Why We Buy: The Science of Shopping by Paco Underhill.
Now, let’s just pause here. When someone who has been blessed with the name “Paco” writes a book I am sure 13 kittens and 7 angels are born. It’s a beautiful thing.
I’m going to guess that most of us have never given 20 seconds of thought (aka video game time) to why you purchased what you did the other day. You know, that flowered blouse. Those phat kicks. The spinners on your Hummer. I’m sure you would have reasons if I asked you, but that’s not why you ACTUALLY purchased THAT exact thing. Maybe you were barefoot before and needed some skids. But, why exactly you purchased those exact shoes… that is a science.
Someone slaved over getting you to buy those shoes. They thought about placement, colors, and design of the signs that told you they were on sale (or not). The fought tooth and nail with superiors, co-workers, and retailers to get them placed a few inches to the right from where they put them out originally. There’s reasons.
Have you ever wondered why you walk into the grocery store, get about 10 feet, and then turn around to go back outside to get the shopping cart? I do that all the time and it kills me. It frustrates me to no end.
Why? Because that’s not where shopping carts go. They go after the “runway”. Those 10 feet after a consumer enters the door. High quality grocery stores understand that. You find exactly what you want where you want it. Think of Apple’s User Interface for anything they build. They study this stuff until Steve Jobs kills someone in a maniacal turtleneck hanging.
If you sell anything, if you buy anything, you definitely should know why. That way you can be like me, ignoring the family size boxes thinking they’re a great deal and looking at the stupid little price per ounce sticker like an old man holding coupons on Sunday in a golf hat.
As per the rules of Free Book Fridays, make a thoughtful comment on this subject and you’ll win the book. I’ll send it to you in a nice bubble wrapped pretty package. Since this one is paperback, there’s even a cover on it. I won’t even charge you for it. Promise.
Even if you don’t win, I still want your comments. Don’t be afraid. Jump into the fray. Support Paco and his kittens.
nate
Kevin Thompson
Joao Carlos Caribe
Sérgio Rebelo
Posted by Amber on Sep 10, 2007 at 10:28am
I know there is a subcurrent of media that starts to attract us long before we’re presented with the option to make a purchase. Sometimes I’ll think I’m the first one to discover a new style or product, only to realize the next month that everyone else has bought it too.
I get annoyed at the holiday marketing that begins months before the actual holiday. My lifestyle is already too fast, thank you.
I do feel like the grocery stores are a marketing conspiracy and I shop accordingly. The latest advertising trend is bonus offers like 10 for $4, which are tricky because while it sounds like a good deal, you won’t know for sure unless you actually (gasp) do the math. Why can’t a store stop these gimmicks and simply earn consumer trust for having fair prices? Does such a thing still exist? Have we all become too jaded?
It also frustrates me to see how much of a grocery store is dedicated to packaged marketing, and how small the produce selection is in comparison.
And then I embark on soul-searching because - dang-it - I’m a designer in the marketing industry. Then I take comfort in the fact that I try to design for products and services I believe in.
Posted by nate on Sep 10, 2007 at 10:44am
Well said Amber. Knowing why we buy is definitely part of seeing through all that marketing cruft. Those kinds of questions you asked are definitely some of the things that make me shudder.
I hate the fact that perception management (via marketing or any other method) is necessary. I wish it were more about the truth and less about the perception of truth. But, if that were the case, we’d all have superman’s eyes.
Unfortunately, it’s a game we all play, whether we want to or not. We may hate it, but we still play it. We consume. We buy things. We sometimes sell things. We sometimes make things.
It’s a big game, that’s for sure.
Posted by Aaron on Sep 10, 2007 at 11:08am
Congrats on getting the book Amber. I got last weeks and am hoping to read it during my trip to New York.
Posted by Amber on Sep 11, 2007 at 09:43am
Hooray! I love winning stuff. Maybe Paco will write another book called Why We Blog.