Executive Summary

Online shopping is more popular than ever before. With the convenience to buy almost

whatever you want, whenever you want online, brick and mortar stores are beginning to suffer.

In 2019, Charlotte Russe, a women’s clothing retail stores, filed for bankruptcy and closed all of

its stores. However, Charlotte Russe is just the latest in a string of women’s retail clothing stores

closing. In October 2018, I was hired as a sales associate at a chain women’s clothing retail store.

Using my background in communication studies and my experience of working in retail, I have

decided to craft a consulting report to help clients who are looking to boost sales in their own

brick and mortar stores.

I have created this consulting report based on two questions: Why do women choose to

shop online rather than in-store? And how can women be convinced to shop in-store over

shopping online? The purpose of this consulting report is to answer these questions and I argue

that communicative labor, customer connection, and store atmosphere are important to

convincing customers to shop in the store rather than online. Using the concepts of branding and

communicative labor, I analyze online shopping, in-store shopping, and shopping motivation. In

my analysis I find that the top reasons people choose to shop online rather than in-store are

convenience and product selection. I believe that convenience, price comparison, and less

potential of encountering friction are the main reasons why women choose to shop online.

To conclude my report, I give several recommendations based on communicative labor,

customer connection, and store atmosphere. These recommendations are included to help stores

with their own branding and customer satisfaction. A happy and satisfied customer will keep

returning to the store.

Purpose, Problem, and Argument

On February 3rd, 2019, Charlotte Russe, a women’s clothing retailer, announced that they

were filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and would be closing all of their 650 stores across the U.S.

and their online store as well (Bazzle, 2019). In fact, Charlotte Russe is not the only women’s

clothing store to go out of business recently. In early 2017, The Limited, Wet Seal, and Payless

all filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy as well (The Fashion Law, 2019).

In October 2018, I began working for a women’s clothing retail store. I had never worked

retail before, but I did have experience with customer service and I have a Bachelor of Arts

degree in communication studies. Not long after I began working at the women’s clothing

retailer, I realized that working retail was much less about folding clothes and working a cash

register and much more about connecting with the customer. I attended a workshop focused on

selling and in that workshop, my manager said something that stuck in my mind. She said “The

only difference between online shopping and shopping in the store is the people”. With so many

women’s clothing retailers going out of business I began to wonder, was this a market problem

or a people problem?

In the age of social media, online shopping is becoming more popular than ever before. A

Pew Research Study (2016) found that eight out of ten Americans are online shoppers. With just

the click or tap of a button, you can have almost anything you want delivered right to your door.

As stated earlier, the main difference between online shopping and in-store shopping is the

people. When shopping online, there is no human interaction, it is simply the customer and their

electronic device. Thus by shopping in-store, you add a level of human interaction which will

have an affect, either positive or negative, on the customer. In this consulting report I will

examine the reasons why women choose to shop online versus in the store. Using the concepts of
branding and communicative labor I will argue that communicative labor, customer connection,

and store atmosphere are important to convincing customers to shop in the store rather than

online. I will also be answering the following questions: why do women choose to shop online

rather than in-store? How can women be convinced to shop in-store rather than online? I will be

using my experiences with and knowledge of working for a women’s clothing retailer to guide

this consulting report. I will then make recommendations to the women’s clothing retailer I work

for on how they, and other women’s clothing retailers, can improve their in-store experience for

customers, leading to the customer wanting to return and shop there again.

Conceptual Framework

There are two main concepts guiding my study: branding and communicative labor.

Branding and communicative labor fit together because branding is almost a type of

communicative labor. As I will later describe, communicative labor is essential to performing the

identity of a brand or company. Essentially, communicative labor is how someone performs the

brand in their appearance, actions, and communication with others. A brand is more than just a

material object; it communicates the messages a company wants to send.

Branding

What is a brand?

Branding is a form of communication. In a sense, a brand communicates the ideas and

values of a company to the customer. According to Kuhn, Ashcraft, and Cooren (2017) a brand

is a “symbolic condensation and carrier of identity that operates instantaneously and

energetically, through elusive jolts of felt activation” (p.160). In a more material sense, a brand
can be a symbol, logo, or uniform that has meaning or material intentions. Thus a brand is more

than just an object; it is the identity of the company. For example, when I was hired at a

women’s clothing store, part of my job was to represent the brand in my appearance and actions.

