This presentation displays the results our intern groups found after conducting surveys, observations, and interviews of Burlington Coat Factory customers in stores throughout NJ and PA.
2. Agenda
Focus of Project
Executed Process
Results
Suggestions for Opportunities
3. Focus areas for the team
Who is the Burlington customer?
Why does/doesn’t the customer choose Burlington?
What is the store experience like?
◦ From the Outside?
◦ From the Inside?
◦ In each department?
4. Project Brief
Utilize 45 interns to collect data
Split into teams
External Evaluations
Departmental Evaluations
Three Rotations
◦ In-Store Detective
◦ Surveyor & Interviewer
◦ Walk-Out Viewer
Collaborative Store Observation
5. NOTE: Partial Sample…
Locations
Limited to a 29 store sample in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and California
Not a correct proportion of all Location types (Malls, Retail centers, etc) represented
Non-peak shopping hours
Excludes weekend shopping (11 stores on Mondays, 10 on Tuesdays, 2 on Wednesdays, & 4 on
Thursdays)
Excludes evenings and nights (most stores observed between 10am – 1pm)
Sample Sizes
229 Surveys collected over a 10 day period (7/9-7/19)
1,952 customers viewed
6. What we found
The assortment in Ladies Apparel, Children's and Shoes is particularly important
since most customers shopped for themselves or their kids; and most customers
shopped Ladies Apparel and Shoes
Customers shop at Burlington for the value and prices; Burlington should continue
reinforcing this message
Store operations that are in place are resulting in a clean and organized store
environment
◦ Most customers stated they found everything they were looking for (“assortment was just
right”; “stores were neat” and “racks were organized”)
However, of the customers who did not find what they wanted, “Size” was stated as
the primary issue; therefore continuing to organize merchandise by sizes and
improving availability of “plus sizes” could help those customers
26% of shoppers were accompanied by family or friends and these shoppers were
more likely to buy something than those who visited by themselves; therefore
Burlington should continue emphasizing a “social shopping” experience
◦ To further improve conversion rate of “lone shoppers”, Burlington could find more shopping
aids such as mirrors throughout departments; associates around Suits to assist with sales etc.
7. Demographics
• Greater Ethnic skew in data
• Due to mid-week and mid-day samples, greater than expected shoppers were 50yrs+
Other 3%
65+ >100k
Asian 3%
10% 15%
Male
Hispanic
27%
15%
50-65
75-100k
25%
19%
African
American
40-49 50-75k
38%
16% 24%
30-39 Female
17% 73%
25-50k
25-29
27%
11%
18-24
21% <25k
15%
Source: Observations at 29 stores in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, California
8. Stated Shopping Behaviors
• Most customers interviewed were:
• Shopping for themselves, or their children
• 60% were best customers (5+ trips in last 12 months)
• Ladies apparel and Shoes were the most frequently visited departments
# respondents
Source: Observations at 29 stores in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, California
9. Why Burlington?
• Most customers interviewed shopped us for the “Great value and prices” we offer
• 82% felt our assortment was “Just right” or “Average”; 12% stated “too small”; 6%
“Overwhelming”
What do you enjoy most about Did you feel the
shopping at Burlington?
(check all that apply) assortment was:
# of times each option
was selected
Source: Observations at 29 stores in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, California
10. Visual Assessments of Store Interiors
Desired state Undesired state
• Most stores were neat and racks
were well organized
• None of the stores visited were too
unorganized or too packed to pull
out merchandise from racks
• Only 2 stores were messy and 5
stores had misplaced merchandise
or products on the floor
Source: Observations at 29 stores in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, California
11. Visual Assessment of Checkout area
Desired state Undesired state
• Majority of stores were stocked
efficiently and left an
impression of cleanliness
• 3 stores were overflowing with
POS/Queuing merchandise
and 1 store had piles of clothes
behind checkout area
Source: Observations at 29 stores in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, California
12. Views about BCF Shopping Experience
• Most customers found what they were looking for
• Of those that did not, 70% could not find the Style or the Size they wanted
Did you find everything
you were looking for?
If not, why not?
Source: Observations at 29 stores in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and California
13. Profile of Shoppers Who Did Not Find What They Wanted
• Older female and affluent customers have a harder time finding what they want in our stores.
