Using Neuromarketing for Store Design and Layout

The recently published book, “The Buying Brain: Secrets for Selling to the Subconscious Mind”, written by Dr A.K. Pradeep, gives very interesting and useful insights about neuromarketing.

It provides lots of information about the brain and how it functions, about EEG-based in-store neurological testing and helps you understand how consumers actually make purchase decisions. Furthermore, it includes plenty of examples showing how this new technology is a game changer and could help you in practical ways to get competitive advantage.

For example, we learn that the brain delights novelty, dislikes straight lines and sharp angles and prefers natural textures over artificial textures. So, knowledgeable retailers, store designers and lay-out professionals could use neuromarketing to develop competitive store formats. They could create retail spaces with new designs and innovative merchandising, new applications of lighting, sound and textures and emphasize curves, avoid sharp lines, develop innovative displays, etc.

Therefore, we highly recommend marketers and all retail professionals to read this really fascinating and helpful business book!

Source: “The Buying Brain: Secrets for Selling to the Subconscious Mind”, Dr A.K. Pradeep, Publisher, John Willey & sons, Inc. 2010

Vision, Mission and Values in retail

During delivery of retail trainings it is very surprising to discover that many employees and sometimes even managers and supervisors don't know the company's vision, mission and values.

A vision statement defines the desired or intended future state of company. Vision is a long-term view, it is the source of inspiration. It is how to make a difference to customers, to the community, and to the world.

Mission is a formal, short, written statement purpose of an organization or a team. The company's mission statement tells why and for what purpose the company was formed, what services, goods and ideas it offers the public, and what its standards are. It should distinguish the company from all others and be stated clearly, be brief and simple so that it is understood by all (employees and customers).

The value statement is an expression of a company's core beliefs. Values drive an organization's culture and priorities. Companies write the value statement to identify and connect with the consumer. Additionally, this statement allows for the company's staff to be aware of the priorities and goals of the company.

Are your vision, mission and values defined? Are they understood and shared by your employees?

How to create a social responsability store concept?

CAMELEON (Brussels, Belgium), in its origin a passioned private sales fashion outlet, tries to realise this in the Brussels area.

Aware of the need to minimise the environmental burden by using ecological materials and equipment, CAMELEON has put its faith in renewable energies to make the Woluwe outlet the first ecologically-constructed store in Europe.

The beehives located on the rooftop of its new building reflect the wish of CAMELEON to establish a link with a symbol of biodiversity and ecology.

CAMELEON is a venue where all the family can enjoy, regardless of age. A child care facility welcomes our members' children in a specially designed area, so that parents can make the most of their visit to CAMELEON.

Source: Cameleon

A tasty chocolate shopping experience

Zaabär (Brussels, Belgium) was created in 2007 by Jean-Francois Decarpentrie. "Zaabär" the name is inspired by the Bazaar of Istanbul. The association of Belgian chocolate with spices from around the globe offers a rich source of tastes and emotions. More than an innovation in terms of flavor, Zaabär also innovates by creating, in October 2008, the Zaabär Factory Shop, space dedicated to chocolate, both shop and workshop. This space of 600 m2 wonderfully designed invites visitors to explore the craft of chocolate through its workshop. Since 2009, Zaabär organizes tours and chocolate courses in its space. Companies, schools, tourists and individuals are invited to attend courses to learn how to make truffles, bars or spicy chocolate shapes. Zaabär sells its chocolates throughout the world, Belgium, of course, but also in France, Germany, Spain, Canada and Japan ... in a network of delicatessens and quality confectionery.

Source: Zaabar

Shoes and women's rights

Sandrine François started in 2008 Belles Chaussures (Brussels, Belgium), her glamorous boutique boudoir. The artisan and bespoke Italian women shoes are displayed in a vintage backdrop with pink quilted sofas. They are sold with accessories from the American Betty Boop atmosphere. The universe that the designer created here, is entirely consistent with her pin-up style. The lacquered Peep Toe, the Low Boots, all shoes are unique models, and are exhibited on a wall, framed by a team that has designed stage sets, including the Opera de la Monnaie. The wall, the carpet and curtains are in satin pink-beige tones. The shop window displays the shoes on glass cloches or legs of mannequins. Amnesty International choose Belles Chaussures for the 2009 edition of their calender (month of April)... an elegant way for Sandrine François to link her name and image of her boutique to women's rights and the fight against violence.

