The Science Of Shopping

Have you ever been so absorbed in a book that you just couldn't put it down? And have you ever kept interrupting your partner saying "Listen to this" and read out aloud yet another extract (till they leave the room or the bed and go elsewhere for some peace)? Well I'm guilty of that and it's not the latest John Grisham thriller or a fact more exciting than fiction Jeffrey Archer story. It's 'Why We Buy. The Science Of Shopping' by Paco Underhill founder of retail research company Envirosell. A man until recently unknown to me but not to McDonald's, Starbucks, Estee Lauder, Wal-Mart and Blockbuster Video to name just a few. I can't believe that I was foolish enough to let this book sit on my bookshelf for over three months before I picked it up. It is so good. So enlightening. So filled with facts and actual results from studies conducted in almost every type of retail store or related service business you can think of. Some of these businesses must have paid tens of thousands of dollars for this research. Probably more, and here I am in possession of all the facts and inferences for under $50. My copy is now so covered in highlighter pen marks that it looks more like a child's colouring in book. But let me peer through the rainbow of colours and give you a taste of what I mean. Time In Store "The amount of time a shopper spends in a store (excluding waiting in line) is perhaps the single most important factor in determining how much they will buy. In an electronics store we studied, non-buyers spent 5 minutes 6 seconds in the store compared to 9 minutes 29 seconds for buyers. In a toy store buyers spent over 17 minutes compared to 10 minutes for non-buyers....The majority of advice we give to retailers involves ways of getting shoppers to shop longer. But you've got to know how long people spend shopping your store or your product before you can increase it." Interception Rate "The interception rate means the percentage of customers who have some contact with an employee....All our research shows this direct relationship: The more shopper employee contact that takes place, the greater the average sale." Dressing Rooms "When a man takes clothing into a dressing room, the only thing that stops him from buying is if it doesn't fit. Women, on the other hand, try things on as only part of the consideration process, and garments that fit just fine may still be rejected on other grounds. In one study, we found that 65% of male shoppers who tried something on bought it, as opposed to 25% of female shoppers." Price Tags "Eighty six per cent of women look at price tags when they are shopping. Only 72% of men do. For a man, ignoring a price tag is almost a measure of his virility. As a result, men are far more easily upgraded than are women shoppers" What Women Want Forget Mel Gibson, according to Paco Underhill, for many women there are psychological and emotional aspects to shopping that are just plain absent in most men. The searching, examining, questioning and acquiring the best of what they see. "At that exalted level shopping is a transforming experience, a method of becoming a newer, perhaps slightly improved person. The products you buy turn you into that other, idealized version of yourself: That dress makes you beautiful, this lipstick makes you more kissable, that lamp turns your house into an elegant showpiece" Men And Shopping "Men always move faster than women through a store's aisles. Men spend less time looking. In many settings it's hard to get them to look at anything they hadn't intended to buy. They usually don't like asking where things are (they shop like they drive). If a man can't find what he is looking for, he'll wheel around about once or twice, then give up and leave the store without asking for help." With this one fact alone, just think of how often men spin around and walk out of that largely female domain, the pharmacy. The implications are enormous. Reading Information While on the subject of pharmacies, here is a final example for you with relevance to all forms of retail. "We've studied many drugstore (pharmacy) health and beauty departments and the result is always the same - women like to study products before they buy, especially if the product is new on the market. In one study, we saw that 91% of all buyers read the front of package, 42% read the back and 8% read the sides. Sixty three per cent of women who bought something read at least one product package. Reading takes time and time requires space....but if women don't feel comfortable, they won't pause for two seconds....Retailers should walk every foot of selling space asking this question: Can I stand here and shop without being jostled from behind ( or feeling I'm in someone's way)?" Get into your store and have a look and please buy and act on the book. It's invaluable.