the brains behind your shopping expedition?
Over the Christmas break, Sandlines spent some time reading – and one article in particular (from The Economist) keeps coming back to haunt. It’s all about the science of shopping, and suggests that retailers probably know more about what we’re doing inside their stores as we do. And they’re using that information to get us spending more.
Ever wondered why they keep shifting your regular purchases around at your local supermarket? Or putting the most popular items deep in the store? It’s all about getting us to spend more time in the store… and, it seems, it really does result in fuller shopping baskets.
For me, with my internet focus, this again re-inforces my view that, while we expect retailers to study our browsing patterns online and use that data to sell to us more intelligently, their physical outlets probably know even more – with consumers comparatively unsuspecting.
There are lessons to be learnt here!
| 3.2 |
I think Amazon have taken a leaf out of ofline marketers.
Amazon was once primarily a bookseller, and it is mostly what I use it for. However, visiting the home page (whilst I am logged in), I see promotions for thermal shirts, mp3 downloads, speakers, headphones, dvds, trainers (!) – I have to scroll down before I get to books, despite the fact that most of my purchases have in fact been books. In other words, Amazon have moved my regular purchases, and put popular items deeper in the store.
So perhaps at least some large etailers ARE learning the lessons.
RE offline business – for a more tongue in cheek (yet accurate) take: http://www.cracked.com/article_16931_dickonomics-how-5-everyday-businesses-trick-you.html – check out number 4 in particular.