Key Insight #1
Analyzing the Influence of Consumer Behavior on Retailers
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To remain competitive, businesses must do more than simply react to changes, they must anticipate them. This requires a deep understanding of consumer data, market trends, and purchasing behaviors to ensure they offer the right products at the right time. Retailers must analyze factors such as social media influence, economic shifts, and cultural movements to curate product assortments and promotional strategies that resonate with their target audience. By staying ahead of these trends, businesses can not only meet consumer expectations but also create shopping experiences that foster brand loyalty and long-term success in an ever-evolving retail landscape.
As a consumer, it’s easy to assume that my individual shopping habits have little to no impact on how retailers choose merchandise for their stores. After all, I’m just one person. Surely businesses focus on broader demographics and large-scale market trends, analyzing the preferences of entire age groups or income brackets. This seemed to be the logical approach, as traditional retail strategies often relied on general consumer behaviors and wide-reaching surveys. However, I was surprised to learn that retailers are now diving much deeper into data analysis, moving beyond these broad categories. Today, businesses are leveraging advanced technologies to dissect consumer behavior on an individual level. Instead of simply comparing larger demographic groups, retailers are increasingly focusing on tracking specific actions, preferences, and purchasing patterns of each consumer. This level of personalization allows them to tailor product selections, promotions, and marketing strategies with a level of precision that was unimaginable just a few years ago. It’s fascinating to see how, with the power of data, a single consumer’s choices can directly influence the products that fill store shelves or show up in targeted advertisements.
On my first day in Retail 369: Retail Promotion, I was immediately captivated by the sheer amount of data retailers can gather from consumers. It was eye-opening to realize how much insight can be derived from customer behaviors and preferences. Throughout the course, we explored how this data can be harnessed to plan and execute effective retail strategies. One of the key tools we used to understand this process was Keyhole, an online platform that provides invaluable insights into consumer trends and social media activity. This hands-on experience deepened my understanding of how data can drive promotional decisions and shape successful retail campaigns.
When I first started using Keyhole in Retail 369, I was truly blown away by the depth of data available to retailers through social media platforms. As we dove into the tool, I saw firsthand how businesses can track real-time conversations, trends, and consumer behavior by monitoring specific hashtags, keywords, and brand mentions across sites like Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. I realized that this wasn’t just about tracking popularity, it’s about understanding why a product or brand is resonating with consumers and how they are engaging with it. For example, we could track a product’s hashtag to see how often it was mentioned, what people were saying about it, and who was influencing the conversation. This kind of insight gives retailers a window into the pulse of the market, helping them spot emerging trends before they even hit the mainstream.
What really struck me was how this data could be used to inform and adjust retail strategies in real-time. If a product was gaining traction or going viral on social media, retailers could respond quickly by increasing stock, creating targeted promotions, or refining their marketing messages to tap into the growing excitement. It was fascinating to see how retailers could move beyond just demographic analysis and dive into behavioral data, understanding not just who the consumers were, but also how they interacted with products and what factors were driving their purchasing decisions.
Through Keyhole, we also saw how demographic insights could shape a retailer’s strategy—by breaking down social interactions based on factors like age, location, and interests, businesses could tailor their inventory to meet the needs of specific consumer segments. In the course, I understood how critical this kind of data is for developing product assortments, promotions, and campaigns that speak directly to the desires of the target audience. Seeing this in action made me realize how much retailers rely on this kind of deep analysis to stay ahead of the curve and make data-driven decisions that align with what consumers are already looking for, sometimes even before they fully realize it themselves.
Photoshoot for Nike casual line presented by the Womens Athletic Buying Team at Rack Room Shoes
Intern Class of 2023 at Rack Room Shoes Headquarters
Rack Room Shoes service day. Employees and Interns came together to fill back-to-school backpacks for children in need
Display of women's Nike sneakers at a Rack Room Shoes store visit
In the summer of 2023, I had the incredible opportunity to work as a Buying Intern in the Women's Athletic department at Rack Room Shoes’ corporate office. Going into the role, corporate buying was a completely new concept to me, and I didn’t have much familiarity with the position. However, I quickly learned how complex and detail-oriented the process is. One of the first tasks was gaining a deep understanding of the customer. Who is she? What motivates her to choose one running shoe over another? What are her shopping habits, and what does her ideal budget look like when it comes to athletic shoes? This foundation was essential in making informed buying decisions that resonated with the target audience.
