In a message dated 5/4/98 5:48:39 PM EST, [log in to unmask] writes:

>
>  > Have you ever read anything about the methodology and the energy that
goes
>  > into making decisions on store layout?

Although I haven't gotten into the full thought process behind department
store layout yet, I have a friend who is a daughter of a supermarket mogul,
who once explained to me that they always placed great smelling things like
freshly baked mufffins (oh, no -- not muffins again . . .!) near the front of
the market so that people would be filled with all sorts of warm and fuzzy
feelings about Mom's home cooking when they entered.  Of course, we all have
heard about the placement wars on the shelves (how DO they decide which brand
name will be stocked at eye level . .?), but the overall placement of
foodstuffs and sundries was carefully calculated for the entire store.
Lighting was also important to product presentation (didn't get into the
details with her on this topic, just that it was important).

Fascinating how our buying urges are manipulated, isn't it?

By the way, Bruce -- if you think of the citations or title for the article
you mentioned, I'd love to have them -- it sounds like a good thing to read.

Mary Krugman