No Research Needed, Just Grab a Stroller

You have spent thousands of dollars trying to market to me. I have seen your print ad, received an email blast or was chatted up on Twitter either way…it worked! I am in your store! You would think that would be the end of the marketing game, that now I am a loyal customer…think again.

No matter how you reach your target audience, if the store experience does not match up you have wasted the dollars spent on the campaign. If your target audience is mommies, please borrow a baby stroller and try to navigate your store!

I have discovered this problem only five months ago when Baby Crawfish joined me in my shopping adventures. I never knew that this problem existed before but as a mommy it is a big problem and very frustrating. When shopping in the children’s department you would think that a mom and baby team would be able to cruise between the racks with ease but this is not the case. If you add to the mix a sleeping baby and hitting the stroller on the racks while trying to navigate, this can only lead to disaster and immediate surrender back to the car to return home.

Marketers spend so much time carefully researching what influences purchase decisions. Not being able to access the products on the rack or make it to the checkout counter is a challenge that is easily fixable. It won’t take thousands of dollars spent on research to experience your store as a mommy, just grab a stroller and go.  I understand that retailers need to maximize their product per square foot but keep your target audience in mind.

It is so hard to get around as a mom. You have to pack enough supplies for what seems like a month, find a parking space big enough to park and be able to get the baby seat out, you have to pull out the stroller, load up the stroller with all the stuff you packed and then once you have crossed those hurdles you can make it into the store. Help your target audience have an enjoyable experience while in your store and then you will create a loyal customer. 


Here is another example on Knowing Thy Audience, http://www.blueacorn.com/blog/ecommerce-business-issues/know-thy-audience-members/.