Shopping: Why We Love It and How Retailers Can Create the Ultimate Customer Experience

Everything about shopping has changed. Take it from Pamela N. Danziger, a dedicated power shopper and author. According to Danziger, "shops that pop" are stores that have a set of unique identifying characteristics that make people love to shop in them. In part one of her book, Danziger explains the role of the consumer in this new paradigm, which is all about the experience. "Shoppers don't love a store because they love the merchandise they carry," Danziger says. "They love a store because it touches them personally and emotionally." A marketing researcher and self-proclaimed passionate shopper, Danziger believes there has been a shift from a products-based business to a people-based business and retailers need to accommodate this shift. These "shops that pop" have 7 distinctive features that they share that attract consumers: *Involvement - encourages the customers to touch, feel, taste and try on *Curiosity - invites consumers to explore and experience *Contagious - exudes energy and excitement *Convergence - captures all the tangible and intangible elements *Authenticity - conceptually driven *Price/value - superior value at a reasonable cost *Accessibility- freedom from pretensions and exclusivity She uses a mathematical formula to describe the Four Essential values that factor into a shopper's decision to buy: P=(N+F+A)E2 P-Propensity for a shopper to buy N-Need, which simulates shopping (desire drives purchases) F-Features, the hot button that pushes the shopper to buy, what makes one item more attractive than another A-Affordabilty, the shopper is more apt to buy even if they don't need it if they will "save money" E-Emotion, magnifies need and is how retailers manipulate shoppers to buy "Need often drives consumers to the stores to shop, sets them on a mission, and moves them to action but there really isn't a thing that marketers or retailers can do abut building need," she adds. Desire is something they can build and is an emotional response, which is significant, because emotion is the dominant factor. In part 2 of her book, Danziger turns her attention from the consumer to the retailers themselves. She identifies the pop! Equation: *Encourages high levels of customer involvement and interaction, shoppers are not just passive observers *Evokes shopper curiosity, invite consumers to explore and experience *Has a contagious, electric quality, exudes energy and excitement *Presents a convergence between atmosphere, store design and merchandise, these elements work together to create a special place to shop *Expresses an authentic concept, has personality and charm *Priced right for the value, offers good value at a reasonable price *Offers an environment that is accessible, nonexclusive and free from pretensions, makes the shopper feel welcome So what exactly does it take to succeed in retail in the future? "Love your customers by making shopping in your store truly a special experience," Danziger explains. "The focus f

This book is a must read for any retailer or wholesaler needing to re-envent themselves regarding understanding how the consumer buys and what they must do to grab the consumers attention. It is not all about price. The shopping habits are changing and the retailer needs to understand that they must also change in order to survive todays business environment. Pam has really nailed this one from all angles and support comes from her complete research findings. Great Job and REMARKABLE INFORMATION.