The Challenge
Quantify the impact of up selling to premium drinks, the power of merchandising and media engagement.
We wanted to understand how trained staff could influence customer behaviour in on trade – to up sell specific premium drinks. Secondary was to quantify impact of the brand fridge and also look at media engagement with promotional poster at entrance.

Our Methodology
Using observational research techniques we observed pre trained bar staff up selling customers to alternative premium drinks – for example bottled beer, premium spirits and their branded product. We also interviewed staff pre and post activity and observed patterns of behaviour in bar to identify dwell time, entry points etc.

The Outcome
A quantified perspective of the impact and effect of bar staff advocates. Measures included greatest up sell opportunities by category and customer appetite for influence of drinks choice. We also were able to quantify the impact of merchandising unit and the level of media engagement with promotional poster activity.

The Challenge
We assessed, audited and measured the electrical (laptop/desktop) retail landscape for a major consumer electronics brand in markets throughout Spain, UK, Germany, France, Saudi and UAE. We provided a measurement of:

• Rate of recommendation (role staff play)
• Shelf Share
• Share of voice (brand presence)

Our Methodology
We sent our expert team of ‘intelligent mystery shoppers’ to audit and evaluate the retail environments in a number of leading stores in each market. Our shoppers audited the retail landscape as well as completing an in depth assessment survey to determine the consumer electronics brand representation and presence.

The Outcome
Retail in Action provided in depth measurement (%) to understand each market and to learn how their brand is represented in those markets. Analysis and competitor review broken down by retailer, laptop/desktop and country. By witnessing, evaluating and measuring the retail environment they now understand their true brand status for each market and are able to use that knowledge to create more effective solutions to help their brand perform better in retail.

The Challenge
A major UK supermarket planned to develop an online magazine, but were unsure if their shoppers would respond well to this new magazine format. They want to be clear that it is the correct medium to deliver to their consumers. They also want to understand the awareness and saliency of the current printed magazine and website.

Our Methodology
Shopper research and qualitative focus groups in three regional locations. Digging deep into the mindset of the grocers shoppers, uncovering key information, unlocking trends and attitudes to the internet and this style of online magazine. Picking out the key points in an objective manor brought to light the outcome for the online magazines potential and place amongst the grocers shoppers.

The Outcome
The research clarified to grocer that the online magazine had a prime place in the lives of their shoppers and were able to make an instant decision to go ahead with the project. The grocer also realised the need to keep the paper magazine to appeal to a broad range of shoppers.

The Challenge

• Inform the development of a consistent creative strategy, specifically to guide production of the promotional campaign materials and arrive at insight sufficient to direct message hierarchy, i.e. advice v price
• Attribute a media value to the individual elements of the promotional campaigns, based on their ability to deliver an audience, their likely impact and salience
• Rank media elements based on performance

Our Methodology

• Visual audit and review of the retailers stores and the competitor set
• First stage search of international retail experiences database
• In store camera observations
• 500 counts campaign A
• 500 counts campaign B
• Mini depth shopper interviews as intercepts in store
• Focus group discussions with regular users

The Outcome
With our unique product range, we were able to create a more effective retail communication strategy for the health retailer. We measured traffic flow and media communications with a percentage of effectiveness. Along with our shopper insight, we could therefore determine what kind of message needed to be told and the best place to tell it. Our shopper research provided insight from what initially drives the shopper into the retailer and to the point of purchase.

The Challenge

• To provide insight into the retail landscape in mobile telephony category in selected outlets, specifically:
• Providing a record and assessment of competitor brand, retailer and in store marketing activity by market/store type
• Provide questionnaire data with analysis and supporting visual ‘evidence’ in debrief report
• Markets; Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Chile, Dominican Republic, Columbia

Our Methodology
Retail in Action ‘intelligent mystery shoppers’ visited the retail outlets in selected markets. Each store was visually audited discreetly, capturing reference of representative sample of in store communications inclusive of window displays, store fascia, geographical context, in store promotional activity, examples of retailer, brand owner and joint marketing activity, as well as examples of literature available at time of audit. The stores visited were a variety including; independents, mass merchandiser, network providers, consumer electronic, telephone specialists located in shopping malls, high streets and out of town retailers.

The Outcome
The insight was delivered broken down by channel, country and individual stores visited. We evaluated the retail space and provided in depth insight to each market and overview of South America. From this, the mobile phone brand were able to understand the retail environment to help create more effective communication strategies and improve their brand in the reviewed retail markets.

The Challenge
To witness and evaluate the soft drinks retail landscape of the following channels; Education, Health, Fast Food, Restaurant and Coffee shops, Wholesale, Business, Sports Leisure & Family Destination.

Our Methodology
By using our ‘Intelligent Mystery shopping’ process we were able to assess the retail environments to establish insights and barriers to purchase. Our shoppers also completed detailed visual audits to provide a first hand shopper perspective of the retail landscape.

The Outcome
The biggest opportunity is to align with key accounts by channel value and offer more relevant shopping solutions.

