Ch.15 Retailing

Starbucks is considered as a chain store because all coffeehouses are owned and managed by the company. Starbucks Coffee is the largest coffee retailer in the world. They have over 160 stores already in NYC- it seems like Starbucks is in every corner! Other than in the City, Starbucks locates it stores at highly observable places or central points such as train stations. The company also cooperates with other retail stores such as Macy's and Nordstorm to make aware of the brand and sell their coffee. Additionally, Starbucks licenses their brand for other drink and food companies to help build their following.

Starbucks is a specialty retailer, it is specialized in a given type of product - coffee. Therefore, consumers focus on the "rich experience" rather than the price that is define as high-end.Starbucks "experience" or "retailing mission" is to provide a relaxing and familiar atmosphere in which people can enjoy a good cup of coffee and the company of their friends. The "experience" also includes distinctive products, the store's overall atmosphere and costumer service.

I visited a Starbucks store in Hoboken, NJ in order to report about the retail experience from first hand.

My immediate first impression was the coffee smell and its open store design. The store is quite spacious which allows customers to wander around. The counter space is small, whereas the seating area offers cozy couches as well as small to large community tables. Many coffeehouse are small and feel narrow and cramped. Starbucks though, encouraged me to stay and to enjoy my coffee in the store instead of taking it to go. The colors of green, brown and worn wood give the store the sense of life (green) and high standard (wood). The furniture design is carefully planned around organic and manufactured components.The modern and tuneful but also neutral music, which is kept on an appropriate volume level,  is the frosting on the cake. However, after the ambient and overall atmosphere of the store convinced me, I was ready to test the costumer service.

On purpose, I acted like an "annoying" customer who could not decide what kind of beverage to choose. I started asking questions about a few different drinks. The staff was pretty informative and able to describe the single drinks in detail. Also, the lady who served me was patient and friendly. She did not make me feel uncomfortable at all. After I finally decided what to choose, the lady asked me for my name which she wrote on my cup. I never recognized and thought about the fact that they actually invest time to write your name down and even ask you how you spell and pronounce it.I concluded that this gives you a  feeling of intimacy and more importantly the feeling of human interaction. It is commonly seen that retailers just give out a receipt with a order number on it. Than you have to wait until your order is prepared and they call your number; in most stores you are treated exactly like that principle: You are just another number that comes and goes.