In this paper, we compare and contrast why people buy in traditional stores, like Wal-Mart, and how this relates to online shopping habits.

 

“Our studies prove that the longer a shopper remains in a store, the more he or she will buy. And the amount of time a shopper spends in a store depends on how comfortable and enjoyable the experience is.” Source: Why We Buy, The Science of Shopping, by Paco Underhill, 1999.

 

Secure transactions, accurate information, and engaging customers will provide the comfort online customers desire.

 

 

 

“Marketing, advertising, promotion and location can bring shoppers in, but then it’s the job of the merchandise, the employees and the store itself to turn them into buyers. Conversion rates measure what you make of what you have – it shows how well (or poorly) the entire enterprise is functioning where it counts most: in the store.” Underhill, 1999.

 

Search engine optimization, press releases, blogging, and articles will increase your traffic, but then it’s up to you to convert them to sales.

 

Note: search engine optimization is vital in reaching the targeted audience you’re after. You want prospective customers, not people finding your site by mistake who click away just as soon as they get there. It’s better to get a smaller audience of the right people than a huge group of the wrong people.

 

 

 

Underhill says you can judge a store by its interception rate, meaning the percentage of customers who have some contact with an employee. “The more shopper-employee contacts that take place, the greater the average sale. Our studies show that any contact initiated by a store employee increases the likelihood that a shopper will buy something.”

 

The same is true of online contacts. That’s why opt-in email, blogging, and Ezines are so important. People will shop where they feel wanted.

 

Contact information is critical. Post phone numbers on your site under “contact us” where they can talk to you personally. Place your email address as well. Any tool or method that encourages interaction or contact will help you convert leads to sales.

 

 

 

Road signs are a perfect example of how store signs should look and read. You understand at a glance, there is proper contrast, the lettering is large, the lighting is good and positioned just right.

 

Whether a person is driving or walking, a sign should be able to be read fast. To achieve that, in many cases, you must break information down into pieces and lay them out one at a time, in a logical, orderly sequence.

 

The same is true of online content. It must be laid out in specific sequence and delivered to lead the customer to the ultimate goal – a sale. 

 

A website generally begins with a nice graphic, usually a logo, which grabs their attention. Then a well-thought out headline brings them to the top of your copy. It is usually comprised of a thought provoking question or shocking, true claim. As they are led into the deeper portions of the copy, subtitles allow them to find what they’re looking for quick. Avoid long sentences, paragraphs, and block writing. What works bests are: 

 Women like to study products

 

“In one study, we saw 91 percent of all drugstore buyers read the front of a package, 42 percent read the back and 8 percent read the sides. Sixty-three percent of women who bought something read a least one product package. So there’s a clear connection between reading and buying.” Source: Underhill, 1999.

 

Similarly, women as well as men, like to read product descriptions online. For best results, place this description next to a graphic/image of the product.

 

 

 

“In study after study, we’ve seen that the single most important factor in determining a shopper’s opinion of the service he or she receives is waiting time. If the wait went on too long, they feel as though the service was poor and inept. Quite simple, a short wait enhances the entire shopping experience and a long one poisons it.” Underhill, 1999.

 

A person’s perception, and resulting accuracy, of time is often exaggerated after roughly ninety seconds. Certain methods are successfully used to “bend” this perceived waiting time. The time a shopper spends waiting goes faster after an employee initiates contact. Time anxiety is relieved when an employee acknowledges the wait for the shopper and offers a plausible explanation.

 

Another way of “bending” time is to inform shoppers that their wait is limited and controlled rather than open-ended and subject to chance.

 

Considering that 80% of a store’s sales generally come from 20% of its clientele, you can’t afford to slack on service in any way.

 

 

 

Placement is everything for a store and a website. First of all, the location of the store or website is critical. Is it in a high-traffic area, visible to everyone passing by, and easy to find. Is the store sign placed for everyone to see a long ways away? There are many things in the store itself that require proper placement to maximize sales. These include:

 

Websites are also filled with placement considerations such as: