Sensory experiences increase 10% in-store sales, according to a Mood Media study

Walnut Unlimited's behavioral study for this technology specialist and sports retailer Intersport confirms that sensory marketing has an emotional impact, positive cognitive and behavioral in buyers.

Mood Media, specialist media solutions at the point of sale to improve the customer experience, has presented the behavioral marketing study Quantifying the impact of sensory marketing, which shows that sensory marketing has a positive impact on buyers within the point of sale.

In this study, Mood Media has partnered with Intersport, your international sports retail client, to carry out a controlled experiment that found that when sensory marketing was applied, sales increased by a 10%, as well as shoppers spending nearly six more minutes in the store.

"Aware that the 78% of the study's shoppers say a pleasant atmosphere plays a key role in deciding to buy a product in a physical store rather than online., we partner with Walnut Unlimited to develop quantitative behavioral and neuromarketing research that demonstrates how shoppers react firsthand to specific sensory experiences.", explains Scott Moore, chief marketing officer of Mood Media.

The result of this research is clear to the manager: "a high-level strategic approach to incorporating sensory elements into the store creates a measurable emotional response with consumers that delivers positive end results".

For the preparation of the study, Mood Media created an environment that was divided into two phases in a store in Amsterdam. In the first one, all the sensory elements were activated., including music, the smell of freshly cut grass and digital signage. The second was a 'senseless' phase, eliminating all sensory and visual elements of the establishment.

The results obtained were compared with three 'control stores' of the firm Intersport that remained unchanged in their environment.

To measure the emotional impact of sensory marketing and gain insight into the different behavioral and cognitive responses of the consumer, Walnut Unlimited measured galvanic skin responses (GSR) and visual eye tracking (ET).

"As we develop our omnichannel strategy, we focus on enhancing our physical stores with memorable and engaging experiences that connect with our customer base," says Chris Kleine., director of design and development of IIC-Intersport-. Research has further highlighted the importance of sensory experiences in creating a positive in-store environment that engages shoppers again and again.".

Positive impact of sensory stimuli in the store

• Shoppers bought more items (increase in 4%), as well as higher priced items (increase in the value of the 6%) when sensory marketing elements were implemented.
• The use of aroma is even more impactful when used to highlight a specific department or area.. The aromatization of the football area managed to increase the emotional levels of the clients in a 28%, compared to the initial figure.
• Since the fragrance was used in the football area to date, Intersport has noticed an increase in 26% in sales in this category in the test store, compared to the performance of the same category in all other stores nationwide.
• Based on eye tracking metrics (ET), awareness of the existence of digital displays in the store increased by 5% when moving images were activated on the digital display, vs. static images.
• Based on galvanic skin response metrics (GSR), the lack of sensory elements in the store caused a 17% feel more emotionally sensitive and uncomfortable in an unusually quiet, stimuli-free environment.
• Consumers like to see themselves, what the study describes as "the science of narcissism"”". Measurements of galvanic skin response (GSR) and eye tracking (ET) showed a significant increase in nervous system activity and engagement when consumers were reflected in mirrors and interacted with products in front of those mirrors.
• Buyers showed an emotional increase in 50% when touching and interacting with a product.
• Para conocer más detalles y comprender cómo los compradores de Intersport reaccionaron a las experiencias sensoriales pulsar este enlace.

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