Studying Customer Behavior in Retail Stores

STUDIES of customer behavior in retail stores usually deal with (i) identification of customers and (2) their buying behavior patterns. The aim of such studies is to ascertain who buys where, what, when and how. In addition, such studies endeavor to learn about customer response to sales promotion devices. The results of these studies are useful in the solution of an array of marketing problems. These studies are gaining importance in marketing research. It is safe to predict that interest in them will increase greatly in the next decade. This paper summarizes the writer's experience with such studies in grocery stores. ^ However, the principles and techniques discussed here are also applicable to other types of retail stores. The why of customer behavior is a separate and very difficult subject; it is not treated here. A knowledge of customer behavior must precede any consideration of the reasons for the behavior.