Arouse Curiosity for Special Effect

Make your retailing intentions perfectly clear—almost always. Advertising claims should be honest, return policies should be easy to understand, and you should use every opportunity to burn into the minds of consumers the name of your store.
     But occasionally be vague. Your objective in doing so is to generate the sort of curiosity that can lead to increased sales.

• Costco’s use of in-store surprise specials is often presented as an example of arousing curiosity to motivate the shopper to come to the store often and then walk through the aisles, looking carefully all along the way. The retailing consultants at Envirosell, based in New York City, report that in-store surprise specials produce results for all types of retailers across countries and cultures.
• Researchers at Indiana University and University of Colorado-Boulder find that mystery ads help consumers place an unknown brand or new type of item into the proper product category. A mystery ad is one in which the identity of the sponsor is not revealed until the end. Shoppers like to place brands, items, and stores into categories: “What sorts of products carry this brand name?” “What is the item used for, and how is it best used?” “For what types of merchandise and services would I go to that store?”

     If you’re counting on shopper curiosity, make it part of a coordinated marketing and merchandising campaign. In-store surprise specials produce maximum profitability only when there are items with higher profit margins that the shopper will see while searching for the specials—and then put into the cart. The increased mental involvement from mystery ads helps the shopper identify how this brand, item, and store might satisfy their needs and desires, but you then have to follow up by unambiguously describing and demonstrating the benefits you’re promising.

For your profitability: Sell Well: What Really Moves Your Shoppers