Nobody buys a product unless it meets a NEED. Period.
Consider this: A man buys a Ferrari. Why? What need is he filling? If he wants a fast car, he could buy a Corvette for a third of the price. So why, a Ferrari? He probably wants to stand out, to be recognized.
A shopper buys a computer game. Why? Most likely a need to escape from real life for a while.
Every product is purchased because of a perceived need, even if the shopper doesn’t consciously realize the need they’re seeking to fulfill.
There are six basic types of need (detailed in "Why people buy things"), to which any consumer shopping mentality will almost always apply. Your merchandising messages should be centered around the need which will be most prevalent in the shopper’s mentality during their visit to your site.
Content that feeds the needWhy does one purchase a 52” plasma television? Because they have bad vision? Most likely not. How many people purchase a television that big to watch it alone? Almost none. You buy a massive television so you can have the home your friends gather to for Sunday football. You buy it to be liked, or recognized.
If your merchandising description of the television is all technical specs – you’re less likely to sell it effectively than if you feed the need:
| Basic Description | Feeding the need |
| Build the perfect home theater room around this incredible entertainment piece!
Enjoy the crisp definition and bright imagery of Samsung's Cinema Smooth 1080p Light Engine; a phenomenal 10,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio delivers the full range of vivid colors, bright whites, deep blacks and nuanced tones. SRS TruSurround XT audio fills the room with clear, robust sound. Fast, 16 micro-second switching speed virtually eliminates motion blur; Game Mode optimizes performance so gamers will marvel at the lifelike action. Full digital connectivity with 3 HDMI ports allows digital connectivity to Cable/Satellite boxes Blu-ray players, AV receivers, and more. |
Both of the descriptions above say essentially the same thing, in terms of product information. Both list the same technical specifications. Both describe the same product. But the description on the right “feeds the need”. It actually gets the shopper thinking about what it would be like – what experiences they might have – if they had THIS television.
The difference between a business manager and a merchandiser
Retailers and business people in general tend to think in black and white. We have to manage budgets and finances, inventory and suppliers, marketing plans and all the intricacies of a retail operation.
As a result, we tend to think in terms of just describing the product in its basic “black and white”. While it’s just as important that your product descriptions contain detailed technical specs for the shoppers that want to evaluate them – feeding the need is incredibly important to effective merchandising.
Designing to meet the need
Feeding the need goes beyond just your product descriptions though. Your site’s design should feed the most prevalent needs of your shoppers. If your shoppers seek entertainment – they seek to escape life for a while – and your site is dull and boring…you’re not feeding their need.
Why are Ferrari dealerships luxurious and flashy? Because they’re shoppers want to be exclusive – they want to feel exclusive when they’re buying the car.
If you could sell Ferraris from a shack on main street…that’s how they would be sold. But that wouldn’t meet the need of the shopper, and that’s why it isn’t done.
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