Source: Belles Chaussures

Being Spaces

With face-to-face communication being rapidly replaced by email and chat, goods and services being purchased online, and big city apartments shrinking year by year, urban dwellers are trading their lonely, cramped living rooms for the real-life buzz of Being Spaces: commercial living-room-like settings, where catering and entertainment aren't just the main attraction, but are there to facilitate small office/living room activities like watching a movie, reading a book, meeting friends and colleagues, or doing your admin.

Starbucks is a great example on a global scale, while many companies in Japan, China and South-Korea offer deluxe gaming and manga-reading facilities, as well as semi-private DVD booths. Borders offers books, music and a cafe.

Being Spaces charge us for eating, drinking, playing, listening, surfing, working, or meeting, just as we would at home or in the office, while successfully reintegrating us into city life.

Cooking & Convenience

Cook&Go (Paris, France) is a new concept of a cooking workshop that enables you to do your shopping and your cooking in the same place and saving time. If daily cooking is a nightmare, Cook&Go offers you a convenient solution: ideas for recipes, fresh and natural ingredients at your disposal, no washing-up. You can focus on the fun and enjoyable part under supervision of the chef. You take along your meals at home in a special packaging suited for the fridge or deep frozen. The moment you want to have your meal, just follow the instructions.

Source: Cook&Go

A convenience store for upscale shoppers

Chez Jean (Paris, France) is a convenience store, a cafe, a top-up shop and an emergency dinner ingredients shop. Launched in February 2009, it is the outcome of collaboration between the Casino Group and Relay. As well as functioning as a reasonably upscale convenience store, Chez Jean shoppers can benefit from unlimited free coffee with their breakfast, phone sockets for recharging mobiles, an in-store cash dispenser and free wi-fi access. At the heart of the store is a newspaper, lottery and flowers counter, which wraps around a heavily clad pillar. The rest of the store is zoned by hue, with a light coloured area for fast food and assisted service for chilled or hot dishes, while the darker coloured area is for self-service grocery. For the French, the name Chez Jean imparts a feeling of warmth and familiarity, coupled with no-frills surroundings. This may be stretching the import of a couple words, but as a retail proposition that would find favour with urban workers, this is a format that does seem to service a need. Open from 7am to 11pm, seven days a week, this 1,485 sq ft shop is unlike anything else in the centre of a French city.

Source: Retail Week

A passion for authenticity

Since 1892, Maison Richard produces and selects wine and coffee with a permanent concern of quality standards.

Green beans imported from the five continents are selected and roasted in the workshops of Cafés Richard, their specific knowledge being the creation of quality assemblies.

Since many decades, Cafés Richard are the leading partners of bistrots and restaurants in France, combining their history with a spirit of tradition and modernity.

Emerged from this tradition, Les Comptoirs Richard (Paris, France) a subsidiary of Cafés Richard, was created to reflect their history and passion. Dedicated to the world of coffee, the, chocolate and infusions, Les Comptoirs Richard proposes the «essentials» for their preparation and tasting.

Source: Les Comptoirs Richard

The value of a chair

Your shop may be the most inviting on earth in your yves, but is it to everone?

Nothing can sabotage a client's experience more effectively than the long face of their shopping partner. A comfortable chair, some toys and a stack of magazines will set the disinterested at ease and let the shopper hunt along.

Source: Paco Underhill

Spectacles of French origin

Launched in 2001 Discount Optical (Paris, France) claims to offer the best products at the best possible price. Spectacles of French origin, free return policy, guaranteed low price and fast delivery.

Source: Discount Optical

Ring the bell

Did you know 80 percent of all women wear the wrong lingerie for their body type?
Some in-store expert advice can do wonders. Victoria's Secret installed a bell in all fitting rooms, so the clients can call for help whenever they need it. Privacy and comfort guaranteed!

Source: Victoria's Secret

Surfing on the "Being space" trend

Cook & Book (Brussels, Belgium) surfs on the “Being space” trend. Cook & Book's shopping experience enables letting go and offers a feel of well-being and human friendliness, and this in a lifestyle environment. 1500 m2 devided in nine thematic areas like strips, travel, music, garden, english bookshop, kitchen, arts, kids, fiction. The universe of a library is combined with the universe of a restaurant and this designed in a unusal, unique and inedit way.

Source: Cook & Book

Free samples

There are enough reasons not to buy a product. Its high price tag might tell our brain to refrain. It might not be of utmost importance. Or it might be new and unfamiliar. But who can resist a free try? One nibble or sip might be enough to succumb. sampling is selling indeed!