witty names like “ dirty horchata ” W r i t i n g

We choose Contra Coffee and Tea as a store, thats in Orange in California. near Chapman university.

Just in 2 double spaced pages add some analysis and recommendations about the topic that I choose.

Instructions

Paco Underhill’s Why We Buy helps readers understand some of the critical factors that bring consumers into stores, keep them there or drive them away, and eventually lead them to buy (or not). Your assignment is to choose a local store as your “client.” It must be an independent, local store (no large chains). Your will be to analyze the store layout and in-store marketing, guided by the principles discussed in Why We Buy. From a consumer behavior perspective, what is the firm doing right and what is it doing wrong? What can it do to improve the quantity and quality of customers, increase profitability, and enhance the customer experience?

Be specific in your suggestions. The deliverable will be a recommendation to the client on what they should keep and what they should change. While the cooperation and engagement of the client may be beneficial for the project, it is not required. If you have a relationship with the client, you can give store management a copy of the report if you’d like.

Note that strong papers will use the ideas, theories, and research discussed in Why We Buy and in class to frame the analysis and provide suggestions for improvement.

Additional Guidelines

It is recommended that you structure your write up as follows:

• Introduction (generally, half to one page should be sufficient)
• Analysis
• Recommendations
• References (excluded from page limit)
• Appendix (excluded from page limit)

For each part of your write up, please address the following:

Introduction (Lisa)

• Provide a brief overview of your client.
  • Relevant information may include but is not limited to location, size, product assortment, target demographic, etc.
  • It may be helpful to ask, “What information about my client would the reader need to know in order to better understand my write up?”
• The goal is to provide relevant background information on your client.

The 1888 Center / Contra Coffee & Tea, is located on the perimeter of the orange circle, known for being an intimate bookstore that also serves unique flavors of coffee and tea, with witty names like “Dirty Horchata” on rotation on tap! It is a tiny hole in the wall establishment that is very easy to miss if you are not looking for it. One wall of the store holds popular books, and the other artwork from local artists. The decor is minimal, with no more than six tables in the store, and sometimes even the sill under the windows beside the door are occupied by students sitting cross-legged in attempts to stay and study in the store. With offerings like coffee flights, appealing to the college crowd in the area they neighbor and the play on the marketing done by breweries but also to the coffee consumption of college students. Holding such a unique service for coffee in a college student dominated area is a really strong advantage to have as a business, and the 1888 Center utilizes it strongly.

Analysis (Lisa & ATS)

• Discuss what the client is doing right and what the client is doing wrong when it comes to in-store marketing and layout.
  • This requires relevant and clearly presented information about in-store marketing and layout.
  • Your analysis should be grounded in understanding of principles and insights from Why We Buy.
• The goal is to evaluate your client’s current in-store marketing and layout using the principles discussed in Why We Buy.

In-store layout is very important when trying to grab the consumers attention. A great example of this explained in Why We Buy was why milk is located in the very back corner of the store, opposite of the entrance doors. This is because almost all customers come to the grocery store to buy milk, and X% of purchases are unplanned. This opens up for so many opportunities to grab your customers attention either on the way to the milk or on their way to the register, because they have to pass all of these products and advertisements on their journey. While yes, another point raised by Underhill was the “buffer zone” where customers have blinders on from as early as the parking lot all the way during their walk until they reach the item they are looking for, blocking out all other visual cues and ignoring customer assistance offers until after they have completed their goal.

My suggestion to the 1888 Center would be to place their books that are for sale on the side of the store that is closest to the register, on the left hand side of the store as opposed to the right. This is because the path from the entrance door to the register where you order coffee is a straight line, so if coffee is your only objective, you will be blocking out all other stimuli, like the books being sold, especially because the coffee is poured immediately and no waiting is required so there’s no wandering being done around the store.

Recommendations (ATS)

• Present and support your recommendations.
  • Your recommendations should be concrete and actionable. Be creative too.
  • Your recommendations should address how to improve quantity and quality of consumers, how to increase profitability, and how to improve the customer experience.
  • Your recommendations should be well supported by principles and insights from Why We Buy.
• The goal is to demonstrate what your client can change to improve their business using the principles discussed in Why We Buy.

References

• Please include relevant references and use a consistent reference format. You may use APA or MLA format, but this is not required.

Appendix

• Appendix may include but is not limited to photos, track sheets, store layout map, observation notes, etc.
• The goal is to provide relevant additional information to support your write up.