Trip to Guitar Center
- Describe in detail the servisescape. Why did they select this specific layout, color scheme, etc.? What does it convey to the consumer? How does it align with their brand perception?
Earlier this week, me and a few friends visited a local Guitar Center (musical instrument store). Something interesting that I noted was that the store layout was put together in a very thought out and strategic way. As soon as you walked in, there was stage lighting and sound equipment on both sides of you for sale. It wasn’t until you got all the way to the back of the store that you would be in the guitar section. The entire back wall was filled with hanging guitars for sale on a rustic wooden backdrop with lighting that made the guitars look beautiful. The reason that I suspect, and have read, that the guitars are at the back, is to draw traffic through the whole store. If I had to guess, the stage lighting and sound equipment at the front of the store is nowhere near as common of a purchase as the guitars and accessories. By placing the guitars at the back, the store ensures that you must walk past all other products in order to get to the guitars. As far as the well lit rustic wooden wall that the guitars were hanging on, I believe this is to deliver perceived value to potential customers. When put in an elegant and beautiful setting, the guitars naturally have more perceived value and I would imagine that this has a direct correlation to impulse sales at this specific location.
Describe the target market (ie. what segments are being targeted)? How do you know this is the target market? Did the company make good decisions to reach the target market?
The target market for Guitar Center is almost certainly male guitar players. A quick Google search shows that roughly 90% of all guitar players are male. Based on this information, I believe it is fair to assume that this is the targeted market of Guitar Center. This target market of males would account for the rustic look of the guitar wall that has more a masculine and raw look to it. By curating their store layout and design to best suit their target market, They ensure that sales are as high as possible.
Does it work? Why or why not? Any general observations?
I believe that this store layout and design is very effective. Although I didn’t purchase a guitar that day, I do know that the majority of my time was spent in the guitar section. Also, because of the layout, I was forced to walk past the stage lighting section. Just out of curiosity I took a quick look at what there was to see. I most likely never would have looked at the stage lighting if it were not in my walking path, which is exactly what the store owners want.
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