The vast majority of customers arrived alone and most of them left the establishment shortly after receiving their purchases. The customers who opted to take seats did not make any eye contact with other customers and proceeded to use their cell phones or notebook computers (apparently) to send text messages and emails. Some of them took out folders or paperwork from their bags and appeared to check through them. The observer also noted that all of the customers who occupied seats checked their watches fairly frequently; in many cases, they first glanced up at the clock on the wall before checking their own watches immediately afterwards.
On the basis of these observations, the observer concluded that the vast majority of the Starbucks Customers frequenting the establishment on the occasion of this observation were on their way to work or to school. Consequently, they had little interest in or time to concern themselves with other customers. None of the subjects observed on this occasion stayed seated for more than 15 minutes. Two subjects opened up news papers but appeared only to glance at headlines and scan a few pages rather than actually reading them. No customers brought a book to read and not a single customer took any time to look at any of the items displayed for sale in the customer seating area.
Observation Number 2: Saturday, February 11, 2012 from 2:30 -- 3:30 PM
The observer arrived at the observation site at 2:25 PM and again made a purchase to enable her to sit in the customer seating area. She took up the same position at the same small perimeter table used for the first observation and again situated herself in front of an open book in a manner that allowed her to pretend to read while actually observing other customers closely and without drawing unwanted attention to herself.
The observer immediately noted a marked change in the pace of things compared with the previous observation. More than half the tables were already occupied...
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now