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Big Box Retailers Try To Speed Customers

The Wall Street Journal (subscription required), Wednesday, June 27, 2007 12:33 PM

Wal-Mart and many of its big-box brethren--from Home Depot to Best Buy--are attempting to make their premises less overwhelming for shoppers. Their tools range from brighter light bulbs for quicker comparison-shopping to personal assistants catering to customers' whims. And they are determined to eliminate lengthy checkouts -- perhaps the biggest turnoff for harried customers.

Among the changes at Wal-Mart: better signs to help shoppers find merchandise, more convenient placement of hot-selling items and staffing changes to speed up checkout times.

In a pilot program, electronics retailer Best Buy is employing "personal shopping assistants" in 60 stores who are knowledgeable about all merchandise in the store. Their job is to individually serve time-starved customers making complicated purchases. They wear button-down shirts to set them apart from regular salespeople.

Read the whole story at The Wall Street Journal (subscription required) »

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