Traditionally, shopper behaviour research has focussed on identifying shopper types, their behaviours, their preferences, their interactions with products, POS (point of sale) marketing collateral etc. The first of these objectives is as outdated as the idea of mutually exclusive personality types. Psychological thinking has moved on from categorical classifications and now predominantly uses a continuum based system of understanding. For example, anxiety is now not just anxiety or not, one can think of it as an arousal continuum with say rest on one end and extreme panic on the other. How does this apply to shopper types? Well it doesn't directly but indirectly it is critically important.
Associated to this new direction in classifying behaviour is also actually bringing to life the old motto 'theres more than one way to skin a cat--sorry animal lovers!'. This concept over rules the antiquated position that we generally behave in a highly systematic unitary fashion. The concept is called modes.... and again it has been borrowed out of the psychological theory, in particular Dr Jeffrey Young from the scheama institute in New York (just search Dr Young you will find it). Applied to consumer behaviour modes is a type of mindset an individual finds themselve in depending on the category--for example driving a car there are several driving modes we can access depending on where we are going, the context, who is with us etc; if your are exercising or walking again a number of modes we engage in whether its after stressful day, the social network upkeep etc. Specific to shopper behaviour there is often typically 4-6 common shopping modes. Often these modes are linked directly to the personal and social contexts the individual is currenlty in and brings to the shopping journey, that is, family, single, living with partner; a dinner party, dinner for the kids, trying a new recipe etc.
Heres some common scenarios: a shopper might be looking for an indulgent escape thus they are kind of in a tense mindset that needs relief but not knowing exactly how to achieve the relief they are shopping in vary open way, looking for just that item, exploring all kinds of foods, shops etc..... until they find that item will provide an indulgent release. Alternatively, another person might be looking for a health kick after a period of unhealthy living--spring cleaning so to speak so they are out there shopping with a plan, know what they are looking for and where they can get....they are direct, short and sharp so they can get what they want and fast.... this way they can start that rebuild with a perceived guarantee for success.
So what? Knowing these types of insights and how they apply to a specific category allows food manufacturers, retailers and distributors organise their categories in multiple fashions depending on the frequency and intensity of modes associated with the products within the category of interest. Further, POS displays, catalogues, all marketing collateral can be organised to appeal to the shopping mindsets of consumers.
Of greater interest is some recent findings by a soon to be neuromarketing competitor of ours (posted on the linked neuromarketing group--thanks Ron) in where they were " able to increase the sales of one of its salsa and chips products by 11 percent by figuring out what part of the chip eating experience showed the highest amoutn of brain activity. Contrary to what one might think, it was neither the flavour nor the texture that made people's mind buzz but rather the precise moment between scooping up the salsa sauce and lifing it to the mouth. By placing a photo of a salsa-dripping chip in the supermarket aisle, the company increased all chip sales by 7% and the brand's sales by 11%"
Just goes to show, understanding the relationship between the product, the consumer usage experience and the consumer mind triangulates into some serious outcomes (at least potential outcomes--caveat is I wonder how much other marketing, communications & sales force activity in the chip results occurred simultaneously to the POS campaign......).
Until next time....
