If anything, supermarkets are less about confusing people, and more about making the parts of the shop that will make them the most money stand out, and easy to access.Chie wrote:But that is what pressure selling is. And that is what supermarkets do, albeit by using the environment rather than speaking to consumers directly.Gavin Scott wrote:The objective is to sell, not to freak out the feeble minded into thrusting credit cards into the assistants hands shouting, "make it stop!".
(Perhaps I should have differentiated between types of shops and then maybe we wouldn't or maybe we would have had this misunderstanding.)
It's all about eye level, placement on a shelf, arrangement, and quantities (along with how quantities are displayed). Value products are usually on the bottom shelf, or at the end of a shelf, so it is not eye-catching to the customer. Products targeted to children are on a child's eye level, and products targeted at adults are on an adult's eye level. Things like biscuits are nicely arranged - except the Value ones. Particular offers - often new products with a small discount - are placed at the aisle ends, usually after where you would normally find that sort of product.
Supermarkets are aimed at the lazy shopper, who will pick up the most visible item if it is what is wanted. They are not designed to "overload" the senses.
Shops are designed to cater to the feelings of a certain sector of the market. Supermarkets can't target a great deal - but an Apple store can, for example. Apple customers generally expect modernity, simplicity, and a feeling of a higher class of product and store; hence the lack of brashness and the sterility throughout the store. I don't identify with the Apple identity - therefore, I don't like the store. I wouldn't enter an Apple store, get confused, and purchase the nearest product. A store wants to link in with the identity you have, or want to have. A store can't hypnotise customers into purchases. However, they can persuade a customer to buy a product, lead a customer to a product, or simply show the product that the store want the customer to buy. The direction given out by the store induces speed, as more and more choices are discounted. If there is no direction, (as a customer may wish for) the simple pleasant experience may lead to the customer picking the store, and leading themselves.
Simple.