Ethnicity Age
Gender Income
Source: Observations at 29 stores in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and California
14. Departments Shopped
By Shoppers who did not find what they were looking for
• Of the shoppers who could not find what they wanted, Ladies, Shoes and Accessories were most
prominent
• Despite a smaller shopper base, Home had 28% customers who did not find what they wanted
Number of Shoppers who did not find what they were looking for in that department
18%
11%
12%
8%
28%
22%
44%
25%
Source: Observations at 29 stores in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and California
15. Shopping In Groups
• The percentage of purchases are higher for groups compared to purchases by individuals
• The rate at which men and women shop is groups is very similar
N=999 N=1408
# of groups Foot Traffic
observed Observed
Source: Observations at 29 stores in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and California
16. Parting Thoughts
Future Ideas
In support of group shopping, Burlington should look into bringing in a small
restaurant or café to the stores
Renovation or Remodels Stores should be treated as new stores
◦ The outer signage should also be renovated to market to customers in the neighborhood
◦ There should be a re-grand openings for all renovations or remodels to excite customers whom have possibly been
turned away in the past
Equipment should be hidden an out of reach from customers
◦ Create a few designated hidden locations for associate tools
◦ Designate an area for equipment such as ladder and lifts
In Store Experience can constantly improve
◦ Reinforce the audio ads to play in the store every 15-20 minutes
◦ Discuss having more associates on the floor to assist customer
Experience
Customer interaction is vital to support any data
◦ It was great to visit the stores and speak with customers and associates
Having support throughout the process was key to success
◦ From HR to Strategy, we appreciate all of the help and support to reach these findings
Saying you are a team and being a team are two different things
◦ All of the interns were more than helpful and critical to getting the job done
18. Appendix
First Timers Vs. Best Customers
• The data shows more variety in best customers over first time customers. The largest change
can be seen in gender. Most Best customers are Males in comparison to more females being
first time customers.
Ethnicity Age Gender Income
N 5 125 5 125 5 125 5 125
65+ >100k
10% M 9%
Other
20%
23% 75-
50-65
100k
40%
Asian 1% 50-65 50- 16%
Hisp 29% 75k
11% 50%
M 50-
78% 75k
40-49 26%
40-49 14%
AA
20%
34%
F
30-39 80%
Cauc
20%
67% 25-
20- 50k
25-29 50k 37%
18-24 50%
11%
Cauc 40%
31% F
18-24
22%
16% <25k
12%
FT B FT B FT B FT B
Source: Observations at 29 stores in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and California
19. Appendix
Profile of a customer who has shopped within the past month
• Additional metrics to “First Time Customer versus Best Customer”
Other/ 65+ >100k
Male
No Answer 11% 10%
20%
18% 75-100k
Asian 2% 50-65 12%
Hispanic 14% 24%
50-75k
40-49 24%
16%
African
American Female
37% 30-39 80%
20% 25-50k
38%
25-29 8%
18-24
21% <25k
16%
Source: Observations at 29 stores in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and California
20. Appendix
Departments Shopped by Gender
Male Female
• Most departments were heavily populated by females.
• However, the Men’s and Coats departments seemed to be the
focus for the male shopper in proportion to the female shopper.
11% 89% 121
11% 89% 46
12% 88% 26
15% 85% 41
20% 80% 49
23% 77% 65
38% 62% 8
58% 41% 60
Source: Observations at 29 stores in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and California
21. Appendix
Purchase Breakdown
There were 1527 customers that appeared to be over the age of 25 and out of these people:
•Most were women between the ages of 26-50
• Of all the males purchased a vast majority (73%) were 26-50
Source: Observations at 29 stores in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and California
22. Appendix
Walk-Out-Viewer Observations (not from survey)
Overall Merchandise
Gender
Purchase
No Purchase
Female
Purchase
Male
Source: Observations at 29 stores in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and California
23. Appendix
Walk-Out-Viewer Observations (not from survey)
Merchandise
Gender
Purchase by Gender
No Purchase
Female
Purchase
No Purchase
Male
Purchase
Source: Observations at 29 stores in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and California
24. Appendix
Types of Groups Who Shopped
• 49% of groups who walked in the store could be viewed as friends while 32% were couples
Type of Groups
n=255groups
Source: Observations at 29 stores in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and California
Editor's Notes
Please feel free to ask questions throughout the presentation!
Overall, OUR SHOPPERS REALLY LIKE US!
Overall demographics TAKE THE 40% OUT AND KEEP THE OTHER BUCKET FOR THE 6 PPL HERE ARE THE CUSTOMER PREOFILE OF THOSE WE SHOPPED FOR…. WE DID NOT SPEAK TO CUSTOMERS DURING THE WEEKEND OR AT NIGHT…. OUR CUSTOMERS WERE MORE ETHNIC AND OLDER…. WE HAVE GIVEN THE DATA TO BART AND HIS TEAM AND THEY WILL BE ADJUSTED TO CRM DATA.
Overall stores, most stores were neatly organized and racks were well stocked. Burlington should continue to reinforce store operating procedures which resulted in most of the store showing up as being very empty. Use lean time period of the store to focus on cleaning up…. #put picture up with stuff on the floor and reinforce that it was a wed….
At a non lean time of the day and week, no stores should be piled with clothes
Most people found it but for those who did not, size was an issue….. Continue the sizing program where merchandise is arranged by sizes… making it easier for the associates to put back and for customers.
older female and alfulent customers have a harder time finding what they want in our stores. Ppl with a higher income have less time so our treasure hunt model does not suit them.
Put incidence as well
Men are ju st ask likely to shop in groups in comparison to popular beleifs…
PUT N ONTOP OF EACH. CHECK NUMBERS… LEAVE IN APPENDIX
Male shoppers were more likely to shop in coats and mens…. Just a notice. DOES NOT NEED TO GO UP TO TOP