Have you ever paused to consider why your customers choose your products over the closest competitor? If you really think about it, what sets your products apart? In many respects, they’re exactly the same. Well, in an effort to understand your business better, you must understand your target customers and why they are or aren’t choosing your products.<\/p>\n
5 Non-Product Factors That Influence Purchase Decisions<\/strong><\/p>\n When it comes to choosing one product versus another, consumers – whether consciously or subconsciously – weigh a variety of factors. In an effort to organize these factors, it would be appropriate to create two distinct categories. There are product factors and non-product factors.<\/p>\n Product factors are directly related to the product itself. For example, if you’re shopping for a mop and you find two similar products on the shelf, you may choose one mop over the other because it’s made from sturdier materials. That’s a product factor.<\/p>\n Then you have non-product factors. These are aspects that aren’t directly related to the product itself, but still influence a customer’s decision. Specifically, there are five non-product factors that commonly come into play. From a business perspective, you need to consider these as much as you do the product factors.<\/p>\n Brand Name<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n The brand name is huge – and we’re not just talking about brand equity. The way the brand name sounds and the images it evokes both impact the purchase decision. That’s why coming up with good company names<\/a> is such a crucial task when launching a brand or product.<\/p>\n Using the mop example, would you be more likely to purchase a mop sold by the brand name Pure and Clean Solutions or Products Ltd. The first evokes strong imagery, while the latter is boring and non-descriptive – most would choose the first.<\/p>\n Product Placement<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n In physical retail environments, product placement is hugely important<\/a>. You’re obviously going to see much better results if your product is on an end cap in a highly trafficked area of the store versus tucked away on the bottom shelf in a back corner. This has nothing to do with the product itself, but is totally related to location.<\/p>\n For ecommerce businesses, product placement looks a little different. If you’re selling on Amazon.com, then placement is all about getting your product listing on the first page or in the side bar. You’re much likelier to earn sales in these positions than if you’re hidden on the fifth or sixth page.<\/p>\n Packaging<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n While some would argue packaging is a product related factor, most would agree it’s a non-product factor. If you remove the packaging and dispose of it in order to access the product, it’s not part of the product itself. With that being said, you should spend a considerable amount of time and effort perfecting packaging if you want to grab attention and positively influence purchase decisions.<\/p>\n According to Yasushi Kusume, the innovation and creative manager for IKEA and other leading brands, product packaging must do three things<\/a>. First, it needs to stand out and grab the audience’s attention. Second, it should encourage a purchase by conveying a unique and relevant value proposition. Third, it should fit with your brand’s positioning and remain authentic to your overall stance.<\/p>\n\n
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