What Do Shoppers Love?
What do shoppers love? A few important things, we've
learned, such as:
Touch: We live in a tactile-deprived society, and
shopping is one of our few chances to freely experience the material world
firsthand. Almost all unplanned buying is a result of touching, hearing,
smelling or tasting something on the premises of a store-which is why merchandising
is more powerful than marketing.
Mirrors: Stand and watch what happens at any reflective
surface: We preen like chimps, men and women alike. Self-interest is a basic
part of our species. From shopping to cosmetic surgery, we care about how we
look. As we've said, mirrors slow shoppers in their tracks, a very good thing
for whatever merchandise happens to be in the vicinity. But even around
wearable items such as clothing, jewelry and cosmetics, where mirrors are
crucial sales tools, stores fail to provide enough of them.
Discovery: There's
little more satisfying than walking into a store, picking up the (metaphorical)
scent of something we've been hunting for and then tracking it to its lair. Too
much signage and point of purchase display takes all the adventure out of a
shopping trip; stores shouldn't be willfully confusing or obscure, but they
should seduce shoppers through the aisles with suggestions and hints of what's
to come.
Talking: Stores that attract lots of couples, friends
or groups of shoppers usually do very well. If you can create an atmosphere
that fosters discussion of an outfit, say, or a particular cell phone, the
merchandise begins to sell itself.
Recognition: In that old TV show Cheers, the theme song
went, "you want to go where everybody knows your name." This is a
battlefield where the small, locally owned store can still best the national
chains, and smart stores make the most of this advantage. Given a choice,
people will shop where they feel wanted, and they'll even pay a lime more for
the privilege. Even the smallest stores ·can build customer loyalty just by
keeping track of what people buy and giving price breaks when appropriate. Our
studies show that any contact initiated by a store employee-and I mean even a
hello-increases the likelihood that a shopper will buy something. If the
salesperson suggests a few things or offers information, the chances rise even
higher. Of course, shoppers don't love pushy salespeople, so there's a line
here.
Bargains: This
seems obvious, but it goes beyond simply cutting prices. At Victoria's Secret,
for example, underwear is frequently piled on a table and marked five pairs for
$20, which sounds like a much better deal than the $5 a pair normally charged.
