Comments on how "Merchandise Display Affects Consumer Behavior"

This particular article investigated how the coordination and display of retail merchandise influenced consumers’ behavior. Previous research provides little evidence of the effects of retail merchandise displays on consumer shopping behavior. In addition, previous research used visual images rather than actual goods when investigating consumers' responses to merchandise display.

The author of this article suggests to consider coordinating goods to increase their perceived quality (i.e. their aesthetic beauty and social desirability). Poorly-designed or unattractive retail merchandise displays may reduce the perceived values of the goods and contribute to decreased sales. I know that I, as a consumer, respond strongly to the aesthetics of retail merchandise displays.

The article states that when poorly-coordinated goods (e.g., clashing patterns) were displayed next to each other they had a negative influence on subjects’ opinion of an individual good in the display. However, the reverse was not always true; placing well-coordinated goods together did not necessarily increase subjects’ opinions of the individual good. When subjects evaluated a display of multiple goods as aesthetically pleasing or socially desirable, it increased their regard for an individual good in the display.

There is only a small section of the tea house that displays retail goods (other than food items). Using these ideas of grouping and creating a well-thought out, coordinated and aesthetically pleasing display will be key. I would also apply this to the library section of the shop, so the books and things are neat and easy to locate, making it more user-friendly. In doing this in the library section, customer's will be more likely to venture over to this section to find out more about tea and the culture of tea, which, in turn, may help sell more tea and tea-related product from the retail display.