Shocking Shopping
Book Review: Siemon Scamell-Katz, "The Art of Shopping: How we shop and why we buy", LID Publishing, 2012. The title of this book is somewhat misleading, as it might lead one to think that the book is about how to shop -- until one reads the subtitle and blurb on the back cover. The book is actually about the world of shopper research agencies and the methodologies they use to help retailers sell more. As someone who works in marketing, I find this a relevant and interesting topic, but I also think that people who normally care little about business can find some useful nuggets in The Art of Shopping . After all, "everybody is a shopper", as the back cover reads. That said, I have mixed feelings about this book. On the positive side, the book is an easy read both because of its length (under 200 pages) and its clear language. It is also occasionally funny, for example when the author Siemon Scamell-Katz writes "nobody has ever adequately explained to me...