We do not have uniforms, and we do not necessarily have to wear clothes the store sells, but we

are given a considerable employee discount to encourage us to purchase and wear the

merchandise. This would be an example of branding, which is the “activity of cultivating and

harnessing affective relations of identity in order to yield desired harvests” (Kuhn et al., 2017,

p.160).

Value of a Brand

Mumby (2016) explains that any “free, autonomous act of communication has the

potential to become free labor that is brandable and transformable into economic value” (p.887).

Thus Mumby (2016) suggests that a brand has exchange value rather than use value. Use value

refers to a product’s ability to satisfy one’s wants and needs. It is something we want because it

is useful to us. Exchange value refers to how something can be exchanged for something else

(Marx, 1906; Varul, 2011). For example, by owning or wearing a certain brand, you are

conveying a message. In this sense, you are exchanging money for the reputation and prestige of

a brand. The first example that comes to mind is Starbucks. A quick search of #Starbucks on

Instagram results in 34.2 million Instagram posts. In 2017, Starbucks released their Unicorn

Frappuccino described as “sweet and fruity transforming to pleasantly sour” and “finished with

whipped cream-sprinkled pink and blue fairy powders” (Image 1)(Starbucks, 2019). Various

reviews of the drink claimed that it tasted terrible but looked beautiful (Cresci, 2019). Which

some say was the entire point of the drink. Consumers did the marketing for Starbucks by
 posting pictures of the drink on social media.

The entire allure of the drink was the look, not

the taste. Starbucks shows that it has exchange

value because consumers purchase the drinks to

post on social media and garner attention rather

than satisfying their needs or thirst.

1

Emotional Branding

According to Mumby (2016) “brand strategists have been appealing to

consumers’ emotions as an important way to build brand authenticity” (p.898). The concept of

emotional branding is best explained by Marc Gobé (2001), who claims that the emotional aspect

of products are the key difference between a consumer’s definitive choice and the price they will

pay. Essentially, emotional branding is how a brand involves consumers on the level of emotions

and senses (Gobé, 2001). A key dimension of the effort to create brand loyalty is the creation of

an affective response among consumers (Mumby, 2016). For example, Budweiser, an American

beer company by Anheuser-Busch, is known for it’s emotional super bowl commercials. From

puppies to the iconic Clydesdale horses, Budweiser uses animals to pull at your heartstrings. One

of the most memorable commercials premiered in 2014 and involves a puppy and Clydesdale

horse that become best buddies (Hafner, 2019). Each year, people look forward to seeing

Budweiser’s super bowl commercials because they are cute and make you feel good. In this

1 Image 1. Unicorn Frappuccino Blended Crème, 2019, https://www.starbucks.com/menu/drinks/frappuccino-

blended-beverages/unicorn-frappuccino-blended-cr%C3%A8me.
sense, Budweiser uses emotional branding to keep customers coming back and wanting more.

Any commercial that makes me shed a few tears is one I am going to remember.

Communicative labor

Mumby (2016) describes communicative labor as “everyday communication and social

interaction is put to work in order to create economic value” (p.889). In the current era of Post-

Fordism, value is less tied to factories and machinery and more to a company’s ability to

communicatively create meaningful worlds. Communicative labor is used especially in positions

of customer service. According to Carlone (2008), communication education may help to shape

and direct the general population for communicative labor. In other words, for employees who

perform customer service work that do not have a background in communication, they have to

cultivate their communication skills through practice. This explains why I was hired at my job

despite having no background in retail. My employers saw that I had a background in

communication studies and knew that because of this, I would be able to perform well in the

customer service aspect of the job. Mumby (2016) reiterates this by claiming:

The success of the interaction (i.e. selling a product) depends on the communicative labor

of the salesperson and his or her ability to create an interaction of mutuality and trust that

disguises the structural contradictions that characterize the point of sale in capitalism

(Mumby, 2016, p.897).

