Comments on: Designing Sustainable Retail Environments http://www.melodiesinmarketing.com/2009/06/25/design-sustainable-retail-environments-study/ Ethical and Delightful Design for Communications, Products, and Services Tue, 11 Oct 2011 04:07:50 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Mario Vellandi http://www.melodiesinmarketing.com/2009/06/25/design-sustainable-retail-environments-study/comment-page-1/#comment-21334 Mario Vellandi Thu, 25 Jun 2009 18:12:35 +0000 http://www.melodiesinmarketing.com/?p=1720#comment-21334 Well said Allen. We definitely do need to consider workers in any systemic model, otherwise we might build an underlying problem which may not be visible. Secondly, could there be design solutions that improve working/shopping conditions for both parties? Are there processes where the employees are currently overburdened by a convenience service to shoppers, which is really only of slight benefit to shoppers? From this larger perspective, we're thus seeing Fair Trade in the local, community sense - a social responsibility sense. Can employee care be a brand asset for retailers? It already is for some. Consider the fact that no matter what the company, employees talk about their work. Sometimes positive, sometimes negative. At times it's related to people, others it's related to company policy. If employees are happy or passionate about their retail employer, they will tell others about it. On a macro scale, that can make a difference - as I'm sure we can all imagine. Well said Allen. We definitely do need to consider workers in any systemic model, otherwise we might build an underlying problem which may not be visible. Secondly, could there be design solutions that improve working/shopping conditions for both parties? Are there processes where the employees are currently overburdened by a convenience service to shoppers, which is really only of slight benefit to shoppers?

From this larger perspective, we’re thus seeing Fair Trade in the local, community sense – a social responsibility sense. Can employee care be a brand asset for retailers? It already is for some.
Consider the fact that no matter what the company, employees talk about their work. Sometimes positive, sometimes negative. At times it’s related to people, others it’s related to company policy. If employees are happy or passionate about their retail employer, they will tell others about it. On a macro scale, that can make a difference – as I’m sure we can all imagine.

]]> By: Allen Price http://www.melodiesinmarketing.com/2009/06/25/design-sustainable-retail-environments-study/comment-page-1/#comment-21332 Allen Price Thu, 25 Jun 2009 17:53:44 +0000 http://www.melodiesinmarketing.com/?p=1720#comment-21332 Great ideas; as a shopper, I would really appreciate being in an environment like the one you describe. But if we want to "put people first" we also need to address the retail workers who spend far more time in the retail environment than we do as customers. They are often required to stand or walk for their entire shift; floors that add to the "look and feel" of the storefront can be hard on the body after 4 or 5 hours. A big part of sustainability is thinking in terms of whole systems and I'd love to see the folks who design retail spaces (and all work places, really) think about all facets of their use. Great ideas; as a shopper, I would really appreciate being in an environment like the one you describe. But if we want to “put people first” we also need to address the retail workers who spend far more time in the retail environment than we do as customers. They are often required to stand or walk for their entire shift; floors that add to the “look and feel” of the storefront can be hard on the body after 4 or 5 hours. A big part of sustainability is thinking in terms of whole systems and I’d love to see the folks who design retail spaces (and all work places, really) think about all facets of their use.

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