Is there a method to our madness when it comes to shopping? Hailed by the "San Francisco Chronicle" as "a Sherlock Holmes for retailers," author an...
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reviews
Aug 06, 2007
Wayne
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Rather disappointing -- it reads like a book length sales brochure for Envirosell, the company the author founded. Every page follows the same formula: A foolish retailer was doing this. I told him to do this. He did, and he is now more virile, has a better looking wife, has more money than he could imagine, and he thanks me daily.
This gets old. A few fun tricks of retailing are buried here and there, but the book should be subtitled: How to Get Rich Using Common Sense.
This gets old. A few fun tricks of retailing are buried here and there, but the book should be subtitled: How to Get Rich Using Common Sense.
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Mar 17, 2009
Danielle
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Horrendous, for several reasons.
First, it is outdated, which is my own fault -- he has a newer book and I happened to pick up the wrong one at the library. There are references to dial-up modems and portable cassette players, among other things.
Second, it reads like a sales pitch. The guy is arrogant and self-serving, pitching his company (Envirosell) throughout. That's just plain annoying.
Third, and probably most offensive, it is sexist, making broad generalizations abou More...
First, it is outdated, which is my own fault -- he has a newer book and I happened to pick up the wrong one at the library. There are references to dial-up modems and portable cassette players, among other things.
Second, it reads like a sales pitch. The guy is arrogant and self-serving, pitching his company (Envirosell) throughout. That's just plain annoying.
Third, and probably most offensive, it is sexist, making broad generalizations abou More...
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Nov 30, 2007
Jen
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As a consumer, this book frightens me; every display, every sign, every detail in a store is designed to part me from my money. I'm pretty aware of that, but the details in this book will frighten you.
For librarians, this book has a vital message: marketing (and thinking about marketing) is everything. We have something to sell, even if we don't make a profit. The author, from a science-sales point of view, thinks that books should have age ranges; that's scary to me, but understa More...
For librarians, this book has a vital message: marketing (and thinking about marketing) is everything. We have something to sell, even if we don't make a profit. The author, from a science-sales point of view, thinks that books should have age ranges; that's scary to me, but understa More...
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Aug 29, 2011
Jessie
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This book was recommended to me after I became absolutely obsessed with grocery shopping in Santiago, Chile. I think it was the hunt, or maybe just that I had a ton of time, but I went grocery shopping pretty much every day while I lived in Santiago. I found the assortment of foods fascinating and the way they were packaged (mayo in a bag!?) even more-so. I'm also, in general, a very tactile shopper so I was interested in what he'd have to say about that.
My expectation was that this bo More...
My expectation was that this bo More...
Aug 24, 2011
Kevin
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Paco Underhill is a consultant to a large number of retailers, studying how they work and advising them on ways to increase sales. He begins by describing how his team goes to retail outlets and inconspicuously (urban camouflage of khaki trousers, brown shoes, etc...) watches customers to see how they shop, or how they don't.
By retail he includes just about any sort of business where the customers go in to purchase things, supermarkets, toy stores, clothing stores, department stores More...
By retail he includes just about any sort of business where the customers go in to purchase things, supermarkets, toy stores, clothing stores, department stores More...
Mar 05, 2011
Tripleguess
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This was an interesting book for the first couple chapters. I was fascinated by the premise: stores nowadays function as their own advertisement and can affect whether and how much shoppers buy through the judicious placement of signage, merchandise, and staff; however, it's hard to determine what ought to be moved without thorough study of current "traffic patterns" and even then adjustments don't always have their intended effect because "the obvious is not always apparent."
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Feb 26, 2011
Paul
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This is an updated and revised edition of Paco's original book that was released in 1997.
Paco Underhill is the owner of Envirosell; a company that studies the buying habits of consumers and advises companies how to take advantage of these buying habits.
I was interested in the book as a consumer because it gave me insight into why certain items catch my eye, why some items do not, and what I may base my decision on buying an item.
It is also interesting from the More...
Paco Underhill is the owner of Envirosell; a company that studies the buying habits of consumers and advises companies how to take advantage of these buying habits.
I was interested in the book as a consumer because it gave me insight into why certain items catch my eye, why some items do not, and what I may base my decision on buying an item.
It is also interesting from the More...
Jul 13, 2010
Elfdart
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i read the book because of the title, i’m kind of interested in how we tick, and though i don’t think a book would be able to answer this question, attempts amuse me. however. this was not about why we buy, but about how stores position things so that you might want to buy them, a marketers perspective on the retail store if you will. and it was interesting for the most part, but it was only a passing fancy interesting, not a stop what you’re doing and read this book interesting. things like who
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Apr 21, 2009
Frank
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Despite its pop-sciency title, this book is written by the world's premier "retail anthropologist," a term the author is happy to admit he more or less invented. He also admits that he remains pretty much the only practitioner. Still, he knows his stuff.
