Friday, October 9th, 2009
One of the first lessons I remember from my undergraduate anthropology studies is “ask how not why/what”. Many market research studies examine who buys what fashion and what are the fashion trends, but it fails to understand the underlining why. By asking how, you implicitly are requesting a story and not a simple answer. “Why” can often put individuals on the defensive leading to short abrupt answers, and does not actually reveal the why or motivation behind a decision. Understanding why and how these trends occur enable us to build strong brand loyalty and partake in better predictive analysis.One of the first lessons I remember from my undergraduate anthropology studies is “ask how not why/what”. Many market research studies examine who buys what fashion and what are the fashion trends, but it fails to understand the underlining why. By asking how, you implicitly are requesting a story and not a simple answer. “Why” can often put individuals on the defensive leading to short abrupt answers, and does not actually reveal the why or motivation behind a decision. Understanding why and how these trends occur enable us to build strong brand loyalty and partake in better predictive analysis. (more…)
Tags: brands, consumers, customers, fashion, japan, loyalty, market research, methods, tokyo, trends
Posted in Culture, Real Estate, Retail, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Thursday, June 11th, 2009
End of the Urban Mall
National retail chains can hardly lead a re-imaging of the city, any more than bars and clubs, and especially not hotels with their ever expanding demand for publicly supported convention centers, stadiums and arenas to fill their rooms. Likewise, chain stores occupying the latest version of an urban mall, once considered to be the panacea of an up and coming city, are now so risk adverse that they have long lost any real interest in downtown locations other than a handful of the most vibrant cities.
(more…)
Tags: community, consumers, malls, Retail, shopping, shops, suburban malls, town centers, urban malls
Posted in Retail | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, May 13th, 2009
Scratchies aren’t characters from The Simpsons. They’re what Aussies call scratch-off lottery tickets, and they are just one of the 21st-century equivalents of the lipstick that Depression-era women bought to brighten their lives.
It’s not only lipstick that’s enjoying a sales boost; women are turning to all beauty products for affordable indulgences. This category is booming in India, with some having just discovered makeup. (Good girls weren’t supposed to use cosmetics.) Now that it’s become acceptable to wear it, they’re not letting it go just because of the recession.
Global consumers are also finding solace in other treats. Chocolate is raising endorphins from Seoul to São Paulo. Argentineans can’t get enough of alfajores, dulce de leche sandwich cookies. (more…)
Tags: chocolate, consumers, lingerie, recession, Retail, sales
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