The document describes observations from a shopping mall in Toronto. It notes that most stores were empty despite the full parking lot. The food court was crowded but opportunities exist for retailers to convert those customers into in-store shoppers. Specifically, stores need to better display sale items and flyers outside to attract nearby customers who may not know what they want until options are shown to them.

1. Are You Paying Attention?
Yes, I am!
ASSIGNMENT #2
# C R A S H C R E AT I V I T Y
Velika Kapitanof

2. Observation Exercise
 Location:
 Shopping Mall in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
 Particulars
 40+ stores including Pharmacy, Grocery, Jeweler, Shoes and
Clothing
 Main floor has all retail stores with a Food Court in the centre
 Upper and Lower floors have Doctors’ office, Physiotherapy
and Aesthetic Services
 Demographics
 Multi-cultural; families; singles/couples and senior citizens

3. Observation Exercise
 Stores visited
 Grocery Store
 Jeweler
 Clothing Store
 Bakery
 Fruit Market
 Gift shop
 greeting cards, decorative items, birthday / wedding gifts

4. What did I see?
 The Mall parking lot was full
 Hard to find an empty spot
 People were entering the mall; others leaving the mall and
going to their cars
 Not many had shopping bags in hand
 Most stores were empty **
 Tables in the Food court were full with large groups
 people sitting together, talking, laughing, drinking coffee
** details to follow in subsequent slides

5. Jeweler
Both salespeople were 1 customer
attending the 1
customer Items well displayed
Well lit
Full window display
Newly renovated facing the mall
– nice fixtures &
hardwood floor New customer not
greeted
Security cameras in
place 2 salespeople
No Sale signs In-store displays
very neat & well lit

6. Bakery
Glass cases No customers
with dessert upon entry
were not lit
Music playing
Fresh Bread
in the
background
Sign on
window:
Fresh Bread Poorly lit
after 11:30 am
Customer traffic
is for purchase
Shelves were bare of bread only
Owner/Clerk
very pleasant Exterior
unwelcoming

7. Fruit Market
1 cashier but lines Fruit & Flower
move quickly displays outside of
store
Owner watches
customers from Steady flow of
back of store customers
Well lit
Easy to get
around Cashier is friendly,
but owner/security
Vegetables standing in the
packaged & priced back is
individually unapproachable
Good variety of Produce is fresh
product

8. Gift Shop
Sale signage Gifts & cards
well displayed for all
occasions
1 Salesperson Items clearly
2 Customers marked &
identified
Halloween
Many items on
decorations
sale
are dominant
Salesperson
Salesperson approached to
greeted offer
warmly assistance

9. Clothing Store
Tons of items Merchandise
on Sale displayed in
an orderly, tidy
Store full of manner
merchandise
1 Customer at
Cash register register
in the middle
of store Well lit
2 salespeople Aisles clear
– both at but somewhat
register tight
Store too Easy for a
crowded with customer to
merchandise be overlooked

10. Grocery Store
Lines moved slowly Well lit
Store was packed Staff stocking
5 cashiers – all shelves
busy Tons of products
Hard to pass thru Sales clearly
the produce section marked
– too many people
Many kids running
& carts
around
Customers bag
Express cashier –
own groceries
less than 10 items
Cashiers tired & – had the longest
frustrated due to lineup
volume

11. Results
Findings Opportunities
 Retail stores had very  Customers inside the
little customer traffic mall must be converted
 Even with items on Sale, from window shoppers
customers were not to actual shoppers
entering the stores  Stores have to step
outside of their store to
entice customers
 Display some sale
merchandise outside of
store

12. Results
Findings Opportunities
 Grocery /fruit market  People are looking for
were there only stores discounts & are enticed
that had consistent foot by displays outside of
traffic store
 The express lane was the  Place low-priced items
busiest; therefore, people near the front of the store
were buying less than 10
items

13. Results
Findings Opportunities
 Bakery’s main staple is  Rearrange or remove store
shelves
the sale of fresh bread  Empty shelves makes store
appear closed or out of
 The only foot traffic was business
for the purchase of bread  Display main product
 Bread is ready at 11:30  Bread (or a mockup) should
be prominently displayed in
am and runs out by the store and in the store
window
2:30 pm  Increase the quantity of
 Many would-be customers bread produced per day
only hear “we ran out”  Morning & afternoon batch

14. Results
Findings Opportunities
 Customers enter the  Flyers or coupons
mall but are not should be distributed
shopping – socializing by stores to the food
in food court court customers
 Salespeople can walk
around the food court a
few times per day, talk to
customers, tell them about
their products & hand out
flyers / coupons

15. My Final Thoughts
 I have been to this mall many times and have noticed that
the food court is usually crowded; however, never paid
attention to the traffic inside the stores.
 I realize that this is a wasted opportunity for the retailers –
the customer is literally right outside their door; they just
have to find a way to get them inside.
 The best way I can summarize my finds is by referring to
Steve Jobs who in May 1998 said,
 “A lot of times, people don't know what they want until you show it to
them.”
 It is now time for these retailers to show the food court
customers what they want.

16. Thank you for watching!
# C R A S H C R E AT I V I T Y