Shoptimism: Why the American Consumer Will Keep on Buying No Matter What,   ISBN:9780743296250

Customer Rating: 

In the era of hyper-focused, niche marketed business texts, it's refreshing to read a book like Shoptimism which provides insight that benefits a number of different readerships, particularly those on the Sell Side (the sellers of goods and their cadres of marketers, consultants and other consumer-enablers) and those on the Buy Side (consumers in their various iterations). Aspiring retailers, salesfolk looking to better understand their constituencies, consumer psychologists and wannabe Mad Men (or Mad Women) will all benefit from the book's "Consumerism 101" stroll through the mind of the American consumer and the entities that may be pressing the buttons that spin the wheels inside that mind. Individuals who want a better understanding of why they buy and what forces may be motivating that decision-making process (or perhaps to self-diagnose an alarming lack of such process) will also be well served by this book. The author's use of personal anecdotes, whether it be a recounting of his brief tenure as a Target floorwalker, a trip to the dressing room with his wife or his observations regarding his teenage son's quest for an elusive pair of Japanese sneakers, brings some real-world perspective to a subject that many consumers take for granted or spend little time analyzing. His "come along with me" perspective when delving into the nerve center of retail anthropologist/consultant Paco Underhill or exploring the seamy underbelly of the knockoff trade is effective and informative without dipping into the realm of sensationalistic "investigative journalism." Eisenberg's conversational writing style avoids the didactic but never veers into glibness. This particular writing style - peer to peer if you will - has long been his hallmark dating back to his days as a writer for and later editor in chief of Esquire magazine. This voice works very well in addressing a subject like American consumerism where I submit we could all use a bit more education. The recently-departed Sy Syms was right -- an educated consumer IS the best customer. This book will certainly move consumers closer to that status.

Customer Rating: 

I've been dipping into this book on my Kindle whenever I have a few minutes, with a few longer sessions including one where I went back and highlighted here and there to try to latch onto some ideas I might remember after I finish the book. I've enjoyed the experience, similar to my enjoyment of magazine articles on the plane or while waiting at the doctor's office, which I guess reflects the author's background as a magazine editor. It's interesting and entertaining and there are some little gems scattered around, like the comment that Target's extensive training program for its workers doesn't include a single bit of product knowledge. I don't like to quibble about the lack of substance; if it had more substance and less slickness I might very well have quit reading and moved on to something more fun. I'm a little over halfway through, maybe there's some insight waiting for me in the last chapters. (Like I said, I'm reading on the Kindle, so haven't flipped ahead.)