Follow the path to purchase
By Jonathan Dodd, G2
Shoppers now make myriad detours on their buying journey. Mapping how the consumer can be influenced at each juncture is critical.
The path to purchase has played a central role in shopper marketing's evolution over the past decade, from tactical activity to strategic discipline. But as useful as various path to purchase models have been at framing strategic discussions, fundamental changes in the marketing landscape are forcing a re examination of the concept.
Most path to purchase models track the sequential steps that lead a shopper from initial need prompt to ultimate purchase. Whether in the form of a line, a funnel or a cycle, most lend a sense of visual order to the shopping process to help guide strategy development and programme creation. That sense of order, however, is becoming a liability for these tried-and-true marketing tools. As the shopping experience grows more complex, fluid, and digital, the path from need to purchase is rarely a straight line.
In fact, the path to purchase was never quite as linear as some of the models seem to suggest. But now, sweeping changes in technology, marketing and shopping are making the need for a new, more flexible model even more urgent:
Online experiences and exposure have a significant impact on purchases made in traditional bricks and mortar stores. A growing percentage of shoppers now research online. According to Pew Research Center data, in 2010 some 89% of shoppers started their Christmas shopping online and 60% of mums shopped online for coupons or special offers.
With smartphones and tablets, shoppers can now to do their homework in the store, accessing such information as product specifications, nearby stockists and price comparisons. These devices can also compress the shopping process from consideration to purchase at any stage along the path to purchase by providing the opportunity to buy instantly.
Facebook, other social networking sites and a host of shopping apps from retailers and marketers make shopping an even more social endeavour and provide new opportunities for brands to engage with shoppers.
Our work in this area has been to evolve the path to purchase model in a way that captures the increasing complexity of the shopping experience and identifies points for engaging consumers with relevant messages and experiences. The work has been discipline-neutral, engaging not only shopper marketing, but other areas of expertise that influence shopper behaviour: branding and design, interactive, and relationship marketing…. This article was first published in AdMap, 8th April 2011
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About the author:
As G2’s Global Strategy Director, Jonathan Dodd is responsible for building and evolving G2’s capability to meet all client needs. Throughout his career, Jonathan has been intrigued by the relationship that consumers have with brands beyond traditional media. During his time with Grey Group and WPP, he has played a key role in the development of non-advertising capabilities, ultimately leading to the formation of our company. Prior to G2, Jonathan was a founding partner of Joshua, a top integrated agency that is now part of the G2 network. Jonathan has led the development of our Shopper Marketing practice making G2 one of the world’s leading shopper marketing agencies.
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