Greeting and engaging with customers is an example of communicative labor. From the

second a customer walks through the door, they are assessing their experience. If a customer
enters and is not greeted, they may feel unwelcome or feel as if the employees are rude.

According to information provided to me through a training manual, 86% of customers make a

purchase when product information is shared and those customers will spend 50% more per

transaction when well informed on the product. Communicative labor creates value for the

brand. Mumby (2016) explains:

“Value, then, is derived not just from the symbolic creation and consumption of

particular meanings and experiences but from the communicative construction of

authentic brand identities that merge production and consumption, work and life” (p.897).

Therefore, branding and communication labor go hand in hand.

Questions to be Addressed

 Why do women choose to shop online rather than in-store?

 How can women be convinced to shop in-store over shopping online?

Methods

Beginning in October, 2018; I have been a customer associate at the women’s clothing

store in Greensboro, NC. The following is a description of my position described by the store:
A Customer Associate supports the store leadership team through the cultivation of a store

environment that surprises and delights our customers each time they walk through our

doors. We envision someone with a vibrant personality, an efficient nature, and natural

warmth. Our ideal candidate will provide exceptional service in all aspects of the sales floor -

greeting customers, selling, product knowledge, styling, cash wrap, restock and overall

shopkeeping.

The evidence that I will be drawing upon for this consulting report includes pamphlets,

newsletters, training manuals, and more materials from my own personal data collection. I have

gathered this evidence from working at the women’s clothing store. Throughout the last six

months, I have been given different resources to help me be more successful at my job. I will be

using these resources as well as my own experiences and interactions with customers.

Analysis

In order to answer my questions: why do women choose to shop online rather than in-

store? And how can women be convinced to shop in-store over shopping online? We must first

take a deeper look into online shopping, in-store shopping, and shopping motivations. I will also

be examining the women’s clothing store I work for, the materials provided to me from this

store, and my own personal experiences from working at the store to answer these questions as

well.
Online Shopping

According to a Pew Research Center (2016) survey, approximately eight-in-ten

Americans are now online shoppers. This is a huge increase from June 2000, where a survey

showed that only 22% of Americans had made a purchase online (Pew Research Center, 2000).

The 2016 survey also showed that 79% of those online shoppers have made an online purchase

of any type, 51% used a cellphone to make online purchases, and 15% made an online purchase

through social media links (Smith & Anderson, 2016). With the rise of new technology and

social media, this really comes as no surprise. In fact, online retailers have several advantages

(Smithfield, 2017). These advantages include online advertising, impulse purchases, email

newsletters, social engagement, and informative analytics (Smithfield, 2017, p.22). KPMG

conducted a survey in 2017 where they asked 18,430 consumers in 51 countries about their most

recent online shopping experiences. In this survey, they found that the top reasons for shopping

online were time flexibility and cost savings (KPMG, 2017, p.27). They also found that

consumers stated they preferred shopping online to avoid negative experiences of shopping in-

store such as travel, being in a crowd, or standing at checkout lines (see Figure 1) (pp.27-28).
 Figure 1.

Advantages for Online Retailers

Online advertising

Impulse purchases

Email newsletters

Social engagement

Informative analytics

2 Figure 1. Reasons consumers shop online instead of in stores. From 2017 global online consumer report, KPMG,

2017, www.kpmg.com/onlineconsumers.
 A study that developed a scale to measure the perceived benefits and risks of online shopping

found four perceived pros of online shopping and three perceived cons (Forsythe, Liu, Shannon

& Gardner, 2006). The benefits include shopping convenience, product selection, ease of

shopping and enjoyment. Shopping online is more convenient because there are no store hours.

You can shop for whatever you want, whenever you want. There is also a greater product

selection online. The women’s clothing store I work for does not carry petite or plus sizes in

store, but they do online. If a customer comes to the store wanting a petite or plus size, we then

after to order the product for the customer online, thus losing a sale for our store.

