Field Research for Grocery Stores
EXPERIENCE V. CONVENIENCE
Each grocery store oers a dierent shopping experience and draws a
specic consumer based o those qualities. Kroger, being a large store
chain, oers the convenience and eciency grocery shopping often
requires anywhere in the city. People ock to Findlay Market to experience
a part of history in and urban environment as well as to directly associate
themselves with local farmers and vendors. On the other hand, Jungle
Jim's extraordinary atmosphere and unique selection of product makes
shopping an adventure rather than a chore. Finally Whole Foods reaches
the consciences of the environmentally sensitive by actively partnering
with companies around the world with the same vision. Their natural and
organic line of products is the best in the city. Each store is designed to
reinforce those ideas and principals - some are eective others are not.
Often times good designs were counterbalanced by poor site locations
and exterior environments, while others times the atmospheric reality
didn't match up with the intended result. In the end, it is comes down to
what specic purpose does the consumer have in shopping and which
environment will most likely accommodate.
WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?
We took a look forward into the application of this research. We saw the
creation of a downloadable “app” for a mobile device. The unique features
of the app would allow the user to nd the store that best suited their
individual needs by selecting the colored blocks and sliding them up and
down on a scale. The app would then best match a store to the user’s
selection and show directions as well as additional store information. This
is just one iteration of possible use of the data collected and how we saw
a use for it in an existing market.
Each grocery store oers a dierent shopping experience and draws a
specic consumer based o those qualities. Kroger, being a large store
chain, oers the convenience and eciency grocery shopping often
requires anywhere in the city. People ock to Findlay Market to experience
a part of history in and urban environment as well as to directly associate
themselves with local farmers and vendors. On the other hand, Jungle
Jim's extraordinary atmosphere and unique selection of product makes
shopping an adventure rather than a chore. Finally Whole Foods reaches
the consciences of the environmentally sensitive by actively partnering
with companies around the world with the same vision. Their natural and
organic line of products is the best in the city. Each store is designed to
reinforce those ideas and principals - some are eective others are not.
Often times good designs were counterbalanced by poor site locations
and exterior environments, while others times the atmospheric reality
didn't match up with the intended result. In the end, it is comes down to
what specic purpose does the consumer have in shopping and which
environment will most likely accommodate.
WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?
We took a look forward into the application of this research. We saw the
creation of a downloadable “app” for a mobile device. The unique features
of the app would allow the user to nd the store that best suited their
individual needs by selecting the colored blocks and sliding them up and
down on a scale. The app would then best match a store to the user’s
selection and show directions as well as additional store information. This
is just one iteration of possible use of the data collected and how we saw
a use for it in an existing market.
