Analyzing the Use of Words in Retail by Lena Y.

Stores use words like "now" and "announcing" in their advertisements to create a sense of urgency in customers. Words are incredibly important in persuading customers both to peruse and buy, and just one word can make or break a sale. Retailers spend hundreds of billions of dollars a year in marketing and product design and statistical analysis, all to make sure that their goods sell. But are they doing this effectively? According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, retail is the business of selling things directly to customers for their own use. It is also one of the largest industries in the world. Two-thirds of the US GDP comes from retail consumption, and in 2014, total retail sales were more than $22 trillion. Goods are constantly changing hands, and with the influence of the internet, stores are becoming increasingly accessible. Now, with the click of a button, customers are able to indulge in instant gratification and further fuel their consumerist tendencies. Retail is a lucrative industry, and every company is constantly innovating and inventing to stay ahead of the game....My hypothesis is that crayons are targeted at children, nail polish are targeted at young women, and paint swatches are targeted at adults middle class or above. To prove this, I will see what the success rate at naming is for each demographic. If children are able to name crayons more effectively than adults, for example, then the crayon company will have succeeded in marketing to children....I plan to use paint swatches from Home Depot and crayons from Crayola...