The risks include financial, product, and time. Financial risk being the potential net loss of

money and insecurity regarding credit card use, product risk being the brand not performing as

expected, and time risk being inconvenience incurred during online transactions or delays

receiving products (Derbaix, 1983; Maignan & Lukas, 1997; Horton, 1976; GVU, 1998 as cited

in Forsythe et al., 2006, p.57). In my own personal experience, I recently dealt with both

financial and time risk while online shopping. I ordered a pair of shoes online, weeks passed and

the shoes never arrived. I contacted the company I purchased the shoes from and we determined

that the shoes had been delivered to the wrong address. I then had to file a claim and wait for

UPS to try and locate the shoes. Another week or so passed and I had to contact the company

again and only then did I finally receive my refund.

At the clothing store I work for, customers are allowed to return online purchases to our

store for a refund. It is common for a customer to purchase the same item in a few different sizes,

keep the size that fits them best, and then return the others. It seems to me that it would be much

more simple to try on the different sizes in store and then choose the size that fits them best. This

avoids spending excess money and shipping costs. Customers have claimed to me that they
prefer to try on clothes in the comfort of their own homes, which online shopping allows them to

do. They are also able to try on purchases with clothing items they already own and are able to

see if this new item would fit with the rest of their wardrobe. Another common reasons

customers have expressed to me that they chose to purchase online is because we did not carry

that item in our store. The store I work for in particular is considered to be a small store. We do

not carry shoes, bedding or hardware in our store despite all of these items being sold online or

in other stores. Customers are often disappointed when they find something they like online and

then come into the store to purchase it, only to find that we do not carry that item in-store. Our

online site has a plethora of items that we do not carry.

Perceived Pros of Online Shopping

 Shopping convenience

 Product selection

 Ease of shopping

 Enjoyment

Perceived Cons of Online Shopping

 Financial risk

 Product risk

 Time risk
In-Store Shopping

In the above-mentioned KPMG (2017) survey, they also provided reasons why

consumers prefer to shop in-store rather than online (Figure 2). These reasons include wanting to

see, try on, touch, feel, or verify the appearance or features of a product before buying. When

shopping online, you are only provided pictures of the object and a description. For some people,

it is important to feel and see the quality of an item before purchasing. Imagine buying a sweater

online and when you try it on it is itchy and sheds everywhere. Had you tried the sweater on in a

store, you would have noticed this before purchasing. Other reasons for shopping in-store

include delivery taking too long, shipping costs being too high, or the return process is too

complicated.
 Figure 2

Another study (Rajamma, Paswan & Ganesh, 2007) found that the type of product being

purchased might have an affect on whether the person buys the product online or in-store. More

specifically, services were more likely to be purchased online and more tangible products were

more like to be purchased in-store. The study defines services as travel-related (hotel reservation,

airlines tickets, car rentals), entertainment services (reservations, movie tickets, concert tickets),

financial services, and real estate and legal services. Tangible goods are defined as entertainment

electronics products, functional products, and grocery products (p.204). Clothing would fall

3 Figure 2. Reasons consumers shop in stores instead of online. From 2017 global online consumer report, KPMG,

2017, www.kpmg.com/onlineconsumers.
under the category of a tangible product, thus this study concludes people are more likely to buy

clothing in-store than online.

Shopping Motivation

Now that we understand a little bit more about the differences between online shopping and

in-store shopping and the reasons why one may choose one avenue of shopping over the other, I

will now analyze what motivates people to shop. In a study where 40 in-depth interviews with

apparel shoppers were conducted, four motivational patterns for shopping were found:

frictionless shopping, shopping pleasure, value seeking, and quality seeking (Wagner, 2007).

