Everyday there are more and more decisions made at stores to entice consumers to buy their products. Decisions on the design, merchandise and services offered to their customers. The consumers could make the difference between a store succeeding or losing in this highly competitive environment. Paco Underhill is a pioneer in the science of studying the behaviors of consumers in stores. In his book, Why We Buy: The Sciences of Shopping, Underhill reveals the techniques used to encourage people to buy more. He also shares some of the observations and conclusions he discovered after many years of research. This book may be of interest to big corporations looking to increase profits, but it interests consumers as well, to understand how they are
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“The amount of time a shopper spends in a store depends on how comfortable and enjoyable the experience is” (Underhill, 2009). Waiting on line can be challenging even for the most patient customers. At the CVS pharmacy, while waiting on line you are greeted by one of CVS’s pharmacy techs, who will ask for their name and their prescription and then inform them that the Pharmacist will speak with them soon. They do that to allow customers to feel that their presence is being acknowledged and valued. It’s also done to, sort of, empathize with the customer by making them believe that the pharmacist doesn’t want them to wait any longer than they should. This is a great technique to reduce their irritation from waiting. I can relate to that because I don’t like waiting for things for a long time and Underhill says “the more shopper-employee contacts that take place, the greater the average sale. Talking with an employee has a way of drawing a customer in closer” (p 33, P Underhill).
In conclusion, Why We Buy: The Science of Shopping is a genius masterpiece. I never realized how much thought goes into setting up a store. From techniques to helping customers unwind at “the transition zone,” to the well thought out design of the aisles, and to the awareness employees must possess in easing customer’s anxiety from waiting on line, everything serves a purpose. This interesting book has given me knowledge
“The amount of time a shopper spends in a store depends on how comfortable and enjoyable the experience is” (Underhill, 2009). Waiting on line can be challenging even for the most patient customers. At the CVS pharmacy, while waiting on line you are greeted by one of CVS’s pharmacy techs, who will ask for their name and their prescription and then inform them that the Pharmacist will speak with them soon. They do that to allow customers to feel that their presence is being acknowledged and valued. It’s also done to, sort of, empathize with the customer by making them believe that the pharmacist doesn’t want them to wait any longer than they should. This is a great technique to reduce their irritation from waiting. I can relate to that because I don’t like waiting for things for a long time and Underhill says “the more shopper-employee contacts that take place, the greater the average sale. Talking with an employee has a way of drawing a customer in closer” (p 33, P Underhill).
In conclusion, Why We Buy: The Science of Shopping is a genius masterpiece. I never realized how much thought goes into setting up a store. From techniques to helping customers unwind at “the transition zone,” to the well thought out design of the aisles, and to the awareness employees must possess in easing customer’s anxiety from waiting on line, everything serves a purpose. This interesting book has given me knowledge