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Insight to Action WorkshopShopper Behaviour – An

Introduction

Prepared for: AkzoNobelPrepared by: Iona Carter

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Some basic facts

Shopping for interior paints

Agenda

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Some basic facts

This isn’t FMCG

• Woodcare category shopping is infrequent… shoppers are always (potentially) faced with something new

• Generally accepted shopping principles do not therefore always apply.

• Category familiarity is low to medium – even amongst the most confident of shoppers

• Tendency to stick with what I know / have used before• Limited awareness of (new) product existence• Limited knowledge of ‘what (some) products are

supposed to do’

• Shoppers often don’t know what they don’t know… initial confidence upon approaching the category can be quickly dissipated.

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Some basic facts

Many shoppers ‘find it challenging’

• Unanticipated range complexity

• Lack of clarity (language vs. function vs. added value)• What do I need to do? And, which of these words describe that?

• Why do different product with similar claims have different prices?

• Why do I need different products for different structures?

• Must get it right (I’m supposed to be painting the shed this a’noon)

“Oh, my God – there is so much – what do I get? I can see that this isn’t going to be a quick selection

which is what I was hoping for!”“It really is quite daunting – I don’t know

what half of this stuff is for”

“I’m trying to find out what it means by protection - is that the same as preserve? It doesn’t use the word preserve, but somehow I feel that’s quite important”

“Some have preserve, some have treat, some have colour and protect…. What about this treatment… does that have colour in ? ”

“As far as I can tell – Total isn’t really that different from Ducksback… the both claim to preserve, protect and colour… I

guess it just depends on how much you want to spend”

“I’m not sure why you’d pay more for the garden wood preserver… at the end of the day, the Ducksback gives you a 5

year guarantee.. if you were to believe it”

“Does this shed stuff do furniture as well – I would think so, it’s

all just wood”

“If this [Total] does everything – then I suppose all of them can in reality” (Male, C)

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Some basic facts

Shopping for woodcare is often highly functional… though shopper needs are strongly influenced by the emotional / aesthetic

• Store driven = lack of consistency in communication / lack of visible or useful shopper support

• Shopper driven = in consequence… • stick with what I know and / or,• get thoroughly confused… look for routes to simplify

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Some basic facts

Shopping for garden woodcare

Agenda

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The purchase journey

If all these stages happen – they happen during one trip to the store

3 key intended ‘routes’ through the journey: A direct replacement journey. Little time given to

anything other than finding the Brand / Colour that they used before – the task is more one of navigation.

To get something similar to ‘re-do’ a job completed (probably a few years ago). Looking for similar colours & functional product claims will be considered

Getting something ‘new / different’. All steps including research, tends to happen in-store. More thorough inspection of functional claims to find a product that will suit an unfamiliar / complex task

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Journey turning points

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An out of stock or not stocked scenario can cause the shopper to reassess because ultimately, it is the right time to do the job. This can expose the shopper to potential new decision points

around functionality

OOS / Not Stocked

Seeing something new/different

This could create an extended trip (in most instances) and the shopper would reassess and research the fixture. Shades is an

example of product that offers something different and can attract consideration

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Journey turning points

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The shopper would need to explore other avenues (retailers) to match the current ‘look’ of what they have or it just sends them

into a deeper research phase

Inability to find similar product

Turning points for this mission are potential drop out from the category today as do not have the confidence to complete task

without further research / confirmation out of store.Again, Risk here is that shopper might not return to the same

retailer

Insufficient support in store

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Pre-store decision making is largely driven by loosely defined concepts for many shoppers (except if direct replacement)

There is an underlying requirement to continue using same / similar product if re-treating old wood

• Brand is therefore an implicit pre-store factor for many, though colour and type of liquid were more important if trade-offs became necessary.

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Pre-store decision making differences by project type (importance of factors)

( )

DIRECT REPLACEMENT / REPLENISHMENT

NEW WOOD / CHANGE LOOK / FIRST TIME

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Pre-store decision making differences by structure

Differences in decision making by structure were not as clear as might have been expected… due to relative lack of process and

product awareness amongst many shoppers.

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Once in store, shoppers’ awareness of potential differences between products increases…

Shoppers become more aware of:

Assumed pre-store simplicity of decision making challenged by category complexity in terms of functionality - especially in decking:

Pre-store decisions potentially unravelled

Driving more detailed consideration

Confusion often sets in

There is a massive disconnect between pre-store decision making and what shoppers (especially less knowledgeable shoppers) are faced with in store.

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“It says here that wood preserver gives a better result as it soaks deeper into the wood – but then Ducksback gives you a 5 year

guarantee as well – so what’s the difference.. and its much cheaper” (Male, C)

“Ducksback is twice the price – but it would last longer because it has wax… plus it’s quick drying and showerproof in an hour” (Male, C)

VS.

“It is long lasting, fade resistant and all weather just like all the other stuff [Total]… maybe it’s just more of those

things – I don’t know” (Male, RD)

“Cleaning, then restore… do you need to restore if you’ve cleaned it?... The only thing that’s clear to me is that I need to clean it first, but after that – what do I do? Oil it? Protect it? Colour it? How many do I need – or is there

one that does it all? Is stain the same as protector? Decking protector, is that the same as seal? What does a seal do?” (Female, RS)

Price differentialsFunctionality differentials (though don’t necessarily

understand)

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The role of brand in decision making

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Outside of pre-determined choices (same again please) - little known difference between Ronseal and Cuprinol, so in store decisions easily swayed by price / promoted price between 2

comparable products.

Any brand vs. OL

Specific brand (if remembered)

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The shopping process: lack of clear navigational signage means that shoppers rely heavily on pack cues to find their way around

Any or all visible pack cues used to identify desired department / aisle

Focus on ‘green’ / large-ish

Cuprinol = garden

Used to indicate structure for which product is intended

(Assumed to) provide additional (indirect) confirmation of structure

Also gives indication of application options (e.g. tins = paint on; plastic containers = spray on)

During latter stages of decision making (often confusing)

Reference (sometimes) made to back of pack details re. coverage, guarantees etc.

=

“If I see a picture of a fence – I’ll buy it for my fence, if I

see a picture of a summerhouse, I’ll

buy it for my summerhouse.”

“This isn’t sprayable – it’s in a tin.”

NAVIGATE TO DEPT.

NAVIGATE WITHIN DEPT.

BROWSE

REASSURE / SELECT