Post on 13-Jan-2015
description
Why so many sports-related stores in 1 area?
The location: Kanata Ontario
The Suspects
First Impressions
Half of the sign
lighted
Inventory stacked against window
Posters randomly
placed
Later in the day, advertising hot
tubs
hmm, must be about golf
Probably means
something
Bars on the windows
hmm, must be about hockey
Dominant dark colours
Odd tag line
Proud to be 100%
Canadian
What about the rust?
a rigorous survey was completed
That generated a lot of data
Thanks to modern analytical techniques, I can summarize the
observations
Warehouse Feel
• Fitness Depot
• Sport Chek
• Sports Mart
• Golf Town
Professional Feel
• Pro Hockey Life
• Clubhouse
As if a contest for the most
disheveled store
Smelly
• Fitness Depot (rubber, vinyl)
• Sport Chek (polyester, rubber)
• Sports Mart (supper)
Not Smelly
• Pro Hockey Life
• Clubhouse
• Golf Town
Fitness equipment is rather stinky
Staff Ignored Customers
• Fitness Depot
• Clubhouse
• Sports Mart
Staff Greeted Customers
• Pro Hockey Life
• Sport Chek
• Golf Town
Stores where women work more likely to be greeted
Greeted fast in all 3 stores
Shopping Alone, Mainly Men
• Fitness Depot
• Clubhouse
• Sports Mart
• Golf Town
Family Shopping
• Pro Hockey Life
• Sports Chek
Stores with the most diverse inventory tended
to have the most shoppers (Sports Chek)
Stores with the most niche products had the
more engaged customers (Golf, Hockey
Can Touch and Try
• Fitness Depot (no one was)
• Sports Chek (Golf)
• Golf Town
• Pro Hockey Life
Mainly Clothes
• Clubhouse
• Sports Mart
Stores with the most diverse inventory tended
to have the most shoppers (Sports Chek)
Stores with the most niche products had the
more engaged customers (Golf, Hockey
Most professional display, best floor (wood) - Clubhouse
Most engaging display: Pro hockey life
How did the stores make me feel?
• Didn’t matter if the door was open or what colours were used, shoddy display ands are
not welcoming
Most stores were aiming to be about the same
Merchandize was crowded
Except for Clubhouse
Radio music was playing loudly
Except for Pro Hockey Life who were playing old hockey play-by-play
Diagnosis: Stores that effectively differentiate draw in buyers
Stores that differentiate seem to benefit from proximity to stores
with similar merchandize
When those other stores fail to keep up appearances and fail to
provide compelling differentiation
Other conclusions…
• Cash register location
• Eye level merchandize
• On-sale merchandize
• High cost merchandize
• Colouring schemes
Were not materially
different among
all the stores visited
And, what does a fitness equipment that sells hot tubs
mean for brand consistency?