Is there a science to shopper marketing?

Shopper marketing is now a mainstream marketing practice. In fact one study showed that 60% of brands are now investing in a shopper marketing focus. Another study showed that marketing budgets devoted to shopper research are growing by 21% per year. Companies who actively engage shoppers reap the rewards.

Shopper marketing is difficult to define because it is intangible by nature. As such deciding on the right approach to shopper marketing is complex. Various tools and technologies have been developed and adapted to study the shopper.

What are the tools available to better understand shopper behaviour? Is there a science to it and a way to make shopper marketing more tangible?

Following is a list, not a complete list by any means, of some of the shopper marketing tools available; traditional shopper interviews, intercepting shoppers in store, retailer interviews, analysing shopper blogs , Internet surveys, household data analysis, shopper segmentation, trip mission analysis, face to face interaction, covert shopper analysis, neuromarketing , eye-tracking research, using EEG technology, video communities, virtual shopping trips, psycho-sensory research, focus groups, exit surveys, anatomical sensory sensitivities, psychology and research blogs.

Personally, I haven’t used neuromarketing or EEG technology to analyse shoppers. I am sure that there is a benefit to the use of such technology to better understand shoppers. However, I believe that fact to face interaction with shoppers provides the best insight into their behaviour.

There are a few tricks to effective shopper and retailer interviews. You need to have an interest in people. You need to watch people and notice the subtle way they do things. You need the ability to walk up and talk to complete strangers. You need to ask open ended and non-leading questions. Your questions should not lead the respondent to a certain response.

The best interview technique will allow you to get into a shoppers mind in a way that neuromarketing, eye-tracking, EEG technology and other sciences could only dream.