Excuse Me with an Interruption

When selling prospects on purchasing an item or an idea, it might seem you would want to minimize interruptions. However, researchers at Boston University and University of California-San Diego find that a well-timed interruption improves the purchase potential with decisions the shopper considers to be risky. That conclusion is actually old news. Prior studies have found value in interruptions. For instance, researchers at Cornell University and University of Toronto suggest that when a shopper is feeling overwhelmed by a difficult decision, you encourage the shopper to go on to another item on their shopping list and then come back in a short while to make the purchase decision. The interruption instantly relieves the sales pressure as the decision is temporarily suspended.
     But this later research reveals another explanation for the value of an interruption with risky decisions: When the person comes back to the decision situation after the interruption, they’ll probably reorient themselves by briefly reviewing what was covered before the recess, they’ll consequently go over material they’d processed before, this repetition adds familiarity, and what is more familiar engenders less apprehension.
     For this to work, you must bring the shopper back to the decision following the interruption. This means staying with them or tracking them down. Most consumers are more open to interruptions early in the purchase process and less open later. However, researchers at New Mexico State University and Sacred Heart University suggest that the retailer look out for the potential customer who seems pressed for time and is evaluating choices almost from the start. Minimize interruptions of these people early on and never interrupt early on with content not directly related to the purchase selection, such as with an extended greeting or casual conversation. With the shopper who is in this frame of mind, later interruptions are okay, and can actually create good will, as long as the interruptions are pleasant, such as reassurance or gratitude, and they’re not frequent.
     In-store shopping can be subject to a plethora of interruptions from sources other than the retailer—phone calls, texts, impatient children. To the degree that the retailer can control additional ones, the sale of the item or idea is more likely.

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

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Lean Away from Big Fat Shopper Decisions
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