The first motivational pattern is frictionless shopping. At the women’s clothing store I work

for, there is a term used to describe the perfect customer shopping experience: frictionless

shopping. According to the training manual “frictionless shopping is the idea of connecting

buyers and sellers to provide consumers the ability to instantly find the products or services they

need.” The training manual also advises that frictionless shopping means the consumer is in

control and eliminating anything that does not add value and negatively impacts the consumer

experience. Examples of friction a customer may experience in-store include:

 No one greets you or engages with you

 They do not have your size on the sales floor

 You have too much in your hands to shop properly

 No one starts you a fitting room

 You cannot find what you came in for

 You feel overwhelmed by too many choices

  You are not receiving assistance in the fitting room

 The cash wrap line is too long

 You do not know how to style or outfit an item

The second motivational pattern is shopping pleasure. Wagner (2007) explains shopping

pleasure as a consumer’s pursuit of social and experiential value provided by retail environments

and store employees (p.578). For example, store atmosphere and friendly personnel are two

factors that can influence the pleasure of shopping. The managers at the store I work encourage

sales associates to be positive, friendly, and helpful. We have to go out of our way to meet a

customer’s needs. Making shopping a pleasurable experience for the customer is very important

to us.

The third motivational pattern is value seeking. Wagner (2007) explains value seeking as

a consumer’s desire for inexpensive shopping opportunities and the resulting pursuit of price-

related attributes (p.578). For example, the prices should not be too high and a good value for

your money. The women’s clothing store I work for has higher prices because it is a higher end

store. Clothing prices can range from $48 to $500 or more. Customers often inquire about the

return policy, discounts or coupons, or when there will sales. When a customer asks these

questions, it seems to me as if they are uncomfortable paying such a high price for the clothing.

Our store in particular may not have the best value.

The final motivational pattern is quality seeking. Wagner (2007) describes quality

seeking as being an important value, which pays off after the shopping trip. Consumers will

anticipate an experienced state of satisfaction and an increased longevity of the merchandise

purchased (pp.578-579). When customers point out the high price of clothing at our store, I
always make sure to reiterate that they are paying for the quality and longevity of the product.

You may be paying more at the moment, but you will spend less not having to constantly replace

the item as it gets worn out. The products are more expensive because they are made with higher

quality materials that are designed to last.

Questions Answered

Overall, through my research and analysis, I believe the reason why women choose to

shop online rather than in-store is for a variety of reasons. Online shopping is simply much more

convenient. There are no store hours and you can literally shop whenever you want. It is also

easier to compare prices and get the best deal when shopping online. The same item can be

searched across hundreds of websites to find the best price, there are even apps now that will

automatically do it for you. Another reason why I believe women choose to shop online rather

than in-store is because it reduces the friction of dealing with people. If a store were known to

have unfriendly people working there, why would someone want to frequent that store? Thus I

believe that convenience, price comparison, and less potential of encountering friction are the

main reasons why women choose to shop online.

Recommendations

To entice customers to shop in-store rather than online, the in-store shopping experience

must be above and beyond. Communicative labor, customer connection, and store atmosphere

are the three most important factors in not only giving the customer a great experience, but also
to get them to return and shop in your store rather than online. These are my recommendations

for providing your customer with the best in-store experience as possible.

Communicative Labor

Communicative labor is essential to customer service. It speaks to the extent to which the

creation of value through work is a communicative process (Land & Taylor, 2010, as cited in

Mumby, 2016, p.896). In this sense, the value of the brand lies significantly with the quality of

interactions between employees and customers and various forms of knowledge work (Mumby,

2016). At the women’s clothing store where I work, I was taught that I should be a brand

ambassador. According to my training manual, being a brand ambassador means your actions

and appearance are a direct reflection of the company. What they mean by this is that how we

dress, speak, and interact with customers reflects the style and values of the company. Although

we are not required to wear the clothes we sell, we are given a generous discount to be able to

purchase clothes that we can then wear to work. There is also a great emphasis on product

knowledge. We are challenged to constantly learn and understand the products we are selling.

Once, I was challenged to find two interesting items in the store and learn all about those items.

Some examples of product knowledge include how something fits, washing instructions, the

burn-time of a candle, and more. To improve communicative labor in your own store, the

following are my suggestions:

 Become a brand ambassador for your store by mastering the aesthetic and being the

customer’s style inspiration.

 Have a positive attitude that reflects your company’s morals and values.
  Be willing to go above and beyond to meet the customer’s needs.

 Learn customer’s names and try to remember customers who are regular shoppers at your

store.

 Try to learn the little details about items in your store. Customers will ask you all sorts of

questions, if you don’t know the answer, find it out!

