Retail Store

Chen, Ma, Xiao, and Qin studied the effects of product form on perceptions.  They report that field and lab research “showed that circular (vs. angular) shapes of new products decreased perceived learning costs, which, in turn, enhanced consumer innovation adoption intentions. . . . For products positioned for ease of use, circular shapes are likely to be more appealing, whereas for products positioned for capability an angular design would be more advantageous. . . . our findings also applies to service designs.

Min, Liu, and Anderson investigated managing visual complexity.  They found that “Brands and retailers often offer different aesthetic versions of the same base product that vary from visually simple to visually complex. . . . Consumers associate simple (vs. complex) visual aesthetics with lower production costs when evaluating different aesthetic versions of a product. . . . An important downstream implication of this lay belief is that consumers’ willingness to pay is lower for visually simple (vs. complex) versions.

Lee and Kim determined that there are clear effects on behavior when people feel younger and also suggest that design can influence how old people feel.  The investigators share that “Building upon previous research on subjective age—that is, how old one feels—and consumer identity, we propose that consumers will gravitate towards sustainable products when they feel younger than older. This is because such products align well with their perceived age identity, creating a perception of fit.

Nanni and Ordanini studied the implications of in-store digital signage.  They learned via data collected in grocery stores that “Using digital signage alongside traditional displays doesn't always boost sales of discounted products. Distance between discounted products and digital screens affects the impact of digital price promotions. Price promotions on distant digital screens boost sales of discounted products. Price promotions on nearby digital screens don't significantly impact sales of discounted products. . .

Yi and colleagues assessed how societal conditions influence desired distances between products for sale; it is possible that their findings can be generalized more broadly.  The Yi-lead team found “that consumers under disease threat are less willing to buy products presented in a dense display. This is because disease threat activates a high-density avoidance mindset, which is carried over to the way in which products are placed. Moreover, this effect is mitigated [reduced] when diseases are noninfectious or when disinfectant products are displayed.