When I think of perception, and how it effects daily life, I think of Gestalt psychology. The same length of lines just placed in different configurations changes how we see things in both shapes and sizes. I think this concept also applies to marketing strategies when looking at the appearance of products and what might sell faster/better. I am personally guilty of using perception hypothesis when deciding on what containers to use in my product line.
I will share an example with you on how I use perception to help me decide what containers to use in my line. When I was getting ready to add body polishes to my product line, I wanted to chose a jar that would catch someone’s eye (because of the size) and still give them a great value for the price. I had looked at many jar styles and had narrowed it down to two 4oz size jars. One was a traditional jar and one was called a low profile jar. After ordering a sample of each jar style, it was easy to see which jar I was going to use. Both jars were the same color (clear) and made of the same materials. The ultimate question I asked myself when trying to decide what jar to use was, “Would I pay $6.00 for this?”. The low profile jar looks as if it holds more product than the traditional jar but they both hold only 4oz of product.
I always consider what people might think or perceive about my products when I think about the containers I use. I have found that this can increase sales because it gives an illusion that they are getting a lot more product than just 4oz’s and they don’t hesitate to pay the price I’m asking. This is similar to the Muller-Lyer Illusion experiment we did. Does adding “wings” to a line change how we perceive it? The answer is yes. I feel that choosing the right containers will drive sales based on how people perceive the value they are getting. I know I am guilty of looking at items this way when I shop. I could be shopping for shampoo and one bottle really catches my eye. It looks bigger than all of the others and the price is just a little more than the one beside it. After looking at the fluid ounce weight, I discover they are the same size and the one beside the big bottle is cheaper. If I hadn’t taken the time to look closer at the bottles, my impulse would have been to buy the larger bottle even though it was more expensive because my perception was that it had more product for the money.
After reading the chapters on perception, I can really see how our mind can misinterpret information based upon how things are arranged. I find it interesting that two things with the same quantity (lines or volume) can look like a different result just by tweaking one little thing. I think just relying on our perception could be dangerous. Just because we perceive something at first glance, doesn’t mean that is actually the whole picture.
We often don’t realize how psychology is used in every day life! Your example is one I have thought about a lot. Companies will market a product and make the size they want to sell the most attractive. When I went grocery shopping this weekend, my husband picked up a two pack of cereal that was on sale for $5. I went down the aisle and found the large size box. The large box held a few ounces more than the two smaller boxes combined and was $1 less. The packaging that held the two boxes was more attractive and even felt like more of a deal because I was getting 2 instead of 1. It actually took me a minute to explain to my 10 year old that the big box held more. The use of psychology in marketing is interesting, makes me wonder how many other illusions we don’t see. Great post! It was neat to hear about this issue from someone who has experience with marketing products!
You’re definitely right. Sometimes when I’m shopping for groceries, especially when I’m picking a jar or bottle of something, I could swear that one has more than the other. Then, I check out how many ounces are really in there… and what the unit price is. If it weren’t for those labels, I think I’d often be tricked into less product for more money. There are obviously other factors that play into these types of decisions, but let’s face it… I’m probably going to buy the “Great Value” olive oil until I have a decent job. However, some people might not even look at unit prices or amounts. They may automatically choose the lowest price automatically, which could ultimately not be the best deal. Your comparison of perception and marketing seems like an obvious one to most, but this facet of psychology, Gestalt, gives us a different view of perception and how it plays into every day situations.