Accompanied Shops

An estimated 90% of the brain activity is unconscious. Even the more complex aspects that at one point needed active thinking have become habitual and more unconscious in their nature. Getting to the heart of this at point of purchase is something we think is key for pretty much any business. In that moment when a consumer is reaching for our brand or a competitor, there has been a string of thoughts and triggers that have led to that moment. We find the best way to intercept that moment is in an accompanied shop, and by asking in that very moment, why did you do that? We break the unconscious stream of thought and learn the hidden rationale. 

To undertake this process, we recruit consumers to join us on a shop. Once we have joined them, we ask them to shop as they would, and we will settle in a roaming interview where we ask them several questions as they shop. Naturally, the interview steps up a gear once we reach the Client category in question. This is where we will explore the more detailed points of the purchase environment, such as packaging in context, stand out, comprehension, etc. 

This approach will often help us find the more subtle moments that occur at the point of purchase, as these are usually hugely influential to conversion and product perception. It is often amazing how much effort goes into NPD / EPD, distribution and marketing, and yet arguably the most important moment – that brief period they spend at the point of purchase – is often ignored. If a Client lists their products in-store and wants to understand the full picture, this type of research is an absolute must.