Why We Buy or the handbook for successful profits

After reading most of the book, I look forward to the rest of it while on the plane ride into Boston. The examples Underhill offers as the first steps towards effective marketing are the what the majority of the shop owners lack. The insight to locate the displays with the consumer in mind, not just the how the display looks in the store before the doors are opened. Simple suggestions such as move the "Top Ten" list lower, put the display away from the counter as to not block it while customers are in line, and designate a "space" for the queue to start.

While at UNLV I had the opportunity to work in retail at a "Western Wear" store here in Vegas, which has paid off, I still get a great discount, haven't missed a year of the PBR, NFR and get some concerts tickets still.... anyways, I remember that when a new display came from corporate arrived, it was up to us to figure out where it should go. The goal was always to have it in the most "trafficked" (sp) space, which usually is always near the entrance/cash wraps. It never failed that the next day we were moving it to another location because it affected the way we and the customers navigated around it. These displays are sent to stores with the intent that it will provoke the customer to buy that product, instead they seem to be in the way or forgotten. Enclosed with the display are always instructions of how it is to go together but never how to make effective. I can imagine the thought process.... okay, now that we have it together.... where should it go.... Where is should go is the most important piece of information that it should come with. I would equate it this way... not knowing where best to put the display is like driving to a undisclosed location with hopes to finding it without any troubles.


This book should, if not already, be on the "must read" list of every shop owner/manager when opening/operating a store. Underhill describes very well things that everyone should pick up on(among the other not so obvious), instead someone is to busy with a ton of things on the "to do" list that the obvious is just forgotten or over looked.