Consumer Behavior- My H&M Experience

For my second consumer behavior post I knew I had to talk about my shopping experience in H&M. When I first told my wife that I would be going to Europe for a month without her she was very happy for me and "suggested" I bring her back some clothes. I spent time in a variety of different shops, but I quickly realized the clothing was very expensive. The one place I found that was moderately priced was H&M. I spent probably three or four hours total shopping for my wife and I found some really nice things. The clothing was very European and very fashionable. There were lots of ruffles, lace, and flowers with every item. I was relieved to not see the American Eagle type of clothing we are so use to here in the United States. Another difference I noticed was the lack of customer service due to lots of customers. I never once was approached while shopping in H&M by an employee. In the United States, retail employees get commission on sales they induce, but I doubt that happens with H&M employees based on my observations. The store layout had similarities and differences compared to stores in the United States. The store was divided into sections, but the men's section in Europe seemed to have a greater selection and was targeted towards a slimmer body type. The women's sizes were also not comparable to the United States, even though they put the United States size on the shirt. When I was picking out a shirt for my wife, I had to buy two sizes bigger than normal. Checking out was very difficult in Europe. The lines were very long and busy, but worth the wait for the price H&M offered. I was able to get some nice things for my wife, which she loved by the way, and we will probably shop on H&M online in the future because of the style, shape, and price of their clothes.