The Psychology of Shopping and Retail Display Fixtures

People like to shop. This fact could then be used as a strategy for retailers to gain as much revenue as they can. By utilizing efficient retail display fixtures, you, as a retailer shall be able to put this strategy into action.

According to a research by Leonard Lee and Dan Ariely of the MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), consumers don’t really have their goals pre-determined; these are only concretized as soon as they have wandered through the supermarket’s aisles.

This is wonderful news to retailers then. This demonstrates that consumers can be enticed into buying something as soon as they enter a store. But such a process is too delicate to be left to fate alone – you as a business owner must do something. Here’s a couple of suggestions:

1. Provide customers with a great mix of limited options.

Shopping rules suggest that it’s important to check out all your alternatives first before deciding which one to purchase. A study related to the one discussed above was conducted at the Northwestern University and the researchers have found out the following:

a. consumers want to have as many options as possible
b. customers want to be able to decide what to buy as easily as possible

These two things should be carried out in the same process. Of course, as a business owner, you love to provide your customers with as many alternatives as possible. But more than that, you want to convert purchases out of a shopper’s browsing around. So what do you prioritize?

Utilize retail display fixtures (such as slatwall racks) so you can keep your shoppers’ interest in one “setting.” These racks can efficiently display your products and make your customers’ browsing experience easier. Shoppers do not need to walk from one point to another just to have a glimpse of their choices.

These slatwall racks are not that big, so the choice of products that it can display are in a way, limited. This simplifies the whole “shopping decision-making” process and this makes the purchase more possible.

2. Make an easy-to-navigate retail display system.

A smooth shopping experience is what customers want. The need to plan your display system then becomes apparent. Make sure that the consumers have enough space to walk on – that there is enough space for them to go around the area.

Make use of retail display fixtures like magazine racks, glass display cases and counter top displays. And locate them strategically. If possible, create a story out of the arrangement of your displays. This is especially helpful to your customers – shopping is then “full of directions.” For a customer, there is probably nothing worse than “being lost” in the display area.

By applying these methods into your display system, you are able to target the mind of your consumers. In a subtle way, you are able to entice them into making a purchase. Bear in mind, shopping isn’t truly a matter of pure numbers, but of volatile sentiments. Therefore, there’s no better way in driving your revenues to the sky than by playing with those sentiments and using efficient retail display fixtures.

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