The book doesn't deal with things like advertising, general consumer psychology, or why we purchase, say, cars instead of life insurance. It deals with what shoppers do when they walk into a retail store.
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Nov 29, 2010
Ryan
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Don Draper would scoff and say "what?" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9DCafQqH...
I could barely finish this, and I'd say he ripped off Don Draper were it not for the fact that Mad Men was written after this book was. Is advertising really all about love? Hmph.
This book is written by Paco Underhill, who presents himself as an arrogant, simple-minded know-it-all who left (cue schlocky singsong playground bully voice) "academia" to go out in the Real World t More...
I could barely finish this, and I'd say he ripped off Don Draper were it not for the fact that Mad Men was written after this book was. Is advertising really all about love? Hmph.
This book is written by Paco Underhill, who presents himself as an arrogant, simple-minded know-it-all who left (cue schlocky singsong playground bully voice) "academia" to go out in the Real World t More...
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Mar 14, 2011
Marc
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I read this for work reasons, and found the first 70% to be very interesting, although primarily consisting if the same few points being rehashed (although ones that apparently need to be repeated, based on many retailers I see). Far fewer insights were offered here than in one of Mr. Underhill's workshops (to be expected, given the difference in price). In any case, I'd recommend it to anyone directly or indirectly involved in merchandising.
The last 30% (beginning with his take in t More...
The last 30% (beginning with his take in t More...
Jun 13, 2009
Andrea
rated it:
Here is a literary example of "good idea, bad execution." Underhill has lots of interesting little anecdotes, yet presents them in a disorganized, sometimes arrogant, sometimes wistful, and occasionally creepy style.
Some points I found interesting and profoundly true:
-You need to be slowed down when entering a store from a parking lot (caught myself speeding past the section I needed in Target just the other day).
-Despite my mom's vigilant hand-slapping when I was More...
Some points I found interesting and profoundly true:
-You need to be slowed down when entering a store from a parking lot (caught myself speeding past the section I needed in Target just the other day).
-Despite my mom's vigilant hand-slapping when I was More...
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Feb 15, 2009
Rachel
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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Jan 09, 2011
Mo
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If one were to remove all of the sections that served merely to promote Underhill's company, Envirosell, this book would probably be less than thirty pages. That said, there are some really fascinating tidbits in here about human beings' tendencies in retail environments; however, my business in primarily online-based, so while I might be able to employ a few principles in my craft show displays, the rest was interesting-yet-worthless.
The updated Internet section touted on the cover b More...
The updated Internet section touted on the cover b More...
Dec 11, 2011
David
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Paco Underhill has hit the nail on the head with Why We Buy. It was assigned to me in an Anderson College marketing class and since then I purchased a copy for my own and given away copies to some merchant friends of mine.
If you are in retail you must read this book before you put together your next display. The book might be a little bit "Self Promoting" but overall it reminds retailers of the different little things that must be done to make the shopping experience more c More...
If you are in retail you must read this book before you put together your next display. The book might be a little bit "Self Promoting" but overall it reminds retailers of the different little things that must be done to make the shopping experience more c More...
Jul 06, 2011
Sophia
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Why We Buy is an insightful introduction to 'the science of shopping.' Paco Underhill, whose articulate interview on PBS led me to his book, started a marketing research company that does empirical research on shoppers. This book—a distillation of many hours of systematically observing people shop—bridges the disconnect which often exists between corporate offices and the selling floor. It has analyzed what shoppers, broken down by anatomical constraints, age, and sex, need and want in order to
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Feb 25, 2009
Tim
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Underhill, an urban anthropologist, started a company - Envirosell - which uses intensive but unobtrusive observational methods to gather data on human behavior in brick-and-mortar stores. In a sense, his account of shopping, retailing, and human behavior is a model of the enticing, smartly and usably designed shopping experiences his business research aims to promote. Instead of gadgetry, gimmickry, arcane concepts, or ungrounded quantities Underhill recounts a simple observational and compara
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Aug 04, 2010
adllto
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The move from being a professor in environment psychology to being the founder of Envirosell and author of this book wasn't that great. Understanding consumer retail culture is to understand how space, layout,gender psychology and signage can be used to influence people. Now this is a book about retail anthropology at it's most fascinating. Now, after reading it, I know; why the pharmacy is always at the back of Shoppers Drugmart; why mirror placement is so important in women's clothing stores;
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Jan 08, 2012
Sarah
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I really wanted to like this book and I think the "science of shopping" is pretty fascinating, but between all the author's snarky little asides about various example shoppers' appearance, weight, and behaviors, and the smarmy taint of evolutionary biology in all the chapters on men and women's different shopping habits, I just couldn't. Given Underhill's general attitudes about "modern women" in the workplace, men being overgrown babies incapable of looking after themselves
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Aug 01, 2010
Marceline
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Written by a guy who basically studies shoppers and can thus tell you why things aren’t selling, and how best to grab your shoppers’ attention at the right time. It’s almost entirely about retail shops but I still learned a few things to apply to my craft fair stalls. The internet section is frankly hilarious in its lack of foresight. The poor guy insists internet shopping will never be a big thing until they can work out a way to show bigger product images and think of some way people can order
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Nov 07, 2010
Wendy
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I'm a big fan of pop science books, which is why, upon being presented this book by the boss of my new boss as "homework" (with a chuckle), I was excited. Unfortunately, as charming and interesting and smart as Mr. Paco Underhill is (he seems to be all 3), the book is totally misnamed. It's not a text on "why we buy" but "how we buy." Nothing wrong with that, but being handed a "how" when you wanted a "why" is totally disappointing. Also, aut
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May 01, 2010
Marya
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Do you know what the butt brush is? Women, it seems, hate to be brushed by passing strangers from behind. They dislike it so much, they will practically hug the shelves in stores or immediately leave to avoid such an occurrence. The author of this book's company is the one that discovered this practice, and I was hoping the book would provide more of such enlightening information.
Alas, that is not the case. True, Underhill gives countless anecdotes of how real shoppers behave that he ha More...
Alas, that is not the case. True, Underhill gives countless anecdotes of how real shoppers behave that he ha More...
Oct 18, 2008
Megan
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I learned about this book from a coworker at the library and am really glad I sat down to read it. This isn't a very long book, and it doesn't necessarily have to be read all the way through to glean the important points. Nevertheless, I really wish we could make every one of my coworkers read this book!
The author uses actual research he's done over years and years to glean new insights into the world of shopping and the people who shop. He researches everything from seat placement t More...
The author uses actual research he's done over years and years to glean new insights into the world of shopping and the people who shop. He researches everything from seat placement t More...
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Apr 28, 2008
Joanne
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I assign a few pages from this book when teaching about how to observe in social science settings. Underhill invented the science of shopping based on close observation of shoppers, which he then uses to advise retailers on practical steps to take to get us to part with our money. For example, provide baskets halfway through the store to free up a shopper's hand. Except in a bookstore, give a totebag like most book readers would carry anyway. The book is filled with little tidbits like this
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Dec 21, 2007
Tracey
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Paco Underhill and his company, Envirosell, apply anthropological-style analysis to shoppers and the shopping environment to help companies (both suppliers and storeowners) become more profitable. Some of the insights I was already familiar with (Americans tend to walk to the right and move to the right once entering a store) but other ideas were new to me. His writing is quite engaging, combining specific examples with the broader concepts they embody.
He touches on the mechanics of More...
He touches on the mechanics of More...
Nov 29, 2008
Christian
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This is a superb look into shopping behavior that is a fun and interesting read. Learn why women are the most important members of our economy, why the Internet will never replace brick-and-mortar shopping (people said the same of catalog shopping, but that never replaced stores, either), and learn about human behavior and how it shapes (or should shape) the most successful stores there are. Even though it was written in the mid-90s, the vast majority of its principles still hold true today.
Aug 11, 2011
Karen
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Anyone who owns or operates a retail store should read this book. It explains how human behavior impacts what and how much we purchase. And how by making small changes in the signage or location of goods you can increase your sales.
The version I read was printed in 2000 and is woefully outdated in it's perception of the future of on-line sales. However, this does not detract in the least from the usefulness of the rest of the information provided, which is the majority of the book.
The version I read was printed in 2000 and is woefully outdated in it's perception of the future of on-line sales. However, this does not detract in the least from the usefulness of the rest of the information provided, which is the majority of the book.
May 11, 2010
Autumn
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Although "Why We Buy" is a catchy title, a more appropriate one might have been "How We Buy," as the book dealt so much with how people consume and process information and then make purchasing decisions. This book would have been a great magazine article or outstanding book chapter. But as a full-length book, unless you really care about Paco Underhill's life/career story, it's self-indulgent and disappointing. I finished it only because I didn't want to feel like I had quit.
May 16, 2009
Martha
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This book was really fascinating - both as a small business owner, learning how, when, and why people buy the way they do, but also just as an interested consumer. He has lots of interesting stories that just fascinated me. It is written a bit simplistically (he defines the same thing repeatedly in case you couldn't remember from the previous chapters) and he uses a few examples over and over again which gets a little repetitive. A few of the later chapters got a bit long-winded but overall a
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Mar 10, 2011
Witskee1
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Why We Buy is a great read for anyone with a brick-and-mortar retail space, and it was interesting information for the average shopper as well. It made me think in a completely different way about things as simple as running into the grocery store for a gallon of milk. Underhill does a great job of making his findings interesting. He doesn't just spout out dull facts. He tells stories and explains concepts in an easy-to-understand way. I really enjoyed this book.
