Men’s ClothingRetail Experience

Troy Frost

Bob Bartels

Gary Domke

Mode

Well informed/

focused shopper

knows exactly what he wants when entering the store and

wants to spend as little time as possible making purchase

is there against his will, usually because his girlfriend, mom, or

another female has forced him into the store

Unwilling

participant

is a slow, casual browser that may not even have any interest

in buying anything

Window

shopper

is someone who sort of knows what they want but brought

along a knowledgeable friend to help them pick it out

Accompanied

shopper

enters the store knowing they need an item, but needs the

help of a knowledgeable service rep for decision making

Uninformed

shopper

Description

Behavior Modes

Needs Requirements

Requirement

Comfortable

environment

a place where men feel relaxed, comfortable, and do not

expect to be harassed by the staff

the store is well organized, well stocked, and has a wide range

of sizes available for all types of men

Organized

inventory

employees who can adapt to the emotional needs of each patron -

contact doesn’t feel scripted but is natural and relaxed

Adaptable

customer care

other services, online and in-store, are offered beyond and

after a clothing purchase

Extended

retail experience

the customers knows what they can expect of one store will

be true across all outlets

Consistent

offerings

Description

Needs Clusters Matrix

Organized

inventory

Comfortable

environment

Adaptable

customer care

Extended

retail experience

Consistent

offerings

Focused

shopper

Unwilling

participant

Window

shopper

Accompanied

shopper

Uninformed

shopper

1.

2. 3.

4.

1.2. 3.4.

Streamline the buying processCreate a casual and genuine atmosphereStructure and showcase offeringsExtended relevant service offerings

Well informed/

focused shopper

Jim is a guy who knows what he wants when he goes shopping and he

usually checks online for new products or deals before going. This time

he’s after jeans. His last pair have worn out and he needs to replace

them. He knows where he is going and he has kept up to date on the

latest deals and offerings. When he gets there, he heads straight to the

jeans section where he’s always found his style. He finds his size and

color, grabs them and doesn’t even bother to try them on. He heads

straight to the checkout not even taking notice of the environment or

interacting with the sales rep.

User Personas

Unwilling

participant

Cory’s girlfriend loves to shop and likes it when he comes with her.

Cory doesn’t share his girlfriends love of shopping but is forced to go

this time because she thinks he needs some new clothes. On this trip

Cory’s girlfriend is looking for a few casual items and nicer work clothes

for him. She looks around the store for a few things for him to try on

and Cory is left standing awkwardly amongst the racks of clothes and

in the way of other shoppers. While he waits for what seems like hours

he looks for a place to stand and wait. The whole situation makes Cory

uncomfortable.

User Personas

Window

shopper

Joe is a wealthy guy who likes to shop in his free time. Joe doesn’t

really need anything in particular, he just likes to see what is out there.

He will go around town on the weekends and usually spends several

hours at the store just getting a feel for the newest styles without nec-

essarily buying anything. On this outing Joe notices a pair of dress

shoes he likes and after a significant time spent perusing he decides to

try these on, likes them, and eventually ends up making a purchase.

User Personas

Accompanied

shopper

Andrew is completely lost when he goes shopping. He knows he needs

new clothes but he has no idea what stores to shop at, which clothes

are in style and what looks good on him. Luckily for him he has a sister

who is willing to go with him to help pick out some new clothes.

Andrew takes the time to try a few things on while his sister informs

him whether or not she likes it. After an hour at the store and a lot of

help from his sister, Andrew finds a couple of new shirts and a new pair

of jeans.

User Personas

Uninformed

shopper

Nathan is completely lost when shopping and has no idea what cloth-

ing suits him or how to navigate the store. Looking at all the rows and

racks of clothing, he is a little overwhelmed so he finds a sales rep to

help him out. The employee points him to the men’s section and gives

him the standard spiel about sale items and what’s currently popular.

After that, and a few minutes of looking around, Nathan gets frustrated

and leaves the store without buying anything.

User Personas

Potential Store Layout

Requirement: Comfortable Environment sitting areabar

casual atmospherewarm decor

clothing grouped by type, not brandclean, uncluttered racks

additional sizes stored in back

Requirement: Organized Inventory

Requirement: Adaptable Customer Care clothing selection and fitting helprelaxationgrooming

thorough customer service

Requirement: Extended Retail Experience tailoringbarber

shoe shineonline experience

barrestrooms

Requirement: Consistent Offerings stores always well-stockedX amount of services available at every store

clothing brands and organization