A carpet brand shattered the industry belief that sales are driven by price and practicality. By understanding their core customer (women) was driven by color, they designed a display mimicking a cosmetics counter, focusing on emotion and aesthetics. This single change, with no other variables, increased sales by 350% in six weeks.
The brain misattributes the cognitive effort of reading with the perceived physical effort of a task. In a study, when exercise instructions were written in a complex font, participants estimated the routine would take over 15 minutes. When the exact same instructions were in a simple font, the estimate dropped to just 8 minutes.
Shoppers often approach indulgent categories with "healthy goggles," initially seeking better-for-you items. By leading with low-fat or healthy options at the front of an aisle, retailers can increase engagement and foot traffic. Once in the aisle, a significant number of these shoppers then "trade up" to the full-fat versions they originally planned to avoid.
With 90% of people being right-handed, brands can leverage a cognitive bias by orienting interactive elements to the right. This makes it easier for the brain to mentally simulate using the product. Studies showed moving a spoon to the right of a yogurt bowl increased purchase intent by 20%, while moving a wine glass to the right of a bottle boosted sales by 32%.
Auditory priming can profoundly influence purchasing decisions without the customer's awareness. A classic study found that playing French accordion music resulted in French wine comprising 77% of sales. When German music was played, German wine made up 73% of sales. When questioned, shoppers had no idea the music had influenced their choice.
A standard 'Was/Now' price tag leverages multiple psychological principles. To maximize impact, brands should use high-contrast colors (red/white), place the higher 'was' price physically above the 'now' price, shrink the 'now' currency symbol, and use emotive System 1 words like 'Save' instead of calculation-based offers like '2 for 3'.