It is dated back to the 1700s when colonist influenced the development of the retail industry. Throughout history, as described in this chapter, women and shopping have evolved tremendously. Some of the major forces in the retail industry during the 1700s were Yankee traders, booksellers, and peddlers. In the 1800s department stores and chain stores were introduced and became a big part of the retail industry. Departments stores such as Macy’s, Marshall Fields, and Wanamaker’s impacted the retail industry. For example, these department stores created new business tactics which included “the encouragement of leisurely browsing, and the ‘One-price policy’, which eliminated the need to negotiate price, allowing merchandise to be exchanged or refunded.” (p. 50). By 1947, women employment had increased which led to “greater financial independence, which in turn led to occasions for shopping.” (p. 57). During this period, more women were getting jobs and becoming more educated which influenced the retail industry. The next chapter will be talking about the reason women …show more content…
One of the most important things to know about retail stores is that it is not only about the product but also the experience for the shopper. In this chapter, it talks about how it is necessary to have experiential retailing, which applies to in-store and online shopping. Experiential retailing is “a strategy that transforms products and services into a total consumption experience, including aspects that are both utilitarian and hedonic.” (p. 90). Further in the chapter, it talks about the importance of sales staff to know how to help the customer and how to interact with them as well. This means treating the customer fairly, helping them when they need it, knowing when to step away, and create a positive environment. Also, this chapter consists of women who talk about their positive shopping experiences with sales staff and negative ones as well. These interviews throughout the chapter have shown what to do and what not to do in retail shopping by sales staff. Overall, this chapter did an amazing job explaining how important experiential retailing is. The next and final chapter will be giving more detailed information about what was discussed in earlier