Right-hand side stands for
impulsive reactions

Looking at the right side is connected with brain activity responsible for imagination and new cognitive constructions. For most people the right side is also strongly connected to the better manual functions (due to their right-handedness). This is why impulse decisions in the shop are more often taken for products placed ’within reach’, on the right-hand side.

CONSEQUENCES FOR BUSINESS

Thinking about the right side principle is crucial in the case of:

  • sales of impulse products
  • sales of products in the category with a high level of substitution between brands
  • building displays, when we count on trying out new products

    • The right side principle concerns both the arrangement of products on additional displays and
    on the shelves.

CASE STUDY

A retailer from the modern trade market analysed the popularity of various display points for beer placements. Results of the customer traffic and points of purchase indicated unambiguously that with a symmetrical product displays on the left and right side of the shopping route, displays on the right always yielded better sales, amounting to between 72% and 113% of the results from the displays on the left.

BUSINESS RESULTS

Placing product displays from appropriate categories on the right-hand side of the shopping route is likely to yield several times better sales results than comparable displays on the left-hand side.

TIPS BEFORE APPLICATION:

  • Ask yourself: Is the category in which we want to promote the product an impulse or more planned/rational one? Are there significant flows/high level of substitution between particular SKUs?
  • Ask yourself: Does the sale of the product involve the potential of customer’s cognitive engagement? Do we have the chance to show something which will constitute an interesting impulse shopping stimulus?