There are many elements which are continuously influencing shopper research.

The challenge is that there is no neutral way to present choice. Shoppers are influenced by the way in which choices are presented to them. Shoppers are influenced heavily in store and out of store but can’t always articulate this in a focus group. We need to go in-store with them or understand the true purchase decision through technology and simulation.

Subtle differences in the design of the decision-making context can have a significant impact on the decisions customers make. Small and seemingly insignificant contextual details have a major impact on people’s behaviour.  We need to design choice architectures to make the right choice effortlessly – default settings, menu options, packages when we are designing the research.

Shopper behaviours can also change radically depending on time or place. We can prefer one thing in a COLD (reflective) context, but in a HOT (tempting) context we act differently. The CONTEXT of decision making is critical.  Seasonality, zones within a store, time of day can all impact the shopper decision. These are known as biases.

Shoppers are affected by biases

There are many, many different biases that need to be considered and researchers have extensive understanding of these.  Here are a few:

• Herding and Social Norms – or simply doing what others do
• Heuristics and shortcuts – doing what is easiest or ‘learned’ as rote
• Anchoring heuristic – anchors might be based on price, past experience, social norms.
• Loss avoidance– people work harder to avoid losing something than they do to gain something
• Choice Architecture – doing what looks right…this time
• Optimism bias – buying something that you hope will do the job
• Framing – presenting the same options in different formats – pricing in particular

Technology has made a great impact on Shopper Research

Shopper research has moved ahead rapidly in with new technology and new offers in the market. We can now use VR glasses with consumers in store or online to witness the zero moment of truth of decision making to provide clear, effective channel, pack and POS strategies with common goals for brand managers, category managers and trade marketing.

We now have a method called ShopperEyz that allows consumers to talk while they shop and using special ‘narrative’ glasses while they experience navigate the shelves.  The footage and narrative can be uploaded simply and explored with the researcher after the shopping experience allowing less interference and an unobstructed ‘true’ shop. This is true behavioural research in action.