Making Shopping Fun

There are two kinds of consumers: hedonic and utilitarian. Hedonic means that the person is more likely to evaluate a product or store based on pleasantness and fun. Utilitarian means they are more focused on product features and price. Although people evaluate products and stores based on a combination of pleasantness and function, most people tend to put more emphasis on one or the other.

Hedonic vs. Utilitarian Consumers

Hedonic consumers are all about pleasure. They love shopping as an experience, are more likely to shop with friends, spend more time in the store and shop more frequently. Utilitarian customers make a list or research price and features ahead of time, then dash in to make their purchase. What kind of shoppers do you think typically spend more money? That’s right – it’s the hedonic shoppers. So it pays to appeal to this type of customer.

Sensory Strategies for Hedonic Shoppers

Although both hedonic and utilitarian consumers both respond positively to sensory marketing, hedonic shoppers are more likely to rate sensory factors as more important. Appeal to them with displays that encourage them to pick up and touch your products and with ambient scent.

Consider changing up your store’s fragrance based on the time of year by using seasonal scents. For example, you could use Vintage Bloom around Mother’s Day or Valentine’s Day. Try delicious Apple Pie or Pumpkin Spice in the fall.

Another strategy is to use fragrances that go along with specific promotions. How about using spa-like White Tea & Bamboo when you have a sale on towels, bathrobes or skincare products? Diffusing Beach Fiesta will make your swimsuit sale more fun. The fun surprise of a new scent will delight hedonic shoppers and encourage them to visit frequently.

Multi-sensory displays and decor are also appealing to hedonic shoppers. It’s important to make sure that all of your sensory elements including lighting, displays and scent all go well together. Believe it or not, certain fragrances are similar in people’s minds to particular colors and textures. If the scent is too different from what people expect subconsciously, you will not get the same effect. Talk to your Air Esscentials rep to find out which scents go with different types of display elements.

By making your store fun with scent and other sensory strategies, you can attract and keep high value hedonic customers. You’ll be celebrating all the way to the bank!