The science of shopping is changing

Add-on sales were once the name of the game; get people into your store, and then get them to make spontaneous purchases… beyond the item they came in to buy.  But with fewer people looking at shopping as an entertainment alternative, those up-sells are increasingly difficult to create.  That’s the premise of this recent story from Bloomberg, citing input from ShopperTrak.  Click here to see it.

Implications:   In a world where people are doing less casual shopping—and purchasing with greater intention—what can you do to make your store, dealership or lobby a primary destination?  Does your messaging compel the audience to consider you first?  Have you talked with your selling staff about working harder to include accessories, maintenance and other complimentary purchases to the core product or service?  Is your in-store experience so positively memorable that people will make you an exception to the rule as they do less "traditional" shopping?

Mike Anderson, for the Elm Street Economics consumer trends blog. A service of The Center for Sales Strategy, Inc.