HVAC
A HOT TOPIC FOR THE RETAIL SECTOR
Andrews Air Conditioning’s Sales Director, Carl Webb, explores the importance of a temperature controlled retail environment in a competitive marketplace.
In April 2016, £28.1 billion of UK consumer spending was within the retail industry. As a competitive sector that is being forced to adapt to stay ahead, retailers are having to ensure that the shopping experience they provide is the best it can be to entice shoppers away from convenient online purchasing.
THE IN-STORE EXPERIENCE Despite a growth in online sales over
recent years, shopping in-store is still popular. Many recent studies have been conducted on consumer behaviour and all have found that over 70% of respondents prefer to browse in a physical store when compared with online shopping.
As we know, consumers are now able to compare prices online in an instant, ensuring they secure their desired product or service at the most competitive price. However, when it
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comes to in-store purchases, there is much more to the decision making process than is immediately obvious.
AMBIENT FACTORS Ambient factors are all around us;
they are often used strategically by retailers to create an environment that lends itself to an immersive shopping experience. These could include factors such as lighting, temperature and scent. You may have noticed the smell of freshly baked bread as you make your way around the supermarket.
Recently, the trend to have music playing in stores was disrupted by Marks & Spencer, when the retailer announced that it would be switching off the music in its stores for a period following feedback from customers and staff. This is quite a change as background music has been used by shops for decades and it is claimed
by some researchers that the music played in retail outlets tends to contain a rhythm that’s much slower than the average heartbeat, which subconsciously encourages customers to spend more time in the store.
Despite many ambient factors making their way into our subconscious, it is much more difficult to ignore an uncomfortable temperature. Many shoppers won’t try on garments if it’s too warm and the same if it’s too cold. The shopping experience should be a pleasant one.
IMPACT OF TEMPERATURE
ON CUSTOMER ACTIVITY There are many reasons why customers visit a store rather than shop online, but just how important is getting the temperature right?
Some of the main reasons customers will shop in-store include:
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