Store sales
The store sale is a form of sale within the distribution policy of marketing , in which the personal sale with advice in stationary retail takes place through stores .
General
Store sales are a form of distribution in stationary retail (such as supermarkets , vending machines , shops) through which goods are offered to the customer . The stationary retail trade is a floor trade in which the goods are visible to the customer through their storage or presentation and can therefore be assessed. The main assortment mostly concerns consumer goods , less capital goods are represented. General statements on the design of shops structure customer communication strongly about the establishment of the shop.
Window dressing
The showcase is in addition to the print and radio advertising is a key instrument of customer acquisition in the retail sector. According to the so-called 24-feet rule , a shop window must be designed in such a way that the passer-by can easily perceive the content from a distance of 24 feet (around 7.30 meters). Shop window designers usually arrange the goods to be presented in themed decorations. In addition to the well-known shop window mannequins and special light sources as well as the arrangement of goods themselves, they sometimes also use artistic mobiles with drives, projection devices to illuminate the sidewalk with logos or slogans or monitors and interactive Air Touch Windows .
In terms of the arrangement of goods in the shop window, one must fundamentally differentiate between:
- Series design (e.g. three identical articles in a row) shows order, harmony and increases attention.
- Group design (three to a maximum of five matching items, e.g. handbag, wallet and ID case in the same design) serves as a combination suggestion and can also clearly show higher-priced goods, but requires a lot of space because the individual groups must be separated from one another by clear distances - otherwise the Customer visually overwhelmed.
- Blocking : A larger amount of the same goods is stacked in blocks - a sign of cheap bulk goods.
- Scattering design : the goods appear to be presented in a disordered manner; this shows nonchalance and is suitable for sports and leisure.
Lettering of the shop window itself in the form of glued-on foil lettering indicate favorable promotions and do not go with exclusive goods.
The shop window lighting must be adapted to the goods (e.g. no fluorescent tubes for lead crystal goods, as these would otherwise not develop the typical glossy effect), must not dazzle and the heat development must be taken into account with regard to fire safety.
Entrance area
The transition from the pedestrian zone to the shop is free of goods because customers would immediately feel overwhelmed if presentations were to take place in the entrance area. The so-called decompression zone in all department stores ends five steps away from the door . In front of the entrance itself, however, so-called shop-in-shop dealers can sometimes work at their sales stands on their own account. They often attract attention through auditory advertising measures and apparently address passers-by personally with special offers.
Right orientation
The natural legal orientation in the field of vision of most people leads to adapted goods placement. As a result, bestsellers, i.e. products that sell best, are placed on the right-hand side just five steps away from the entrance. This preference is often taken into account in the further store design in the store itself, e.g. B. by guiding the customer through the store counterclockwise.
Customer guidance
Pleasant lighting (soft light with a high IR component ) and background music extend the stay in the shop. Customer and buying habits are implemented in inverse proportion to their needs in visitor guidance and product presentation. Inexpensive products can generally be found at floor level and high-priced goods within easy reach. The further back you get in the store, the lighter it has to be there, as customers don't move towards the dark. In clothing stores in particular, it is important to know the main route (broad route through the store): As long as the customer is on this route, the sales staff should not speak to them so that they can find their way around in peace.
Room scenting
In the early 1980s, there were first field trials in Germany for the scenting of sales rooms (for the first time at Audi ) with the aim of increasing sales by specifically using aromatic substances to create a sales-promoting situation. However, these experiments did not lead to any noteworthy dissemination of the method in a business context, because on the one hand the dosage required for this must be very precise because the fragrance citronella only leads to an increase in perception if it is absorbed just below the perception threshold and on the other hand Costs were not recovered or the clinical results could not be transferred to the conditions in the practice. The classic measures of sales psychology in store sales still exceed the possibilities for increasing customer attention with the help of fragrances. Nevertheless, in retail outlets, the subliminal effect of the human sense of smell is occasionally paid much attention to ( scent marketing ).
For certain groups of people (allergy sufferers, people with intolerances (Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, MCS)), room fragrancing can lead to physical and / or psychological impairments and even endangerment.
