Rethink the Timing of Reassurance

Researchers at California State University-Northridge and California State Polytechnic University-Pomona asked consumers to imagine they were in the market for a pair of pants and then presented each study participant with one of three statements:

• Imagine that you are entering a nearby store in the mall and see a brand new pair of your favorite brand of pants (retail price new $60) that fit you just right. 
• Imagine that you are entering a nearby secondhand store and see a pair of your favorite brand of pants (retail price new $60), worn briefly by another person, that fit you just right. 
• Imagine that you are entering a nearby secondhand store and see a pair of your favorite brand of pants (retail price new $60), worn briefly by another person, that fit you just right. They have been tested and certified by the American Garment Association as completely cleaned and sterilized, just like brand new. 

     The participants were then asked a series of questions about their perceptions of the pants.
     What is your educated guess as to which of the three groups gave the least favorable ratings? Did the reassurance that the pants had been certified as clean remove any concerns about contamination?
     The answer is that it did not. The least favorable rating of the pants came from the third group. Describing the testing procedure generated increased doubts because it led the consumers to think more about how the pants had been used, even if briefly. The difference in desirability ratings between the second and third groups was almost as great as the difference in ratings between the first and second groups. What could have been intended as well-timed reassurance had the opposite influence.
     Other research strengthens the case for properly timing reassurance to customers. Shoppers usually want specifications rather than reassurance prior to completing the purchase. Right after the purchase they appreciate hearing that they made a good decision, but it’s best received when the reassurance is general in tone. At this same time, asking the shopper what led them to choose one alternative over the others helps them reassure themselves. Then when the customer returns to your store later or contacts you to place a telephone or ecommerce order, deliver a different sort of reassurance about their prior purchase: Emphasize cause and effect. Point out to them how what they obtained from you generated benefits important to them.

For your success: Retailer’s Edge: Boost Profits Using Shopper Psychology

Click below for more: 
Set Appeals of Product Touch in Concrete
Acknowledge Customers’ Willful Ignorance
Ask for Item Opinions Post-Purchase
Ping Consumers with Cause-and-Effect