavioral patterns.

There are a few aspects I found worthy of writing about.

Shoppers who approached racks at the entrance of the store tried to shop until they were bumped by people rushing in or out of the store. After a few jostles, shoppers moved out of the way and simply went away without buying anything. Obviously women, although true of men to a lesser extent, don’t like being brushed aside or touched from behind. You can bet sales on that rack by the door went down.

Old women or overweight men should not have to break their backs to search for what they need in low racks. Their items should not be placed at the very bottom of any display cabinet. They just can’t bend anyway!

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Did you know almost all shoppers reach right, being right-handed? Store owners, attention please: When you arrange a shelf, the most popular brand goes at the center – and the brand you’re trying to build or sell goes to the right of it.

Package check-in counters should be more friendly, so tired customers enjoy the convenience of shopping with their hands unoccupied.

A store’s flower department just to the right of the entrance or the exit makes perfect sense. You wouldn’t want to shop all over the store carrying a bouquet of damp flowers. Instead, you’ll get them on your way out.

From where I roam, a salesperson should be oriented to relate more readily to assist customers without following their footsteps too closely. They should focus on interacting with the customers readily but within a reasonable distance, rather than getting to sticky or doing the opposite, busy rearranging their stocks. Some customers find this attitude snobbish. So, they avoid the merchandise.

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Shopping as a social activity seems unchanged, according to Mr. Underhill. "Women still like to shop with friends, egging each other on, and rescuing each other from ill-advised purchases. In fact, studies show that when two women shop together, they often spend more time and money than when alone. Women who shop alone or with women do better than women saddled with a male companion."

For my part, I enjoy shopping with a companion. I don’t talk to myself and say our questions. "For many women, there are psychological and emotional aspects to shopping. Women can go into a kind of reverie when they shop – they become absorbed in the ritual of seeking and comparing, of imagining and envisioning merchandise on them." That’s from author Underhill.

Shopping makes women forget to eat, forget the time, and their pained feet until they arrive home.

Did you know? A man breezes through, picks up the head of lettuce on top of the pile and wheels away, failing to notice the brown spots and limpid leaves. The woman palpates, examines and sniffs her way past the garbage, looking for lettuce perfection.

Men take pride in their proficiency with certain durable goods – cars, tools, and computers. Women, though, have traditionally understood the importance of the impermanent world – cooking a meal, decorating a cake, fixing hair and makeup.

It’s a revolving world. We do a lot of chores, multi-tasking the whole day and can cope.

Women demand more of shopping environments than men do. Males just want places that allow them to find what they need with a minimum of looking and then get out fast. We want bigger, lighted dressing rooms.

Men take less pleasure in the journey. Women look forward to spending his money and leaving hers.

Women are generally more patient and inquisitive going to all the floors to compare prices and merchandise. Men’s departments are always on the ground floor of every department store. because men usually won’t take the leisure of roaming the store in search of what they need.

Women will explore all venues, exhaust styles and colors before getting something that she would really like. Peping can’t forget walking through "Miracle Mile" in Los Angeles suffering with me as I compared shoe styles and prices. At the end of the road, I chose to buy the shoe at the first store a mile back.

That’s me! And surely I prefer to be…. a woman!