Get out there: Why in-store research improves shopper marketing

January 17, 2012  |  by Jeff Daniels

We all know that customers talk about brands they love, and they talk about the brands they don’t care for. I happen to really enjoy hearing what customers have to say about the brands I work on, so recently I jumped at the opportunity to lead a retail store field research project on shopper insights for one of my clients.  Some of my co-workers seemed to think my level of enthusiasm for the project was crazy.  Isn’t getting customers to take time out of their day to talk about a brand supposed to be a cumbersome task?  Store associates are busy and just want to do their jobs without being bothered for research, right?  Wrong!  What I found through this assignment were two groups of people (customers and store associates) who were ready and willing to give their opinions and feedback about our client’s brand.  Not only were these groups eager to chat, they had a genuine concern for whether their feedback would really be heard and utilized at the corporate level.

Our research approach to completing this assignment was two-tiered.  We employed “Broad View” observation techniques in conjunction with “Interaction View” customer and store associate interceptions.  We began each of our store visits with general observation, noting elements such as store layout, sales staff roles and responsibilities, customer shopping patterns and functionality and placement of in-store sales displays.  We then began the customer and store associate interceptions, allowing us to gain feedback through a variety of questions and conversation starters.

There are three very important reasons why, as a shopper marketing agency, we find so much value in doing this:

Firsthand knowledge of your in-store marketing materials' effectiveness

It’s one thing to hear how one of your in-store marketing elements is working.  It’s another thing to see it in action.  Placing yourself in your client’s store for a day allows for the opportunity to both observe and evaluate firsthand the usage and effectiveness your materials.  That evaluation is how you uncover valuable insights so you can bring recommendations to your clients for making improvements to the in-store elements.

How are your in-store and POP materials really being used?

It goes without saying that corporate objectives can, should and do drive retail and merchandising strategy.  But what happens when the actual functionality of a marketing component is different in-store from corporate marketing’s intended purpose for that piece?  One way to find out is to be in the store.  Store associates may use a piece differently or may notice customers interacting with it in a manner not previously considered.  By placing yourself in the store and conducting field research, you can open up the communication channels between front line employees and corporate personnel to effectively relay this valuable feedback.

Get deeper insights from the people on the front lines

Nearly all client-directed research assignments are designed to gather specific information about pre-defined shopper research topics.  If you ask a customer or store associate a question, you will likely get a sufficient answer to satisfy your research goals.  Customers and store associates, however, have valuable opinions and feedback and want their voices to be heard by the brands they interact with or represent.  Rather than just asking a question, if time and resources permit you to begin a more in-depth conversation with your research subject, you will find yourself with a wealth of information and feedback that both satisfies and exceeds the realm of your specific research questions.

Field research can be easily used to add value for any retail client at any time.  While a formal research approach is sometimes required, valuable shopper insights can also be gained from informal encounters.

We are all consumers, engaging with brands at the ground level on a day-to-day basis.  When you see something interesting, engaging, even off-putting, take note of it.  When you stop to learn more about a product, think about what specifically caused you to stop.  Was it the product itself, a sales display, an interaction with a store associate?  Did any of those elements cause you to make a purchase?  Or, on the other hand, consider what caused you to abandon a potential purchase.  It is important to think about these things, but to also, as agencies representing our clients’ brands, ask customers and store associates these questions on behalf of our clients.

Clients also value competitive intelligence of the same nature.  When you see something interesting that a competitor is doing, jot it down.  Do you see your client’s display outperforming the competition in-store (or vice versa)?  Find out why.  Talk to the customers shopping the two displays.  Ask store associates what shopping patterns and trends they notice between the two displays.

Lastly, once you gather this information, share it!  Bring it to your clients.  By using the valuable insights you gathered to develop strong recommendations for your client’s brand, you are demonstrating your dedication to the success of their business.  They will thank you.  And you might just find yourself with enthusiasm for this type of assignment too!