Paco Underhill

Why We Buy

1. IDEA 1

   Shopping can be studied scientifically

   Underhill, a retail researcher, describes how his team watched and recorded thousands of shoppers to understand how they behave in stores. Small details of store design, he argues, strongly affect what people buy.

2. IDEA 2

   Entrances need space

   Underhill describes the decompression zone just inside a store's entrance, where shoppers adjust to the new environment. Products placed there are often ignored. Shoppers are still slowing down and looking around, so they miss what is placed there.

3. IDEA 3

   Shoppers dislike being bumped

   Underhill describes the butt-brush effect: shoppers, especially women, often leave an aisle if they are brushed from behind. Crowded aisles reduce sales. A shopper who feels bothered tends to move on without buying.

All 8 ideas from Why We Buy →