Generation Y Challenges Retailers.

• Position: Targeting young consumers - Brief Article

Retail designers across the country are focusing on the new generation of shoppers variously known as Gen-Y, Netizens, the Baby Boomlet, Clickeratti, and the Wired Generation. Weaned on the Internet, this may be the toughest group of demanding, sophisticated shoppers to arrive on the retail scene since their 1960s parents tuned in, dropped out, and turned off consumerism.

According to Karen Schaffner, publisher of Display & Design Ideas magazine, "Generation Y is a huge market--60,000,000 collectively--and they spend $136,000,000,000 annually. Retailers have to cater to them or else. Store designers are creating environments especially for this enormously powerful consumer group we call `kids.'"

She notes that a number of trendy retailers have designed stores that appeal directly to Gen-Y shoppers. "Delia's, Limited Too, Abercrombie & Fitch, Steve Madden, American Eagle, Borders, Hot Topic, and Best Buy are among those that preteens and teens say are the coolest stores."

Store design that caters to Gen-Y shoppers frequently contains areas for young people to...