Retail Extravaganza: Lives and Emotions Unfold in the Local Community - Essay Example

Here Here Your Here Here Retail Extravaganza: Lives and Emotions Unfold in the Local Community Introduction Many in contemporary society may believe that the retail environment is merely one in which customers browse racks of merchandise, determine a purchase, and then hastily exit the facility. However, within the walls of the bricks-and-mortar retail sales floor, the life histories, struggles and triumphs of the American consumer are revealed through casual observation. Customers do, indeed, browse merchandise shelves in search of their desired product, however unique cultures and complicated personalities emerge when retail obligations are well underway.

A Profile of the Customer The typical customer at the mass retailer is one of relatively humble means, adorned in a variety of inexpensive attire similar to that of the mass-produced apparel on the subject’s shelves. Many customers browse hastily through the brightly-colored racks of merchandise, consisting of multiple embroideries or patch-work cartoon characters, stopping momentarily to acknowledge their shopping comrades with a thoughtful discussion of their love of retail or the latest fad within the day’s media.

Unaware they are being observed, many of these customers grimace in disgust when they view a piece of apparel which they deem unacceptable, laughing (though barely audible) as they carelessly fling the garment across the rack so as to continue in their search for bargains and beauty. Many of these customers bring small children with them, who are pushed rather haphazardly into the rough, plastic baby seat of the shopping cart, as their guardians remain oblivious to the children and their obvious discomfort.

The children, when pushed down the expansive shopping aisles, reach aggressively for anything within reach, infuriating many of the consumers who hastily strike their children on the wrist for perceived irresponsibility. As the child grimaces in frustration, it is clear the reason of their chastisement is not understood and they continue to reach for the shiny items between aisles. “No!” is what can be heard, repeated excessively, fading in volume as the cart passes into a distant corner of the expansive retail outlet.

Defining the typical mass-retail consumer is much like describing a watermelon rind, their fruitful flavor has been stripped from their skins and they look as if they had been discarded in retribution for their lack of zest. None speak to one another, as if avoiding the stranger, darting quick glances as their eyes meet by happenstance as both reach for the same item of merchandise. Few pause to offer acknowledgement of the eye contact, instead focusing on the label of their merchandise, many unaware that their child has successfully launched an undesired spatula or meat product into the cart with a mild thud.

Despite the thunderous parade of shoppers who fill the aisles, their hushed conversations are drowned out by the overhead speakers, which rage to a wide variety of lyrics from the contemporary to the traditional. Teenagers, making the most of their low-end apparel as if to create the public perception of fashion and wealth, stumble wearily to their parents with assorted retail items in the hopes of a nod of approval to toss the item into the quickly-filling cart. Most are refused their requests, leaving an obviously infuriated child to stalk quietly up the aisles to replace their desired possession.

Often, this frustration escalates into an audible parent/child debate, which many shoppers whisper about poor parenting skills or the selfishness of the child. Many of the gossiping retail clientele offer their own unique solutions to how they would handle the “spoiled” or “bratty” teenage youth, who continue about their shopping as if quickly distracted by another piece of merchandise. The Environment A wide variety of workers intermingle with the customer crowds, slicing boxes open with both fury and obligation, reaching between the legs of the shoppers to place their merchandise on the shelves.

Unlike the consumers who are generally hasty with their selections, the workers are observed paying special attention to their role in facing multiple-colored boxes of fresh snack crackers. Several staff members are missing a single tooth within a mouthful of crooked teeth, however many take a moment to acknowledge passer-bys. In quiet circles, with their perfectly-coordinated uniforms on and their backs against the faded wallpaper, several workers discuss their social relationships indicating that a gentleman named Donny would be picking them up at their end of their shift.

Their destination in this upcoming event, however, is virtually unknown. The workers smile at the observer as she passes by, lowering their voices by several decibels to avoid being overheard. A jar of something unknown crashes in a distant aisle, startling several customers who make a concerted effort to explore the cause of the explosion. As if disgusted that the sudden catastrophe was merely a pickle jar and not a more illustrative event, they shrug off what they’ve witnessed and move wearily through the aisles to their previous in-store location.

The worker who realizes it will be his responsibility to attend to the mess, by order of his co-worker, sighs audibly and lays down a somewhat-mangled caution sign as he excuses the mess to several shoppers. It takes only a few minutes to clean up the mess, to the dismay of several shoppers who walk brazenly through his clean-up efforts, and for a moment this employee is observed staring into the shelves as if imagining a more inviting environment. With a posture that suggests a lack of perceived self-dignity, the worker drags his yellow bucket back to the storage area and disappears.

At the checkout area, which is littered with empty boxes and several cases of Camel cigarettes, a cashier and her customer can be overhead engaging in a rather heated debate stemming from an abrupt switch of her overhead aisle light to the blackened position. To the left of this arguing employee is a co-worker, who is watching the event unfold with obvious delight as she slowly moves a can of Folger’s Coffee to the gong of the laser light. Several customers in nearby aisles shift uncomfortably as they wait for their items to be processed by the overworked cashier without a bagger, whispering about the terrible customer service the facility provides.

Moving to the exit, several customers look up from their self-checkout areas, but quickly return to their goods when they realize their eye contact was observed. Two grey and bulging apparatuses bellow a deafening blare as a cart passes by which does not meet its standards for payment obligations. All eyes turn to the door as if through a coordinated piece of internal human software. Conclusion Human wants and needs in the retail environment tend to assert themselves, whether conscious or without intent, in the daily activities of the retail shopping environment.

Facial expressions, body language, obvious fits of argumentation, or casual conversation create a profile of those who frequent the mass-retailer. Most of what is observed in this complicated and diverse environment, however, is not positive in terms of quality social interaction and mutual community respect. Customers chastise children who are unable to cope with higher reasoning, teens and workers are often frustrated by the environment, and the bustle and sounds of activity do not appear to make any significant improvements in the social condition at the mass retail facility.