Step Into The Mind Of A Retail Shopper To Improve Your Business
23 Oct 2017
When you own a retail store, it's all about customer service and feedback which can be studied
. But it's not exactly like you can step into the shoes of those who come into your store, and detect what they do and don’t like. Or can you? Well, this aspect of researching how consumers interact with your business is all about the psychological pathways and reactions to the environment. Whether you own a boutique food store or personal fashion line shop, the visual importance of the store is incredibly powerful. By trying to imagine what it would be like for one of your customers entering the store, you have to separate yourself from your own business. This is hard to do as it's your dream and being self-critical for many is akin to be doubtful of yourself. But there are a few techniques and tests you can do, to see how you could hook in customers to not just browse, but buy more often.
How are they greeted
Entering into a store is not something that we think about often, as we’re just trying to get to the product we have already picked out in our minds. But, think about it, what is the first thing you see or should see? The vastness of the store will hit you and so will the plethora of products are lined up on their shelves. If a customer is lost, they will automatically look up. Hanging from the ceiling should be signs, symbols and informative pathways which tell consumers what is in that particular part of the store. You can test people’s reactions by looking at something like
https://explorerresearch.com/shopper-lab/
. Here you can track their eye movement, see how they react to different prices and products and the level they are at, such as eye or knee level. Although it is a simulated shopping experience, you’re stepping into the mind of a consumer that is processing your retail store in all forms.
Family and friends
It's going to be awkward, but no one else with you a more raw and unfiltered opinion of your retail business, than your closest friends and family members. Convince them to go into your store or perhaps don’t even tell them that this is your business, and
about their experience. Give them a list of questions, and as they enter the store, they will go through them, one by one expressing what they’re thinking and feeling. Everything from the most important products to them and how long it takes to find them, to items that are positioned strategically to tempt them into buying something that they either weren’t thinking of or would otherwise not be interested in. With different tastes and ways of shopping, getting an honest opinion can show you different mentalities when it comes to going into a retail store, and making purchases. By stepping into the mind of retail shoppers, you can curve and style your business to fit the majority and give them a
. By understanding what is the most important thing, and how welcoming your store is, you stand a better chance of converting curiosity into a sell.
