A shopper’s paradise

Nov 22 2007 by Laura Davis, Liverpool Daily Post

WHILE you may not have her personal stylists, bag carriers or purchasing power, it’s very likely that you unknowingly copy Victoria Beckham’s shopping habits.

For Liverpool women are more likely to show Posh’s traits while hitting the stores than those of any other celebrity.

This is according to research by the team behind the new Liverpool One development that’s taking shape in the city centre ready to open next year.

They identified three common types of shoppers in Merseyside – the “trendspotters” like the LA Spice Girl and Steven Gerrard’s wife Alex Curran; the “older, wiser, cooler” group, whose habits emulate classic women such as Twiggy and Joanna Lumley; and finally the “urban aspirants”, reminiscent of Hollyoaks’ character Sarah Barnes.

Furthermore, the study concluded that all three groups can be described as “social shoppers”, those who view a day poking around boutiques and department stores as an experience to be savoured and usually shared with friends.

The flipside is the “mission shopper”, a much rarer species in Liverpool, who zone in on their target, very likely identified from the pages of fashion magazines before they have left the house.

Joanne Jennings, Liverpool One’s chief executive, says the research will help the new shopping district target its customers.

“Liverpool One is being created for local people based on what shoppers have told us they want from a new shopping destination. We’ve listened carefully to what they had to say, as it’s vitally important for us to understand the psychology of Liverpool shoppers to help us deliver the best shopping experience possible,” she says.

“Social shoppers, who told us they like to make a day of shopping, will be able to enjoy regular breaks at the many cafes and restaurants coming to Liverpool One.

“Mission shoppers told us they need shopping areas to be easy to navigate. Hence, we plan to create distinct areas and good signage within Liverpool One so they can find what they’re looking for as quickly as possible.”

When asked what makes the perfect shopping destination, almost 60% of local people revealed their ideal trip needs to be somewhere that is easy to walk around, and more than 80% of those questioned wanted a mix of designer names and High Street stores.

Liverpool shoppers also revealed that good cafés for regular breaks form an essential part of any shopping trip.

lauradavis