Flooring
The flooring determines the walking speed in the shop. Walking on hard ground is much faster than on carpet . It is therefore appropriate when it comes to taking a closer look at products or to focus attention. Smooth floors, on the other hand, accelerate the customer's walk from one sales area to the next.
Blocking
If a table or a clothes rack is on the way, the customer's attention is drawn to the disturbing object and of course to the goods that are presented here. These elements are particularly used on the way to the exit or to the restaurant.
Body language
A winning body language of the seller is a basic requirement for a successful sales process. Crossed arms or hands in trouser pockets indicate resistance or passivity. Eye contact must be maintained when the consultant speaks to the client . The smile is here for the seller the foundation for building a relationship level with the customer.
Example clothing sales
When it comes to the question of whether clothing should be hung up or presented folded, advantages and disadvantages meet: the customer can look at hanging goods immediately, they literally catch his eye. The advertising effect is higher. On the other hand, the customer has to pick up folded clothing first. Once he has a product in hand, the likelihood of buying it is much higher. Once physical contact is made, people don't like putting the product back on. In addition, stacks of folded items of clothing create the impression that the staff has time and will probably also have time for service.
placement
In store sales, a distinction is made between first and second or third placements. The most expensive shelf space (especially for external suppliers in the so-called rack jobbing system) is regularly at eye level and waist level as well as on the edge of the hallways and in the checkout area. From a perceptual psychological point of view, the floor shelves and standing areas within the shelves are less in the field of vision. Promotion campaigns (see merchandising ) will not be very successful here. On the other hand, tasting at the front of a shelf is very attractive.
Target audience
At first glance, the salespeople can hardly be distinguished from the customers. Age, clothing, style and habitus should correspond to the average customer. An elderly lady will feel just as uncomfortable with a young male underwear salesman as the young CD customer with a management consultant dressed as a retired executive. Customers should identify with the sellers. If you no longer perceive your counterpart as a seller, but as a consultant or even an acquaintance, the willingness to buy increases.
Additional sale
In an optimal sales process, the seller sells or offers his customer an additional product or service. This is called an additional sale, which differs in two variants. In up-selling and in cross-selling . Findings from sales psychology show that customers observe salespeople how they interact with other customers and point to the subtle emergence of buying resistance. Anyone who, as a customer, is only served and not interested in advice, is only willing to purchase the bare essentials and is i. d. Usually lost for additional sales. According to a study by the University of Ravensburg / Weingarten , 80% of salespeople do not deal with the topic of additional sales. This although additional sales regulate customer satisfaction and thus customer loyalty. In addition, not only more sales but also significantly more profits are achieved. It is known from retail research that less than three quarters of all Germans plan their purchases carefully in advance. So a quarter is particularly susceptible to the stimuli they experience in business. For salespeople who are accepted by customers, it is therefore necessary to actively shape sales increases with the help of a positive relationship level. If the curiosity for other products is aroused in a friendly manner, the customer is often ready to be encouraged to make additional sales.
literature
- Max Depaoli: The language of goods . Ueberreuter, Vienna 1992
- Bernhard Walter Panek: Synergetic Marketing II: Advertising and advertising material . Wiener Universitätsverlag Facultas, Vienna 2003, ISBN 978-3-7089-0158-9
- Bernhard Walter Panek: Human sensory perception and its application in media and advertising . Wiener Universitätsverlag Facultas, Vienna 2003, ISBN 978-3-7089-0159-6
Individual evidence
- ↑ Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden (ed.), Compact Lexicon Marketingpraxis , 2013, p. 167
- ↑ a b c d e General statements on sales psychology in store sales
- ↑ a b Marketing strategies: Psychofalle department store. August 3, 2008, accessed June 10, 2013 .
- ↑ Special store establishment . In: DOZ . 2011, p. 51 ( online [accessed June 10, 2013]). online ( Memento of the original from March 4, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ Shop fitting is sales psychology. January 10, 2013, accessed June 10, 2013 .
- ↑ Federal Environment Agency takes a critical view of fragrances
- ↑ a b That's why sellers don't make additional sales , accessed on November 23, 2017
