Ethnography and the Recession: Part III

Since my previous postings on ethnography and the recession, several people have sent me their own observations. I thought it was worth sharing them here.

Ed Sugar shares two different observations:

“What I have been noticing as I wait at the checkout line at the grocery, more people are fumbling for change to pay and then ask for a sub-total to see if they can afford certain non-essential items. I am not just talking about little old ladies in the express line at Ralph’s, but affluent dressed/looking people at Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s.”

“For the last 6 years, I have been going to a local gym for a mid-afternoon workout, in order to miss the “lunch time workout” crowd. I enjoy having access to all the equipment and working out in facility that is not too crowded. Since mid-January, I have noticed that the gym is now packed between my desired hours.”

Ginelle Mills noted the following in fairly upscale Walnut Creek, CA.

“There was an amazingly long line of people waiting to interview for a job at the new Cheesecake Factory opening up in Walnut Creek. People who did not look like they would normally apply for a job at Cheesecake.”

Chris Yoerger notes:

“I now get in and out of Starbucks for my morning coffee in record time”

And finally, my own recent observation.

“While shopping at Macy’s, I had five different sales associates offer to help me within a 5 minute period. This is the same Macy’s where it used to be impossible to get a sales associate to even acknowledge you.”

What have you noticed?