Customer Connection

As the above research has shown, being friendly and connecting with a customer is

important to customer satisfaction and getting a customer to continue shopping in your store.

Small talk can be a great way to connect with a customer. The training manual for the store I

work for suggests commenting on an item the customer is trying on or is picking up from the

floor. For example, I once had a customer trying on a jumpsuit I had just purchased the day

before. I approached the customer and said “I just purchased that exact jumpsuit yesterday and it

fit like a dream! If you try it on I would love to see how you look! I am going to wear mine to

my long graduation because it is so comfortable.” The customer tried the jumpsuit on and

decided to purchase it as well. Based on the training manual and my own personal ideas here are

some other suggestions for improving customer connection:

 Greet the customer to engage with them

 Anticipate/assess a customers needs

 Check back with customers while in the fitting room

 Provide one-on-one styling assistance

Store Atmosphere

When you first step into the women’s clothing store I work for, the first thing you may

notice is the smell. The store is actually filled with candles and diffusers, wafting out the store’s

irresistible signature scent. You may also notice the open and airy floor plan and that you do not

have to squeeze your way past other customers to get through the store. While browsing the

selection you may also notice the pleasant and laid-back alternative music that is playing. All of

these things make up the store atmosphere and the store experience. In fact, all of the stores have

the same atmosphere because it is a part of their brand. Because the store I work for is part of a

chain, there is some uniformity among all the stores that share the same name. There is a curated

playlist of songs given to us that each store has to play. There is even a special playlist just for

the Christmas shopping season. Also, each store has similar design, layout, and decorations and

displays. An email is sent to each store with instructions on how to create the displays for the

store and what they should look like.

Unsurprisingly, there is a reason behind the sights and smells. According to Kotler

(1973), the atmosphere of a place is more influential than the product itself in the purchase

decisions (p.48). Kotler (1973) also explains the main sensory channels for atmosphere are sight,

sound, touch, and scent. The main visual dimensions are color, brightness, shapes, and size. The

main aural dimensions are volume and pitch. The main tactile dimensions are softness,

temperature, and smoothness. And the main olfactory dimensions are freshness and scent (p.51).

In order to improve you store’s atmosphere here are my suggestions:

 Pleasant and fresh fragrance. Not too strong but not too subtle either.
  Upbeat music. Not too loud so that customers can carry on conversations without

having to raise their voices, but also not too soft to where customers cannot hear

the music.

 Bright, well-lit store with plenty of space to move around.

 Mild store temperature, not too hot or too cold. Customers and employees should

feel comfortable.

Conclusion

In conclusion, we have learned several things from my consulting report. First, we

learned that branding is more than just an object it is a communicative practice. We also learned

that branding and communicative labor go hand in hand. Another thing we learned is that people

and communication are the most important factors for in-store shopping.

Online shopping has, and will continue to be, a very popular form of shopping. There is

no way around the convenience factor of online shopping, unless retail stores were open 24/7.

Companies that wish to stay afloat during a time of multiple brick and mortar stores closing need

to use branding and communicative labor to their advantage. The main thing that separates

shopping in-store from shopping online is the people. If the people make the shopping

experience unpleasant, there is no reason for the customer to return to the store.

For the future, retail workers and customer service employees need to have

communication training. The training process for the store I work for is very short. They

consider learning from experience over time to be part of the training. While learning from

experience is important, employees need to be set up with the communication skills before being
thrown onto the sales floor. Had I not already had a background in communication studies, I may

not have been as successful at my current retail position. For me it comes naturally, but for

others it is not so easy.

Overall, I believe that brick and mortar stores will continue to suffer if they do not put

communication at the forefront of their business models. Technology will continue to grow and

advance and retail must continue to advance as well. Let’s put people first again. In the future, I

would like more research to be done on how gender specifically plays a role in shopping

motivation and experience. I would also like to see ways in which online technology can be

implemented in brick and mortar stores.

So before you go online for a little retail therapy, try visiting a store instead. Take the

time to take in the store atmosphere, try things on, and connect with the sales associates. And

sales associates give customers the type of experience you would want to have yourself.
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