Through 2003 to 2005 Unilever and United Co-op Stores collaborated on designing, testing and implementing a ‘Perfect Store’ layout. Research was commissioned in response to a realization that important Shopper Missions were poorly supported by the layout of typical convenience stores.
We look at Unilever’s’ initial findings and the Virtual Store tests we conducted to understand local shoppers’ reactions to the layout changes. We discuss the insights gained, the new store layout principles developed for refurbishing the format and their subsequent implementation in the pilot store .
The pilot validated the research and proved that, after an initial sales surge, average weekly sales stabilized 8.9% up overall; average spend per customer rose by 9% and the pilot store’s gross profits increased by 9.7%. These improvements were then rolled out to more convenience stores in the Co-op portfolio with similar success. [...]
Consumer Marketing
Procter and Gamble is one of the most innovative companies in the retail world and often the first to pioneer emerging technologies. We first worked with them in 1999 on a ‘proof of concept’ project which allowed them to research shoppers’ reactions to a new Mall Kiosk concept they had developed.
After that success, they commissioned us to develop an experimental ‘Virtual Store’, called ‘Spa Lore’, which was our first real opportunity to design a commercial application, purpose-built for the in-depth study of Shopper Behavior.
P&G wanted to research consumers’ potential interest in a new range of personal products. Traditional grocery outlets were rejected as inappropriate hosts for this project. Instead, they preferred the idea of an in-mall specialist store. They wanted to create a unique shopping experience; one which would educate consumers as well as offer them a relaxed atmosphere in which to explore, seek advice on and purchase the products, as part of a holistic personal ‘treatment’. [...]
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Today’s Eye Tracking systems measure what’s called the ‘Point-of-Regard’ by a technique called the ‘Pupil Center, Corneal Reflection’ method. The equipment consists of a matrix of LEDs emitting non-dazzling infra-red light, which is directed into the subject’s eyes. The light enters the retina and is reflected back as a bright disc.
These reflections are detected by an infra-red camera and the data processed by software, which, once calibrated with registration points, resolves the information into specific x and y coordinates that record the position of the subject’s gaze. It does this by identifying the centre of the pupil and the position of the corneal reflection in the field of view and then, using trigonometry, it’s able to calculate a precise point-of-regard position.
The data acquired during an extended eye tracking session can, for example, be overlaid on the original visual stimulus so that insights can be gained from the subject’s interaction with the material. [...]
Sainsbury’s Open Largest Store Ever!
by Tony J
The 28th September saw the grand unveiling of Sainsbury’s biggest store ever. Tesco and ASDA already have a large number of supersized stores so, with a sense of great excitement, Fifth Dimension went to East London’s Crayford to review the new store and see how Sainsbury’s is shaping up to their competition. First impression? WOW, very impressed! Great visual impact and a busy, exciting atmosphere. The feel of the store was typically Sainsbury’s though with their trademark, orange livery spread far and wide. We all know how it feels to walk into an unfamiliar store for the first time – [...]
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