• October 26, 2009

A new study from Miller Zell finds that end caps - the end-of-aisle displays so favored by many consumer-product marketers - actually do have much stronger appeal than many other in-store displays.

The Atlanta-based retail consultancy reports that 70% of shoppers are influenced by end-of-aisle signage, while 50% are influenced by shelf blades and shelf strips. "Ceiling banners and overhead mobiles have the least amount of impact on consumer decision-making in the store environment," it says.

Perhaps even more significant is the overall importance of how stores look to shoppers: While people are still looking for lower prices, "the in-store experience continues to be a 'make or break' scenario for 69% of shoppers polled when selecting a store to visit." Drug store shoppers are much more susceptible to in-store messaging than grocery or mass merchandise shoppers.--Sarah Mahoney