A classic study found placing beer next to diapers boosted sales of both by targeting men on a specific chore. This 'mission-based' merchandising is more effective than rigid category management (e.g., all drinks together), but internal store politics and siloed departments often prevent these shopper-friendly groupings.
Related Insights
In a study, subtle gray tape lines on a gray carpet—consciously unnoticed by shoppers—steered 18% of them into a target aisle, up from just 4% before. This shows that retailers can use almost invisible environmental cues to powerfully manipulate shopper behavior and store pathing without their awareness.
Complex fields like shopper psychology, which often seem instinctive and chaotic, can be decoded and applied effectively by using a structured framework. This approach transforms vague feelings into concrete, understandable principles for analysis and action, removing guesswork from understanding consumer behavior.
Sephora combats intense competition by applying a "game of inches" philosophy to its physical retail space. Every section, from teen-focused fragrance displays to strategically placed checkout-line minis, is optimized to sell. This meticulous space utilization creates a highly profitable, frictionless customer experience without any "wasted" space.
When troubleshooting variable retail sell-through, the first step isn't to speculate on solutions. Instead, gather raw data by having fans send photos of in-store product placements from various locations. This information-first approach prevents premature and potentially flawed strategy decisions.
Evolutionary roles shaped vision differently. Men developed narrow, focused 'foveal' vision for hunting, making them miss items in their periphery. Women developed wider 'peripheral' vision for gathering, causing them to see more options and temptations. This explains common frustrations in the supermarket aisle.
Instead of treating all channels equally, identify which customer segments (e.g., brand advertisers) are best served by which channels (e.g., TV screens). Shifting demand accordingly can unlock massive growth by optimizing the entire portfolio and increasing customer ROI.
While visually arresting, displays like perfect pyramids of beer cans can paradoxically hurt initial sales. Research shows that the first shoppers are often reluctant to take a product because they don't want to be the one to mess up the perfect arrangement. This highlights a critical balance between attention-grabbing design and approachability.
The principles influencing shoppers are not limited to retail; they are universal behavioral nudges. These same tactics are applied in diverse fields like public health (default organ donation), finance (apps gamifying saving), and even urban planning (painting eyes on bins to reduce littering), proving their broad applicability to human behavior.
Despite declining wine consumption among young people, Beatbox thrived by changing its product's positioning. It targeted beer's use cases—concerts, gas stations, casual settings—rather than competing with traditional wines. This proves that smart positioning can overcome negative category trends.
An insight that men bought carpets based on durability was wrong. Women were the primary buyers, and their top criterion was color. By redesigning the retail space to emulate a makeup counter—with softer lighting, curves, and lifestyle imagery—sales skyrocketed 350% in six weeks.