TELL 'EM WHERE TO GO

   I cannot resist referring to Herb Sorenson again.  If you want to understand the science of shopping, there’s no better place to start.  In his books and his blogs, Herb shows where so many retailers and consumer packaged goods companies go astray.  Common sense isn’t so common.

   In this 2010 blog post, Herb points out that shoppers want to know what to buy.  They want to be told where to go!  Think of it: the average shopper enters a store seeking three-to-seven items.  They may be attracted to the store by the massive array of products – maybe 20,000 up to 100,000 items – but must then try to find the needles they want in the retail haystack.  ATTRACTING is very different from SELLING. 

   Great store design helps people quickly find and buy what they want with a minimum of hassle.  Frankly, common wisdom among retailers runs counter to this idea.  Instead, they look for ways to keep shoppers in their stores longer.  The most successful retailers today, e.g., Costco, Trader Joe’s, Aldi, understand how the science of shopping works. 

   Tusco Display does, too.  As display and fixture producers, we advise our clients on how to put these same lessons to work as we encourage CPGs and retailers to think about ITEM management more than CATEGORY management.  When we all help shoppers spend their money faster, everybody – marketer, retailer, shopper and consumer – benefits.