The In-Store Location of Promotional Displays Alters Shoppers’ Attention and Buying Decisions

In-store displays are a frequently used tool in shopper marketing. Empirical studies show the effects of promotional displays on sales; however, they seldom attend to the determinants of the effects of displays from the shoppers’ perspective. Thus, there are hardly any findings about the role of the display’s location in the shop. In this paper, we assume that the congruence of the product presented on the display with its setting has an influence on the effect of the display. In particular, we assume that although a display in an incongruent setting attracts more attention, it can turn this attention into purchases only to a lesser extent than a display in a congruent setting. The results of a field experiment in a Swiss grocery store support this assumption. Using observational techniques and electronic checkout data, we are able to show that displays in an incongruent setting gain more attention but lead to fewer sales than displays in a congruent setting.