Lesson in retail
The high street, bricks and mortar retailers and supermarkets have literally written the book on UX and conversion rates long before today’s digital marketers were born. The bricks and mortar retail industry have conducted research with some of the world’s leading Neuroscientists and Academics into the Science of Visual Merchandising and produced the ultimate handbook for retail success.
But we rarely make reference to physical stores, as digital marketers, unless it’s to point out why we’re so much better at selling online.
Popping out for a pint of milk
Who has ever popped out for a pint of milk and come home with a bag full of shopping you didn’t need and didn’t go for? Sound familiar?
Perhaps you needed one frozen pizza, but ended up buying two on offer?
And of course, everyone has asked mum for some sweets at the till.
None of the above will raise any eyebrows as it’s all perfectly commonplace. So commonplace that it seems almost too obvious to mention. Statistically, there is no data to quantify how many people go in for one thing and come out with more, so I would ask you to choose your own percentage on those events.
Have you chosen a percentage? What was it? 50% or higher?
Now imagine if we applied the same success rates to ecommerce or any aspect of digital marketing? The retail industry tricks that we all take for granted and at the same time, we all think we know better.
Just because it’s digital, doesn’t mean it’s different
According to the Author Michael Levy ( Retailing Management) the retail mix can be defined as “the combination of factors used by a retailer to satisfy customer needs and influence their purchase decisions”
The retail mix includes the following factors:
- The merchandise and services that a retailer offers
- The merchandise price
- The activity and promotional activity
- The design and layout of the stores
- The visual merchandising
Visual merchandising is the main area in which bricks and mortar retailers win hands down. So this is one we will look at in a little more detail.
The psychology of visual merchandising
Levy defined the top tips for retailing from a psychological perspective as the following points:
Sign Posts
Shoppers like simple signs they can scan — both in store and on landing pages. They don’t want to read text. In store, they like simple one word guidance signposts to help they know what they can expect around the next corner. It’s the same online. Shoppers are lazy so we need to get better at making it easier for them to navigate online stores.
Display images to the left
Retailers in store have long known that images need to have a left hand orientation with text on the right. Right handed images with left hand text take far more effort to read and are more likely to be ignored. Most product pages are laid out in this way, but has the same thought been given to the rest of the site? In this example, the retailer B&Q ditch what they know to be true instore and switch the orientation to a right handed text image.
If we read the top in store tips, we know this should be an image with the insulation in place (ie, a loft) and the text and image switched from left to right.
Visual interruption in the aisles
Besides the rounded display units at the end of aisles which tempt you around the next corner, next time you’re in store, look for the visual interruption mid aisle – sometimes this is lighting or a change in flooring. It’s usually something which is shiny or stands out and keeps you interested and walking forwards. The proverbial carrot on a stick.
Show the consumption of goods
Imagery which clearly shows the consumption and use of the goods increases the likelihood of action. Someone eating or drinking in the food aisle is likely to prompt purchases, whereas imagery with sports clothing being used in an action shot is likely to increase the conversion.
How often do we look at action shots on product pages as online retailers? We like to imagine ourselves in the same scenario, so help your customers recognise themselves in the product.
Tactile decisions
Shoppers also like to feel. They like to have something soft at eye level to touch & feel. The purpose of touch is to enhance their perception of value. However it has been shown that wood displays can also give the perception of expensive and can be off putting to some shoppers.
How do we influence tactical decisions in ecommerce and translate the meaning of quality online?
Cross Merchandising
In store you can expect to find related products nearby – light bulbs in the lighting section, shoe wax in the footwear department. It’s funny to think we just expect this in store, but we don’t online.
We arrange product categories as well as we can but how often do we give the shopper a big sign pointing around the next corner, with a sparkly light display mid way and something furry to feel at the end?!
There are obvious limitations, and the Tactile Decisions element needs some more thought, but today’s digital marketers could take some time to look at the real experts and use some pointers to help improve performance.
The research has already been done for us and while we’ve read the first few pages, I think the smart digital retailer will read the whole book.
This is purely a piece to provoke thought. We’d love to know your opinions on genius moves you’ve seen in store and how we can apply more expertise from the high street to the digital world.
