Market research at the mall

I have never been one of those people who like to spend an extended period of time at the mall. Also, there is absolutely no way that I would ever be at a mall on a Monday morning unless it was for a school assignment. Therefore, I was shocked to see how many people were at Polo Park Shopping Centre (Polo Park) at 10:30 a.m. on October 18, 2010.

There were an eclectic variety of people from many different backgrounds at Polo Park this past Monday. The majority of mall patrons were senior citizens, and they were usually in groups of two or three. They didn’t seem to have a specific purchasing goal in mind, and appeared to be using the outing as a social experience. There were also a number of parents – specifically mothers – walking around with young children. In addition, I noticed a few groups of teenagers (who looked like they were skipping school), some well-off, non-working women, and a number of business professionals.

When watching each of the different types of mall patrons shop, I noticed that most people could be placed in two different categories. First, there were the “committed purchasers.” They were the people who were at the mall with a list of specific items to buy, and they moved purposefully from store to store. People in this category were primarily business professionals and parents with children, however, there were a few senior citizens and teens that seemed like they were on a mission as well.

Committed purchasers made decisions in record time, and one woman was in and out of Sephora in seven minutes with perfume, lipstick, and eye shadow. It appeared that she had already previously decided what she wanted, and was simply coming to the mall to pick it all up. I noticed no common patterns in what committed purchasers were selecting, and the only similar thread was the fact that they all seemed rushed, slightly impatient, and eager to move on to the next store.

Second, there were a number of “random browsers.” These were the people who obviously had nowhere to be and nothing specific to do. They seemed to be simply enjoying the fact that they could peruse the array of clothing, shoes, and accessories the mall sells undisturbed and unmolested by crowds. People in this category were primarily senior citizens and truant teenagers. I couldn’t determine much about their purchasing decisions or patterns because I didn’t actually see a random browser buy anything. I even went as far as to follow one elderly lady into three separate stores, but she left the mall disappointingly empty-handed.

I attempted to speak to a sales associate in Lululemon, and I was unceremoniously shut down. She told me that employees aren’t allowed to speak to customers about shopping trends, and I should contact the public relations department with my inquiry. This answer seemed strange, so I talked to a sales associate in GUESS as well. She was much more helpful, and actually wanted to answer my questions. I asked about discounts, and she stated that a customer would usually be interested in a sale if there were a savings over 10 per cent. Twenty per cent and up were the most favourable sales, she explained, but Winnipeggers will pretty much get out of bed for anything, including free garbage.

My favourite store to shop at was Lululemon. The organization was simple, it was easy to find what I was looking for, and it wasn’t too crowded. I like the fact that the clothing is organized by item. The pants were in the pants section, the shirts were in the shirt section, and sweatshirts and jackets were at the front. GUESS was also organized well, and it was easy for me to find both casual clothing and dress clothing because they were each in their own section. Also, the service at both stores was very friendly, and this made me enjoy the experience even more.

No matter where I go, or what I do, my favourite store will always be Swarovski. When I was in Europe last summer I visited the headquarters in Austria and absolutely fell in love with the brand. Everything is so shiny, so regal, and so gorgeous. I spent 20 minutes inside the store at Polo Park, and it was great. In addition to having a beautifully laid out selection of items, the sales associates were incredibly friendly. They kept mentioning that I should be having fun as I’m shopping, and that it’s fine to try things on without purchase because Swarovski jewellery is meant to be experienced. I think that was a very effective sales tactic, and I would have bought something if I wasn’t a starving student with no money.

In Sephora, I actually purchased a $24 tube of lip-gloss. It was an impulse buy that I can’t really afford, but I was mesmerized by the Parisian Moulin Rouge display that accompanied the line of beauty products. After returning to school, I eagerly pulled out my purchase to show it to a few classmates. Imagine my surprise when the item I pulled out of the box was NOT my beloved lip-gloss, but a completely different and thoroughly ugly tube of lip plumper. It had apparently been labeled incorrectly, and I was furious. As mentioned at the beginning of this report, I’m really not a mall person. Now, I have to get on a bus and go all the way back to Polo Park to return the item and – hopefully – get the correct one. That isn’t how I envisioned ending this assignment, and I definitely won’t be purchasing anything from Sephora again as a result.

Overall opinion: People shopping at a mall on a Monday morning largely don’t have anywhere else they need to be. While this is slightly depressing, it is also a huge advertising opportunity, and holding sales and promotions during this time would drastically increase traffic.