ABSTRACT
Marketing theory suggests that the needs of the customer should be the trigger for a retail buying decision. However, in reality consumers in developed countries are motivated by wants and aspirations rather than physical need (Maslow 1970) and so shopping motivations include many psychologically based individual and social needs other than the basic necessity of product retrieval. A shopping trip may present the opportunity for a day out, a relief from boredom, or an opportunity to find out about new trends with a group of friends (Tauber 1972). Selecting the right product requires an understanding of the complexity of the modern shopper and an ability to blend product detail in a way that satisfies both the physical and the psychological needs of that shopper. This must be carried out within the context of the retailer’s positioning strategy, referred to in chapter one.
