Thursday 17 November 2011

Unit pricing – the ultimate test of retail credibility?



Following the end of the Age of Credit, and the emergence of the savvy consumer demanding demonstrable value-for-money, it is surely time for retailers to find a way of making like-with-like price comparison easier for even non-savvy shoppers.
In fact there is a real opportunity for a fast-footed retailer to gain the innovator's advantage forever, by being first with effective unit pricing.
First, given current low levels of numeracy amongst the population, unit pricing has to be explained (continuously) both at point of sale and in mass media
Incidentally, if true like-with-like comparison reveals a shortfall in defensible value-for-money compared with available competition, so be it... Better to reduce the retail price than have shopper-demand do it for you...
Finally, the like-with-like comparison needs clear, unambiguous and legible signing on shelf.
An interesting article by Which is currently pushing for change, but the real issue at stake is brand credibility, meaning the name over the door…
Brand owners well know that brand viability pivots on the fact that the cost of persuading a consumer to try a brand is so high that profits depend on that consumer coming back to the brand over and over, without having to be re-persuaded…
Loosing that credibility by deliberate price-deception on-shelf means not only losing repeat purchase, but can result in the shopper telling 10 friends…
(There has to be an app somewhere in this, may even be tempted myself….)

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