Why We Buy: The Science Of Shopping Paperback – June 2, 2000

Since I have never been an avid shopper (usually once or twice a year besides the grocery), I found this book absolutely enlightening! I find I "shop like the guys" in the stores the few times I go each year. Usually I give my neighbor money and she buys my clothes, etc., during her very frequent shopping trips.However, about a year ago I opened a Holistic Clinic and have started carrying items to fill needs of my bodywork clients and yoga students, etc. Paco's book really made a BIG difference in how I have done the presentation of products, signs, customer checkout, etc. My sales did indeed increase significantly!I'm in a Business Networking group and have recommended the book to the other 20 people in that group and loaned it to a few. I also recommended it to 3 of our local bookstores (including a very large chain), the post office, and have given it as a gift to two friends who are starting their own businesses.My husband teases me about "Well, what does Paco say?"This book is fun to read, extremely informative, and has made a great difference in my sales - and a newfound enjoyment in shopping for me!Thanks Paco!

This book is focused on the development of a body of knowledge in how consumers shop from a physical standpoint. The main research methodology is that of general urban anthropology, meaning that the author bases his findings on thousands of observations of consumers in stores and then tries to synthesize his findings.I found the book very useful in drawing attention to the importance of observation in determining store layout, and some of the main conclusions are very enlightning, such as suggestions on how the different shopping behaviors of men, women, children and the elderly affect the optimal layout of a store. Issues such as shelf height and location, corridor width, and customer profiling are dealt with in many different examples, giving the reader a good understanding of the methodology and the main lessons learned.Overall, I recommend this book to someone who is somehow responsible for a retail environment. The lessons are good, the book is written in an engaging manner, and the method of thinking (observational) is presented in a convincing manner. The tone of the author is sometimes a little arrogant, and for that reason I took off a star, but otherwise it is a very useful book.

Paco Underhill's Envirosell has carved out a healthy and valuable niche in retail consulting - loosely, it's the 'science of shopping,' and Paco and team do impressive legwork to round up secret shopper-based observation and hidden video analysis.But, don't expect to read 'Science of Shopping' and come out with a gameplan for your small- or medium-sized chain (although there's certainly a fair share of pointers). 'Why We Buy' is more a walk through Paco's life work, the evolution of the science. And kudos to Paco for that: he literally invented the field. My hats off to him. Coming out with the book was a brilliant piece of marketing. Want proof of that? When I pulled up 'Why We Buy' here on amazon to write this review, I was met with a sponsored link to Envirosell. Sweet.

I have been a retail cashier for years and I thought I knew everything about shopping,especially dealing with the public, well, I can officially say, I was wrong. In this bookit really breaks down all the "whys", how we act and react when shopping. It's has aton of fun research and it's not boring stuff either.Read it with friends it's great conversation controversy that will make you look at yourself.It's really surprising the stuff we do when we shop in stores.

Loved this book. He's the Malcom Gladwell of shopping behavior. There are so many applications that can apply to retail businesses and other business. You will never go into a store again without noticing what needs to be changed. His stories are great--I still can't believe that if you are bumped more than twice while looking at an item--you won't buy it. It's fun stories like that and more.

Why We Buy brings to light the hows and whys of store set-up and design, I was intrigued right from page one. It gets into the psyche of shoppers by explaining why things are done the way they are and simple changes you can make to increase sales. They all make perfect sense! In understanding the psychology of consumers, one can increase sales by working together with the consumers' mind.After spending a whole semester studying consumer psychology, marketing and advertising, this is the book that I enjoyed the most. You will never look at the shopping experience the same way again.

I would think that most retailers could learn a huge amount about maximizing profits from this book. It was an eye-opening read for me. I am almost sorry that I am not a retailer so that I can't use this information. I wonder if the author has done any writing for professional journals. As others have noted, there isn't enough information on technique for anyone to really critique his methods. Still, though, that would be important mainly for an academician. The ideas themselves are what would be important to a retailer.