Research has suggested that when it comes to making a purchase, the largest part of the decision making process occurs in- store. Especially in the case of customers buying smaller commodities, they might walk into a supermarket with the view to just picking up a newspaper, it is then the skill of field marketing and sales staff to entice the customer with more wares and suddenly the customer finds himself walking out of the shop with an arm full of products they never realised they wanted.
This is one of the most vital points of sales in stores, for example clothes shops are regularly subject to ‘browsing’ consumers who just pop in for a look, to encourage them to make the extra leap into actually buying is a valuable skill.
In store selling has two main factors; the approaches of sales staff and the attractiveness off product displays.
Even without the staff directly trying to coerce customers into buying, their behaviour can dramatically impact sales. In many cases customers can feel put upon and hassled by the approaches of sales staff, many members of public appreciate the feeling of anonymity and being left to their own devices can give them the freedom to buy whatever they like without worrying about anybody breathing over their shoulders. A general friendliness of staff however does make a big difference. Field marketing research has found that sales are likely to increase if a customer is offered a basket and welcomed as they enter the store, the most basic polite courtesies and a smile, without the pressure of them trying to sell, very simply cheers people up, and happier customers are more relaxed and inclined to buy.
Positive and amiable staff also serve the purpose for generating future sales. For many retail businesses ensuring customers return again is extremely important. Therefore a shop full of grumpy, uncommunicative staff will give it a negative image, for example a clothes retailer may have the most loveable and expert staff on the floor giving styles advice and encouraging customers to buy, but if they then meet someone rude on the till it could ruin the whole experience for the customer. So even though the outlet has made a sale, that customer will not return and they will make no further sales.
Product displays and layout are also a major draw to customers. The art of product placement has been refined almost to the point of being a science in itself; the positioning of products genuinely encourages people to buy more.
Certain decisions are aesthetic; creating a relaxing environment can relax customers into buying. This is the aim of the boutique that makes shopping a pleasure and relies on style to suit the tastes of their customers. Supermarkets find that placing their fresh fruit sections open and on display appeals to customers immediately, giving them a more positive attitude towards their shopping experience.
So when it comes to retail, it important to plan the customer’s experience out in detail, make sure they have a positive experience and the job of expert field marketing will subtly entice customers to buy more without ever needing to hassle the.
