One insight stemmed from the physical aspects of stores, with stores often being constricted, and carrying too many products amid a "sea of color." "You walk in and you don't know where to look," Zenchak told the group of about 75 retailers [image-nocss] and suppliers. "There's no hierarchy of what your message is." She added that retailers should create a space that is intuitive "for both the body to navigate to and for the mind to visually engage with. Make it comfortable." For signage, she suggested, "make it simple, make it clean, make it logical."
Psychological insights from the study focused on transitioning consumers into the mindset of shopping. She said consumers generally don't perceive a convenience store as a destination, but rather as a stop along the way from point A to point Bas they continue on in perpetual motion. "If we don't get them to stop, they will never buy more." Work from the outside in, making it simple, engaging and less utilitarian, she suggested.
Meanwhile, emotional insights can provide understanding to leverage the best shoppers. Zenchak said men, who are a core audience for c-stores, are often perceived as emotionless. That's not the case, she said. "Tap into them, and make them feel like you understand them."
Retailers should also manage, steer and shape what their stores mean to their customers. "Transform your store into something more ritualistic," she said. "Rituals are really an opportunity here because we all have them."
Another point to consider is what people come to your c-store for, and editing product selection based on that knowledge. "This sounds like an easy one, but I see it all the time," she said. "Suggest product combinations that make sense; you will drive larger baskets."
Retailers should also try to leverage shopper habits, especially with new competition coming from other channels. "You have to take back what you own, and you have to make it different and better," she said.
Watch for a full report from CSP's 2009 Consumer Insights Forum in the December issue of CSP magazine.
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