Read the text and do the task below:
Customer behaviour
If
you have ever been shopping and thought you were getting a bargain simply
because the price appeared in red, or have left a shop because the sales
assistant talked too much, you’re not alone. In fact, your actions are quite
typical, according to experts on customer behaviour.
When
it comes to shopping, experts explain that women think about everything much
more carefully than men. A recent study showed that when men saw an
advertisement with the prices written in red, they believed the shop was
offering greater price savings than those printed in black. They felt very
positive about buying the product as well.
In
contrast, red didn’t have the same effect on female shoppers. It actually made
them suspicious. Experts explain that if women see an ad in red, they question
what’s happening and think they have to be extra careful. ‘Am I being tricked?’
they will ask themselves. Women also seem to have a much better memory than men
when it comes to the prices in advertisements. This could be because men don’t
think so hard about adverts or because they just aren’t that interested.
In
a separate study, it was found that customers seem to prefer sales people who
can correctly read moods. This is news for managers who believe that sales will
increase if shop assistants are always happy and friendly to customers.
Researchers believe that the findings suggest that customers don’t always want
sales staff to be extremely happy and chatty. Instead, we prefer staff who
understand body language.
The
key to a successful sale, then, is reading the customer’s mood and matching
that mood. The experts explain that it isn’t advisable to match the mood of a
customer who’s angry; a customer who is in a hurry or in a bad mood would
rather deal with a sales person who understands them, can serve them quickly or
just leave them alone – and not try to get them to chat about their
family.
There
are of course some factors which are outside the control of shop owners – like
the weather, which can really change people’s moods. Experts are confident that
good weather means good news for shop owners. As much as 60–80% of customer
decisions are made while people are actually in a shop, rather than before or
after their visit. And as more people are out and about during nice weather,
there is a higher chance they are shopping and therefore more opportunity for
shops to make a sale. Rain and snow have the opposite effect, as people prefer
to stay at home.
Choose the correct answer:According to one study, when men saw prices written in red