• There is little evidence of brands/retailers recognising the motivation behind purchasing behaviours by channel
• There is little evidence of brands aligning with key accounts to deliver mutual goals, no sense of working together to grow the category, define the role of soft drinks, etc
• Little evidence of more collaborative activity – no “in channel” solutions to resolve shopping missions

The Challenge
We provided measurement of shopper behaviour within a new concept convenience/impulse area. By monitoring behaviour, we understood the role and effect of the new ‘fast till’ process. We provided solution strategies to stimulate ideas for an evolving impulse offering. Quantifying impact on ‘convenience’ layout and learning lessons in queue management, impulse opportunity and shopper perspective.

Our Methodology
By setting up discreet cameras in store, we can assess and measure shopper’s movements to and from store, dwell time, traffic flow, profile shopper groups and record interaction with various media. From this we can measure the effectiveness of store communication by percentage, therefore creating hot spots and super highways for more effective retail. Applying our ‘store observation’ tool we gained insight into the shopper perspective and key measurements to provide analysis for impulse development.

The Outcome

• Measured behaviour to benchmark subsequent initiatives
• Solution strategy for impulse category already demonstrating significant increase in shopper take up of impulse merchandise – leading to improved in store deployments
• Clear direction to optimise impulse buying behaviour
• Improved queue management for ops
• Training guidelines for both staffing tills, greeting and managing shopper flow
• Improved navigation and understanding of fast till process
• A better shopper experience

The Challenge
Working for one of the world’s leading luxury fashion brands. The brand operates a selective distribution strategy only authorising retailers that meet certain standards to sell their fragrance, cosmetics and eyewear. Their challenge is to ensure that their points of sale material, continues to deliver the high standards set by the brand’s value.

Our Methodology
Using our network of highly trained ‘shoppers’ we assess every retailer (in multiple marketing around the globe) who distribute the luxury brands merchandise and evaluate the branded experience. Through a unique scoring system, we quantified retailer and location, geographical area, window displays, internal surroundings, compliance of marketing collateral and presence of competitor set.

The Outcome
Over the last 7 years our assessment of the luxury brands presence around the world (North and South America and Europe) ensures that they both protect their brand values and optimise their presence with an objective; to have consistent and highly accurate ongoing monitor of their retail distribution.

Here’s a thing – retail marketing is moving up the food chain big time. It’s not just about shelf wobblers anymore. Marketing folk are having to get their ‘brand’ heads around the fact that the ‘point of sale’ is where brand decisions are being made (not at home on the sofa). And shoppers are getting smarter. They will visit multiple locations to get what they used to buy in one, if they perceive they’re getting better value. Importantly the retail landscape is recognised as a hugely powerful medium (from a frequency and coverage point of view). It is challenging those more traditional but ever so fragmented media alternatives.

Now those big grown up retailers cottoned on to this a long while back – so they charge lots of dosh for space and promotional share of voice in their shops. However it is hardly accountable. Because there isn’t much measurement going on. Including simple assessment of media value and compliance checking.

The retail dynamic revolves around three parties. The retailer, the brand owner and, oh yeah, the shopper. The retailer of course wants growth in each category and doesn’t care much for brand owner market share. The brand owner desperately wants standout and shopper attention. But those shopper rascals don’t care about either and simply want great value, ease of shop and appropriate choice. So why don’t we make better sense of these three standpoints, and get them to work together? Because if we did, the retailer would see category growth, the brand owners would sell more and the shopper would enjoy a better shopping experience.

By understanding what life is like from the shopper’s point of view, what makes them behave the way they do, one can market more effectively in store. And I’m talking flog more gear here! Forget social demographics, think shopper missions. Understand the customer journey, the triggers and barriers to purchase, and specifically the role for communications along that journey.

Think about how different media works – brochures if not used properly can work as the single most effective tool for deferring purchase! Think about how long shoppers are exposed to messages – if the average exposure time to a poster is 3 seconds, don’t put copy that takes 10 seconds to read on it! And don’t forget the single most powerful merchandising unit of all – the staff member (or brand ambassador as you might like to call him or her).

There aren’t many who are really good at it. But Apple Store is a great exception. They have created environments that uniquely put the shopper first (imagine that?!). You are compelled to indulge in the products. To check your hotmail, to have a go at editing a movie, to retouch a picture, to worship you might say, at the altar of Apple. There always seems to be a smiley (don’t underestimate the power of this), knowledgeable Apple bod to help you ‘join the club’. The messaging is engaging, informing and empathetic. And I’m not just talking flagship stores. They deliver the branded experience in shopping centres too, even in PC World when I visited the ‘shop in shop’ I was greeted by a guy saying ‘welcome to Apple’. These guys don’t sell, they make you want to buy and that’s clever.

So think about the context for your next promotional campaign. Observe competitor strategies and pick the right time to shout and scream you’re the best. Think about how shopper’s judge value. It’s not just price, it not even price and quality. It’s about price and quality wrapped up in the whole shopper experience. And this differs by their specific mission.

I say let’s inject a bit of science into the subject. And agree that shelf wobblers are cooler than we thought they were!