Jean Richer from CIM (Consumer Impact Marketing): An introduction to shopper marketing in Canada – [Liveblogging Infopresse]

Marketing at the point of purchase is important: 60% of brands are chosen at the time of purchase, many make impulse purchases and/or shop without a list (and the lists do not mention brands).

The traditional funnel (from attraction to loyalty) is replaced by a new 4-step process: initial considerations, active in-store evaluation, moment of truth ("in the last three feet"), loyalty, if any takes place.

The in-store experience is now an integral part of brand identity. You have to match a product to a buyer and their state of mind and not to a segment (Editor's note: we have already been doing this for a few years through the use of personas in our Web strategic planning process). Use clues to have the right environment, the right product, the right price, the right communication.

Three facets of shopper marketing:

1. Buyer characteristics: personas, market research
2. In-store marketing / behavioral influencers: interrelation between brands (including private labels), interactive LCD devices at the point of sale
3. Purchasing environment: traffic generators, in-store traffic monitoring (RFID on baskets and surveillance cameras), eye tracking, virtual environment to plan the impact on shelf space (product next to those of competitors), basket with integrated interactive terminal, mobile applications with coupons (Yowza), interactive point of sale (Everywhere display, with projector).

See the characteristics of the buyer at Wal-Mart who declines his personas for whom the company has the motto "we save canadians money so they can live better", and for whom Wal-Mart optimizes its campaigns: "Wal-Mart campaigns & Huggies” (cost sharing of online content creation and in-store sales clerks), Wal-Mart branded Coca-Cola vending machines at Wal-Mart.

Marketing spend made in-store is very profitable (and this observation applies very well in the “store” part of your website too). Proctor & Gamble is moving in this direction.

Important elements for success:

1. Think like the buyer
2. Take advantage of space
3. Ensure promotions reach the right buyers
4. Collaborate with suppliers and brands

The Web seems to be increasingly influencing in-store sales: but one question remains unanswered for us: what Web data is used for shopper marketing?