Assignment 2 - Observation Lab

1. A Crash Course in Creativity
Stanford.edu
Assignment 2 – Observation Lab
Richard Powers
Oxford, Mississippi

9. Stores
Oxford, MS. Square University Square Neilson’s Off Square Stash Square Books
Sporting Books Department Books
Goods Jr. Store
Before you enter the store:
Does the store draw you in? If Neat old Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
so, how? building inviting inviting colorful interesting friendly
Is the door open or closed? closed open closed closed open open
How does this make you feel? NA NA NA NA NA NA
How big is the sign lettering Large Large Large Medium Medium Medium
and in what font?
What does it tell you about Old Old Old Old Unique Interesting
the store? Est. 1839
Environment:
What is the color scheme of Red & Blue neutral neutral neutral neutral neutral
the store? How does this Ole Miss
affect you?

10. How high is the 20 ft 20ft 30ft 30ft 30ft 60ft
ceiling? How does Open Open Open Open Open Open
this feel?
How brightly lit is Light - open Light Light Light Dark Medium
the store? How inviting Very inviting comfortable comfortable Inviting
does this affect
you?
How loud is the quiet quiet quiet quiet quiet quiet
environment?
What is causing the stereo none none none none none
noise?
Is there music Music Yes No No Yes, large No
playing? If so, does Top 40 yes Childrens Screen TV,
it fit the yes yes
environment?
Is the store warm neither neither neither neither neither neither
or cold?
Is the store crowed crowded crowded crowded crowded crowded crowded
with merchandise
or is it sparse?
Does the store have Yes, clothes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
a distinctive smell? Books expensive Books expensive Books
Where is the cash By entrance Close to entrance Several around Center Right of Center rear Center Left of
register located? store store store
How visible is the Not seen Not seen Not seen Not seen Not seen Not seen
store security?
How long do you 20 min 20 mins 30 mins 30 mins 20 mins hours
want to stay in this
store?
Does the yes yes yes yes yes yes
environment
influence the
perceived value of
the merchandise?

11. Personnel:
How long does it take before a seconds seconds seconds One minute seconds None did –
sales person initiates contact? Casual
atmosphere
Does the salesperson have a No No No No No No
script to follow with each
customer?
Does the salesperson treat No No No No No No
different customers
differently?
What is the ratio of 1 to 2 1 to 1 3 to 1 1 to 1 1 to 1 1 to 5
salespeople to customers?
What age and gender are the 30 F 40 F 40’s M & F 50’s M & F 60’s M & F 40’s M & F
employees?
Are the salespeople using the Yes NA Yes NA NA NA
store products?
Do the salespeople have a No No No No No No
uniform?
Do the salespeople match the Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
stores image?

12. Products:
What is the first Ole Miss Books & Clothes Books Furniture Books
product that you shirt Posters
notice?
Is there a central yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes
display table with
featured products?
Where are items yes yes Yes Yes No Yes
that are “for sale”
located in the store?
How are the Function By children’s Function By type of book Not arranged By type of book
products arranged? ages Depts. Eye appeal
By function? By
price? By color?
Are there free no no no no no no
samples or
demonstrations?
What products are at apparel books clothes books Décor Items & books
eye level? Furniture
What items in the shoes toys Glassware Some books Goods on Some books
store are in the least Homeware walls
accessible locations? items
Where are the most Front -Back of Least in NA – everything Equally spread NA – everything Equally spread
and least expensive store Back of store expensive through store expensive through store
products located?
Are the prices of the yes no yes yes yes yes
products easy to
find?
Are there impulse yes yes yes yes no yes
items near the cash
register?

13. Customers:
Are most customers alone or alone alone alone alone alone alone
with someone else? What is
the relationship?
What is the average age and 40’s 60’s 40’s 40’s 60’s 40’s
gender of the customers? M&F M&F M&F M&F F M&F
When a customer enters the yes yes yes yes yes yes
store, do they tend to walk in
the same path or direction? -
How long do customers stay in 20 mins 20 to 30 mins 30 mins 30 mins 15 mins 1 hour
the store, on average?
Do customers touch the Yes, yes Yes, yes Yes, yes Yes, yes Yes, yes Yes, yes
products? Is this encouraged?
Do most customers appear to browsing browsing browsing browsing browsing browsing
be on a mission or are they
browsing?
What percent of customers 50% 80% 60% 50% 20% 50%
purchase products in the
store?

14. Other Observations:
My observations were done at six stores located around the town square in
Oxford, Mississippi ( pop. 20,000 ) in North Central Mississippi. It is the home
of Ole Miss and I feel that and the history of the authors here (William Faulkner,
John Grisham, and others) have definitely affected the type and quality of the
book stores I visited. Also, most of the buildings are dated back to the 1860’s
after the Civil War, as I was informed by a local: “the Yankees burned the town
to the ground in 1864”.
Security – If there, it wasn’t noticeable in any of the stores.
Note: I did my observance at store opening time on a mid-week day, so I feel
that effected my responses. Again, this is small town America!
Insights and New Opportunities:
Location, location, location as realtors say. The property around the Oxford
Square is high dollar property with extremely high dollar rents, therefore goods
and services are expensive. I think the most educational creative thing I
learned was from how the book stores competed with the chain stores and the
Internet. Each provided something unique, Square Books – book signings and
parties for authors, Off Square Books – Thacker Mountain PBS Radio Show, with local
music, authors and commentary, and Square Books Jr. – reading clubs for children through
teens, with readings by authors. In conclusion, it was an interesting exercise.