Frank Dekker's opinion on fitting rooms...
fitting room?
Fitting rooms are a much neglected area of most retail stores.
Just walk into any fashion retail environment and the chances are you will find a dusty, neglected area of the store (it used to be a stock room) with poor lighting, a couple of curtains & mirrors, and this is where you make your purchase decision!
Naturally there are good examples, notably in the higher end of the market, but even here mediocrity is the norm.
it doesn’t have to be like this
Research shows that between 10% and 20% of customers use fitting rooms, yet more than 60% of the items sold have been tried on first! We know from our own work that customer service in the fitting room will drive sales up, and 30% of items that are recommended and brought to the fitting room make it through the till.
Psychologically the fitting room is the last stop before a customer enters "I have got to get out of here" mode. As soon as the customer has left the fitting room the opportunity to sell is over, they are now thinking about the next shop, paying, catching the bus, grabbing a coffee, they can already smell it...
in the fitting room customers are most susceptible to sales stimuli
First of all they have selected items and are now sending a clear buying signal; "If I look good in this, I may well buy it." A customer in a fitting room is also more willing to accept suggestions from staff about complimentary items, or special offers. She is half undressed anyway so why not try it on ? Our own work shows that fitting room customer service can drive sales up, with 30% of recommended items making it through the till.
acquility have been working with leading retailers to develop an interactive fitting room experience that increases staff efficiency, reduces shrinkage and increases sales. It is time to turn that 25 sq ft cubicle in the back of the store into your most profitable space, generating sales and creating a true wow factor that will keep customers coming back for more.