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THE SIGNAGE FOUNDATION |
Germantown, TN Study
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Appendix:
Market Development Associates
Sign Study Summary Report
North American Signs and Pier 1 Imports commissioned Market Development Associates to conduct an in store survey at the Germantown, TN Pier 1 Import location to determine the opinions of the Pier 1 customers on the subject of public safety and signs. In particular, the study was to test reactions to a proposed additional outside sign on the west side of the Pier 1 Imports store.
Market Development Associates, a full service market research firm in Memphis since 1981, was selected to conduct the study to insure nonpartiality in the questionnaire construction and execution.
A questionnaire was constructed by mutual collaboration between North American Signs and Market Development Associates. This questionnaire was tested in the Pier 1 Imports store on Wednesday, September 18 and a couple of refinements were made.
Finally, two hundred interviews were conducted over a three day period, September 20-22, 1991, by three interviewers from Market Development Associates. Shoppers were approached as they were at the cash registers or while they were browsing in the store. Each person approached was asked if they would answer a few questions on public safety and signs, and then were asked about "before and after" photos of the west side of the store (See attached questionnaire).
Only one person from each shopping group was interviewed and attempts were made to interview as wide a cross section as possible. Unsolicited comments given by the respondents were written down by the interviewers if they were relevant to the subject of the additional signage.
There was overwhelming support for the additional sign as seen in the charts [enclosed]. Those few people that found signs "not at all helpful" did not necessarily think that the additional sign would be a clutter and an overall nuisance. Some of the unsolicited comments were more telling than the answers. Among them were:
"It's not an ugly sign and would make a difference."
"More of a benefit so people will not turn at the last minute."
"I just moved here and signs are needed."
"It wouldn't allow me more time because I already know it is there."
"Germantown gets so caught up with how they look."
"You need to have signs in a shopping area, especially for people who are not familiar with the area. We passed by and saw the store earlier and on the way back we wanted to stop and went right by it."
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This study is also downloadable in PDF format here.