Do you know why grocery and big box stores set displays of "I could really use one of these!" product next to each check out counter? Because shoppers waiting on line to pay for purchases are likely to pick up one or more of these items on impulse. In fact, a recent study found that the typical supermarket does more business at its check out counters than it does in the detergent aisle.
Wait time to pay for purchases during the holidays could be 10 to 15 minutes; that's plenty of time for customers to continue shopping. This is the one time you have the customer's undivided attention, so set a display of irresistible items, "Shut up!" toys, and things customers most often forget. Add a nice display of gift cards, too. You may even want to purchase impulse items specifically for the check out area.
It doesn't matter if you have grocery style check outs or an upscale cash wrap -- merchandise your checkout area to sell!
From October 25 Washington Post article by By Kristen Mack:
Clothes Hooks
DJs' Stylings Help Set A Tone And Spin An Image for Area Retailers
Mall stores are increasingly relying on DJs as in-house entertainment, not just for special events but as a staple of high-traffic weekend shopping. They can lower sales resistance, alter moods and keep customers around longer, research shows.
More important, DJs help define a store's image and provide audio cues to shoppers about who does and doesn't belong.
"Music is a great audience sorter," says James Kellaris, a marketing professor at the University of Cincinnati who has studied the influence of music on buying behavior. "It's a nonverbal sign that says who the store is seeking to service."
And unlike visual stimuli -- sale signs, window displays -- it can't be ignored.
"We can turn away or close our eyes," says Kellaris, "but we are not endowed with ear lids, so auditory attention is automatic."
Stores started experimenting with using music to attract shoppers years ago, turning background music (played below the level of a normal conversation) into foreground music. Department stores such as Nordstrom have long had a signature pianist. There's also Muzak, music pumped through speakers that can be programmed based on the time of day and likely crowd. Mall DJs are the next step in the evolution of sound experimentation.
Click to read the article in its entirety: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/24/AR2008102403731.html?hpid=moreheadlines
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You may have heard us say "Disco is the sound of money." We say this because disco is upbeat. Admit it: you LIKE the sound track from Saturday Night Fever. Everybody does. The right music has power to entice shoppers to stay longer and buy more -- it's like a non-stop sales associate.
Which makes us wonder why Target does not play music in its stores. The unconfirmed official reason we've been told in many stores is that the music interferes with the radios associates carry with them to help customers. Who knows? Maybe that's a problem at Target; it's not in a whole bunch of other stores. We do know that shopping in a Target store when it's not busy is so quiet it's just plain creepy. A little music couldn't hurt, and it certainly would help put stressed-out shoppers in a better mood.
