While it’s only natural for brick and mortar retailers to feel compelled to compete with ecommerce solutions based on price and delivery, they do have a sizable advantage over online merchants: the ability to create a multisensory experience that emotionally engages each shopper.
Studies show that engaging as many senses as possible, helps retailers develop a deeper connection with shoppers, both in-store and through direct-mail promotions. In turn, those deeper connections can lead to more repeat business.
We know products that appeal to multiple senses have a higher chance of being purchased (and not returned after purchase). Here’s how brand managers and creative directors can achieve deeper connections and increase product sales with special effects screen printing used in retail packaging and POP displays.
Please Touch the Merchandise
The physical experience a shopper has in-store starts visually—through retail displays, signage and ambient lighting.
The sounds of an establishment also matter, which is why curated playlists have found increased popularity—music sets a tone–a personality–but it also can compel shoppers to linger. Scents can similarly be used to evoke certain moods and pleasant associations.
However, it’s the sense of touch, and multiple opportunities to literally get the feel of a product and brand, that can provide especially powerful results. The sensation that comes from touching an item is strong enough to trigger an emotional driver called the “endowment effect.”
The Endowment Effect
The longer a consumer holds onto something whether it’s a packaged product or one on a hanger—the more that object is “endowed” with a sense of ownership. In effect, it literally starts to feel like it belongs to them and lessens the likely it will be returned it to its display.
For a clothing retailer, for instance, that means even price tags–which everyone turns over to look at—that draw visual attention and are pleasant to handle can enhance the experience and potentially improve sales by triggering the endowment effect. Similarly, being encouraged to try on merchandise, to experience it and even taste it if feasible—further engages a shopper. You can read more about the Endowment Effect here in the recent article, Want to Save Some Money? Shop without Touching.
Even after a purchase, making sure the packaging being used is appealing and has after-sale uses, can help keep a retailer’s brand top-of-mind and promote it beyond its typical reach. This helps ensure confirmatory bias, which is the reinforcement that the consumer has made the right choice (the opposite is buyer’s remorse).
Multisensory Marketing with Special Effects Screen Printing
Simply put, appealing to multiple senses increases product sales, and special effects screen printing offers a wide variety of possibilities to appeal to multiple senses when applied to packaging and POP displays.
The Best Part: these special effects can be customized to your brand, product and retail environment so that your products are perceived by consumers as Anything but Ordinary.
Contact us to learn about multisensory marketing and special effects screen printing
