There are thousands of products on display in a supermarket. Most of them are competing with each other in terms of price and prestige. There are products shamelessly marketed as luxurious and often tagged at a higher price while other products are more budget friendly. Depending on the budget of consumers, they make their choice carefully.
Price is not the only metric, however. Consumers also consider these factors when deciding on which product to buy:
Meaningful Words
Ever since product labels became a marketing tool, companies have spent hours and countless resources trying to find the label printing solutions that will get their product to shopping carts. Not all labels are created equal. Others are printed in bold letters and laminated to protect the product information they contain. Others looked more homemade, giving products that artisan touch. The information on those labels also made a big difference in whether customers buy or not. There are certain keywords, such as ‘healthy’, ‘less sodium’, ‘fortified’, and ‘organic’ that make customers give a product another look. Even the colours used on labels play a significant role, as green is associated with healthy food while brown may be linked with organic practices. Red, in general, attracts attention, which is why companies include this colour on labels if they have made ‘significant’ improvements to their products.
Familiarity
Some brands have been around for quite a while and though their packaging may have changed, they did so in subtle stages that make the brand still recognisable to their patrons. Once a family has gotten used to a certain kind of product and it had become part of their routine, it will take a drastic change for them to switch to another brand. The change can be in their lifestyle, which could result in finding alternatives that are healthier. Another change is their financial capacity to continue enjoying their previous lifestyle. With skyrocketing prices, they may want to save by buying a cheaper product, especially if their family has grown bigger and they need to stretch their budget further. Yet another change has more to do with the brand than the consumer’s preferences: a smear on their trusted name. If they happen to be involved in negative headlines, consumers may be wary of buying.
Origins
There is a preference for locally grown produce because it means they take a shorter time to reach consumers, which helps retain their freshness. It also supports the local economy. However, if certain products have a good quality associated with a certain point of origin, even if it’s not local, they will have consumers lining up as well. Take the case of Australian beef or wagyu beef. Even Swiss watches have the name of the place attached to them. Certain chocolates are also expected to be of higher quality and better taste when they come from known producers of chocolate.
Another thing to consider is whether the produce was grown organically or not. Its origin, such as a small organic farm versus a big and chemical-dependent farm, will determine its desirability for a certain demographic.
When it comes to marketing products, companies need to know how to make labels work for them. Know what should go on each label to attract attention.