As a Buying Intern at Rack Room Shoes in the Women's Athletic department, I was involved in a variety of tasks that gave me valuable insight into the buying process. I assisted in analyzing sales data and consumer trends to help determine which products would be included in the upcoming season’s assortment. I worked closely with the buying team to review product samples, assess quality, and ensure that selections aligned with customer preferences and market demands. A key part of my role was tracking inventory levels, assisting with pricing strategies, and helping prepare reports for presentations to senior buyers. Additionally, I participated in meetings where we discussed vendor negotiations and explored ways to optimize the department’s product mix to drive sales and meet customer needs. Throughout all of this, I learned the critical role that consumer research and promotion play in buying decisions. By analyzing sales data and customer feedback, I saw how the buying team used insights to curate products that aligned with customer preferences and trends. I also gained an understanding of how promotional campaigns are strategically planned to match the right products with the right audience. What stood out most was how consumer research goes beyond trends—it’s about understanding the motivations behind purchases. This experience taught me how data-driven decisions and effective promotions are key to connecting with customers and driving sales.
What I learned in Retail 369 and my internship at Rack Room Shoes complemented each other in meaningful ways. In Retail 369, I gained a deep understanding of how consumer data and trends drive retail promotion strategies. We learned how to analyze customer behavior, preferences, and societal shifts to create targeted marketing campaigns and product assortments. This theoretical knowledge directly applied to my internship, where I used similar data-driven approaches to help select merchandise and optimize promotions for the Women's Athletic department at Rack Room Shoes. I saw firsthand how understanding the customer—through sales data, feedback, and market analysis—was essential in curating a product mix that resonated with consumers.
On the flip side, my internship helped solidify and deepen my understanding of concepts from Retail 369. Being involved in actual buying decisions, tracking inventory, and working on promotional strategies allowed me to apply class lessons in real-world situations. It became clear how data analytics and consumer insights shape not only the buying process but also the promotional strategies that drive retail success. Together, both experiences reinforced how critical consumer research is in creating effective retail strategies that engage customers and boost sales.
Because I learned how deeply consumer data and trends influence buying decisions and promotional strategies, my thinking and behavior shifted to become more analytical and data-driven. In Retail 369, I began to see the value of not just tracking trends but understanding the underlying reasons behind consumer behaviors. This shifted how I approached my internship at Rack Room Shoes. I became more focused on analyzing sales data and consumer feedback to make informed decisions, rather than relying solely on intuition or assumptions. I learned to look beyond just what products were popular, but why they were popular and who exactly was driving those trends.
My behavior also became more proactive. I started thinking about how each decision I made, whether selecting merchandise or planning promotions, could be backed by data and insights. I learned to ask more detailed questions: Who is the target customer? What are their preferences and pain points? How can we adjust our strategies to meet their needs more effectively? This shift in my approach helped me better understand the importance of consumer research in shaping retail strategies and the role of data in making decisions that truly resonate with customers.
This insight reflects my pathway of professional and civic engagement by illustrating how my academic experiences and internship opportunities have allowed me to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application. Through Retail 369, I gained a comprehensive understanding of consumer behavior analysis, which directly informed my role as a Buying Intern at Rack Room Shoes, where I used data to make informed merchandising decisions. This experience emphasized the importance of understanding both the individual consumer and broader market trends, aligning with my goal to create impactful, customer-centric strategies in the fashion industry. My journey also connects to my civic engagement, as consumer behavior analysis is not just a tool for business success but also a means of contributing to a more responsive and responsible retail environment. By utilizing data to curate inclusive, relevant product assortments, I aim to influence not only profitability but also the creation of equitable and accessible retail experiences for diverse communities.
Artifacts
UTF-8Kassidy_Keyhole Report Form for Exercise 2 (Platform Comparion).pdfUTF-8Kassidy_Keyhole Report Form for Exercise 1_Twitter Analysis(1).pdf
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