Retail Love Affair: The Science Behind Desire — Part 1
Our five-part series examines the neurological forces that influence behavior, creating a framework for brands to make an impact in retail.
As retail competition rises and trust in government declines, brands are swiftly stepping into a new role, one with a social responsibility to advocate for causes and enhance life. In this fast moving retail environment, where loyalty is a commodity, brands need to make a significant impression. By understanding what customers’ desire, what they value, and why, we can hone in on opportunities for brands to create a bond that extends deep into the fabric of peoples’ lives.
Our Retail Love Affair series reveals a framework for brands to fuel desire by fulfilling needs (actual or perceived), driving retail behaviors, and ultimately creating bonds with customers. Delivered in five parts, we will explore the following areas: decision efficiency, trust, pleasure, belonging, and empowerment.
In the customers’ world, desire lies at the intersection between value and emotion. When we connect to others and make productive decisions, it strokes our ego with a positive sense of self that produces immense satisfaction. Thanks to our understanding of neurochemistry (for example, oxytocin, which plays a crucial role in social bonding, or dopamine, which plays a significant role in reward), along with well-researched aspects of behavioral psychology, brands can create more intimate relationships with customers and keep them coming back.
This brings us to Part 1 in our series: creating loyalty through “efficiency”. According to Harvard Business School professor, Gerald Zaltman, 95% of our purchase-making decisions take place in the subconscious mind. We gravitate towards automaticity and appreciate experiences that avoid conscious consideration. Habits play an important role in building our emotional connections. The more we engage in an experience, the more it becomes a part of our lives. How can we make a brand a habit, an addiction, a reliable place for romance and desire?
Part 1: Efficiency — It’s About Time
“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” — Leonardo Da Vinci
Today, simply having a great product is no longer enough. When customers align themselves with a brand, they are making a choice about how they want to be perceived in all aspects of their lives. What a brand stands for has become more important than ever. The retail landscape demands we create a world where values speak louder than product and brands act as contributors to our identity.
Engaging in efficient experiences speaks to how we choose to function in the modern world. When our ego is met with feelings of competence and intellect that come from an efficient experience, it supports a desired self-perception that says to others “my time is valuable.” Let’s own these key functional behaviors by making the best use of customers’ time.
Make it Easy.
Steve Jobs said, “It’s not the customer’s job to know what they want.” In fact, the less choices customers are given, the happier they are with their decisions. Brands can create more satisfying interactions that customers will gravitate to again and again by simplifying their decision-making process.
Dollar Shave Club fulfills an everyday need with highbrow services, creating a quality experience that leaves customers feeling more confident in their purchases. By narrowing the product selection process through a “Find Your Match” tool, the brand is able to provide a definitive solution in an experience that isn’t overwhelming.
In a crowded market, convenience wins. Brands must play by the customers’ rules and integrate into their schedule with services when and where they are needed most.
From surge pricing to bad press and questionable ethics, Uber has given its customers every reason to abandon ship yet the company has remained on top. By eliminating usage barriers, such as ordering and paying for rides, Uber offers customers an experience that saves them time and effort, making a positive impact on daily living routines, which is simply too valuable to give up.
Make it Familiar.
Our brains understand the world by matching new encounters to references from the past. The more familiar we find an experience, the more we trust it, and therefore engage with it. Our experiential knowledge eliminates any questions or concerns, simplifying our decisions and leaving us feeling confident.
When Facebook first became popular, it not only redirected users away from a similar social media site, Myspace, but also managed to keep them engaged years later. By building on familiarity and leading with intuition, Facebook was able to form new habits as users persistently checked for updates multiple times a day — making its mark as a social addiction. The site’s consistent and recognizable look and feel makes users comfortable in the experience, so much so that when that comfort is slightly threatened with change, they are outranged.
Stepping away from traditional methods of distribution to offer experiences that are seamlessly integrated into the customers’ lives adds context and relevance. This is another way we are seeing brands make an impact and carve out their niche.
Driven by a clear purpose, to make peoples’ lives simpler, Amazon offers unlimited access within the customer’s daily routine. By meeting customers where they are and recommending simple solutions, Amazon leaves their customers with immediate feelings of satisfaction, relief, and trust — further challenging the industry with a reputation that services everyone’s needs efficiently.
Key Takeaways:
- VALUE THEIR TIME. Offer efficient experiences that fuel a positive self-perception.
- BECOME A HABIT. Integrate into a lifestyle and routine.
- MAKE IT EASY. Narrow options to simplify decision-making.
- MAKE IT FAMILIAR. Create consistent and recognizable experiences.
Post by: Danielle Tieman, Brand Strategist at The Science Project, in collaboration with James Thompson, Ph.D., Co-Founder, CSO/CTO at Evoke Neuroscience, Inc.
