Insights from observing six separate stores. This was Assignment #2 for the 2012 Stanford Online Course: Crash Course on Creativity

1. OBSERVATION: FIRST STEP IN CREATIVITY
Stanford Online: A Crash Course on Creativity
Assignment #2

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

3. LOCAL COFFEE SHOP

4. GREAT LOCAL CAFÉ
• Aroma
• Plenty of Comfortable Seating (Front and
Back of Cafe)
• Variety of Food Choices

5. 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

6. 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

7. LOCAL BOOKSTORE

8. GREAT LOCAL
BOOKSTORE / GIFT SHOP
FOR BROWSING
• Old Books Aroma
• Piles of books, cards, and other gifts
• Helpful staff
• Well-worn floor!

9. 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

10. CHAIN PET SUPPLY STORE

11. 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

12. 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

13. CHAIN RESTAURANT/BAKERY

14. WELCOMING
ATMOSPHERE
• Light music, soft lighting, comfortable seating
• Free WiFi
• Pleasant coffee/bakery aroma

15. 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)

16. CHAIN OFFICE SUPPLIES STORE

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

18. 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

19. GAS STATION / CONVENIENCE STORE

20. 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)

21. 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