I can say without
embarrassment that I have returned to Trader Joe’s five times since my last
blog post. I’m amazed at how I become more cognizant of how consumer
behavior concepts apply throughout my shopping experiences with each shopping
trip.
My Perception of Trader Joe's
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| Naomi's Perceptual Map of Grocers |
As mentioned in my last
post, Trader Joe’s has this perception problem that it is a high priced grocer, similar to Whole Foods, since the chain sells very health conscious products. I have created a perceptual map in order to graphically depict how I
perceive Trader Joe’s in relation to other grocery stores (Babin/Harris). How does your perceptual map match up?
How Trader Joe's Guides Customer Attention
One way
that Trader Joe’s provides exposure and draws attention to specific products is
by creating sampling stations throughout the store. This brings various
products within a close proximity of shoppers so that it appeals to their
senses and the consumer has the opportunity to see, smell, and taste the
product (Babin/Harris). There is always one permanent sample station near the
back of the store that features some sort of food product and then has an
adjacent coffee station. During peak times for shopping, such as a weekend
afternoon, Trader Joe’s also has additional stands for sampling products
throughout the store. I fell victim to these marketing tactics and had an
immediately positive sensation when trying the pesto quinoa (the stimulus) with
the breaded cod (Babin/Harris). This sensation led to me
purchasing a jar of the pesto, and will probably be added to my list of
favorites! I am doubtful whether or not this particular product would have
caught my selective attention had the strength of the stimulus been as intense
as it was.
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| Trader Joe's intensifies stimulus through drawing attention to specific product offerings |
Also, keep it mind that if
there is anything other than the products that are currently being sampled
throughout the store, you are always able to ask an associate to try any given
item (even wine if you are of age!).
The Trader Joe's Crew Makes For A Smooth Sail
Another consumer behavior
concept I noticed while my most recent shopping trips to Trader Joe’s is
related to the message source. Typically retailers with low-paid employees see
a lot of turnover and incur high costs to train new employees. Trader Joe’s
invests a lot in their employees, and I have noticed firsthand the expertise,
knowledge, and great attitudes of the employees that are drastically different
from any other grocery clerk. During my most recent visit, I was staring
blankly into the expansive wine selection when a Trader Joe’s employee
approached me asking if I needed help. She asked me who I was shopping for and
went through a checklist of preferences with me and was able to provide
knowledge of not only the Trader Joe’s selection of wines, but wines from
various regions as well. I perceived the employee to have strong product
knowledge and a trusted source of advice on wine, and therefore believe that Trader
Joe’s that establishes strong message source credibility (Babin/Harris).
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| Trader Joe's Employee Benefits |
More on Trader Joe's employee selection and careers
Sources:
Babin/Harris (2014) Consumer Behavior
http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2013/03/the-trader-joes-lesson-how-to-pay-a-living-wage-and-still-make-money-in-retail/274322/
http://www.traderjoes.com/careers
Sources:
Babin/Harris (2014) Consumer Behavior
http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2013/03/the-trader-joes-lesson-how-to-pay-a-living-wage-and-still-make-money-in-retail/274322/
http://www.traderjoes.com/careers
