All freestanding Sears, Target, Wal-Mart and, Costco stores look pretty much like others with the same brand name. The architects have one or two basic plans and only modify them based on the location and slope of the lot and the access roads or the square footage of the store. The same can be said of most franchised fast-food restaurants. There’s no mistaking a McDonalds or a Subway for a locally owned and operated independent restaurant.

There’s an advantage to having look-alike stores when your prime customer knows exactly what he/she is looking for and the transactions don’t involve relationship marketing. In the fast-food restaurants, nothing is left to chance including the intentionally uncomfortable seats and unpleasant color combinations. (Eat. Don’t get too comfortable. Get out.)---------            -------------------------------------read article-