The "Path-to-Purchase" is Often a U-Turn - March 27, 2010
When shoppers enter a store, they will often make their way to the back of the store. At that point, most often they will turn left and shortly thereafter, take another left, and return to the front of the store for checkout and exit - effectively creating a U-turn path.

Elemental Retailing - March 5, 2010
A review of some retail fundamentals can provide both retailers and their suppliers with important help in the search for opportunities for expanding business – “outside the box".

Opportunities in the Traditional Trade of Emerging Markets - December 6, 2009
Four billion people live on less than two dollars a day in the developing world. For those of us who are familiar with the sophistication of modern retailing, it is easy to forget that the vast majority of people around the world still shop in far simpler stores.

The Amazonian Ghost - July 31, 2009
In the movie Ghost, with Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore, we see the spectral Swayze trying to reach his real world lover, by the power of the mind. This is not totally unlike the problem that the modern self-service retailer faces.

The Misguided Bobbing of the Long Tail - July 28, 2009
After presenting some stark data about the long tail, I will explain why it is so valuable.

No, the Customer is NOT Always Right! - July 23, 2009
Quite a number of successful retailers, over the years, have attributed a significant measure of their success to the principle that, "The customer is always right."

Breaking the Habit - (Siemon Scammell-Katz) July 15, 2009
Decisions that are really important, like choice of a car, are made consciously. Secondary decisions often involve regular purchases where ‘choice’ is habituated.

Mid-Caps: Break Out of the Pack - May 11, 2009
End-caps are the powerhouses of any store, generating 20% of all store sales and featuring only 1% of the SKUs. How about the Mid-cap?

So Just What IS a "Quick Trip?" - March 26, 2009
What seems simple and obvious on the surface is not nearly so simple in reality.

Changing the Habits of a Lifetime - (Siemon Scammell-Katz) March 12, 2009
Shoppers’ decisions, whether in-store, at home or on the Clapham omnibus, aren’t based on the decision tree model.

Zero Based Retailing - February 22, 2009
Sometimes it is better to sweep all away (conceptually,) and begin anew from scratch.

Deconstructing the Shopping Trip (so far!) - February 1, 2009
"So far!" because the schema is evolving, and unless you are well advanced, this wouldn't be a bad place to begin.

Don't Talk At All! (Or, Eliza Goes Shopping!)  - December 26, 2008
We have always relied on words to help us sell in the belief that creative wordsmithing is influential. But it is not. - Siemon Scamell-Katz

Selling vs. Order Taking   - December 4, 2008
The sales person "closes early and closes often" - while the order taker plays a more passive role.

"Average" Quicksand  - December 2, 2008
What is the average sex of humans?  Applying the concept of "average" to shopping can be distorting.

Shopper Efficiency vs. Total Store Sales  - November 14, 2008
Sorensen's First Rule of Retailing: The faster you sell, the more you will sell!

3-D Purchasing - November 12, 2008
As it turns out, the purchase decision, may not be a decision at all!

The Three Faces of PathTracker®  - October 14, 2008
Millions of shopping trips, studied on a second by second basis, since 2001, are the basis of these Views.

Evolving Brands and Retailers - October 13, 2008
Of the three values that shoppers pay for, only two are readily duplicated.

The Aisleness of Stores - August 16, 2008
It's all about how much of the store is dedicated to products and how much is dedicated to shoppers.