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Excuse me, their* interests

Not sure how I feel about this. Also not sure how it works. If it is based off of what they use to track terrorists, how have they configured it to work for consumers. Even after reading the article, I still feel like they didn't explain it very well.

Quiet intimidating to see how much we are getting observed by big companies, using the same techniques as the NASA. In Germany we also have had a big debate about it for years already but there is no progress. I think we unfortunately have to accept that the spying techniques are one bad consequence of the internet and be aware, while using it.

To piggyback off Megan, I also find this very interesting because about three weeks ago, something very similar happened with my friends and I in Chicago. We spent the entire day downtown and spent our money on the train ride, taxis, food, and a Ferris Wheel ride instead of purchasing items on Michigan Ave. I think all of us would agree that going to Navy Pier, touring Trump Tower, riding the Ferris Wheel, taking pictures at the bean, etc. made that "overall experience" more than buying "stuff." Also, I think DIY projects are becoming more and more popular. For example, before coming to school, I went into a little boutique close to home and found a few things I liked, but instead of buying them there, I purchased the supplies needed to make them myself. Though they did not look exactly like they had in the store, they were much less expensive and more special to me. So overall, I think people are starting to craft and do more DIY projects instead of buying items at a store.

This was very interesting to read about because it is so true. There are a ton of people, my friends included, that prefer to online shop than buy things in a store. I am more of an in-store shopper; however, I do shop online occasionally. The most interesting part of the article to me was about whether or not our generation was becoming more or less "material-focused." While we do tend to be buying more online, I think this generation is just as material, if not more, than any other. Because we have the option to buy online, it gives us easier access to purchasing items: not only can we buy in-store, but we can also buy online. This, in my opinion, give us the a greater chance of materiality.

I think the topic that this article is centered around is really easy for our generation to relate to, especially for me. I can't tell you how many times I go to H&M, Nordstrom, or any other retail store just to "check out what they have." I would say there's an even 50/50 chance that I will walk out with something or not. I think the most true idea in Peterson's article is "almost anything they [millennials] want can be found and bought online, when and where they want it." I think this is so true of this generation because if we can't find something we want online, that item that we wanted is pretty much scrapped because we cannot look at it from our own homes. Making everything as most convenient as possible for consumers, in my opinion, is the the primary goals for retail stores and this article definitely discusses that aspect.

I agree with Megan and Sarah. Last semester in Prof King's class we discussed JCPenny's plan to become more of an "experience" for shoppers. I am not quite sure if JCPenny was able to execute this plan, but it seems as though it would work for millennials. Even the History of US Retailing predicts that "specialty operations that bring selection and a high- quality customer service and shopping experience" will survive and prosper. Megan and Sarah went for the enjoyment of friends and the city. That is exactly what our generation and millennials want. What we want is an experience, to be a part of something. I think that if retailers understand how to do this then they will have more customers. On top of this, the article says that the millennials are becoming more "frugal" therefore retailers need to make more of an effort to prove that a store is worth a millennial's money. Just a quick thought - don't know if any clothing companies do this or not (probably) but if an online store let a customer create a lookalike avatar - same height, weight, ect. Now the online shopper can dress themselves on the computer (kind of creepy to think about but hey! An experience nonetheless). I think ideas like that which add an experience would spark millennials' interest.