Have you ever been in a grocery store, seen an item you suddenly realised you needed, and bought it on the spot? If so, then you’ve experienced one of the many triggers that can prompt us to make an impulse purchase.
For food and drink manufacturers and producers, it’s important to understand what these triggers are so that they can design their products, packaging, and promotional tools accordingly. After all, the more impulse purchases their products generate, the more money they’ll make!
So, without further ado, here are 10 triggers that prompt on-the-spot purchasing of food and drink products:
- Hunger
- Thirst
- Cravings
- Nostalgia
- Limited time offers
- “Newness”
- Discounts and coupons
- Impulse buying areas conveniently located near cash registers
- Endorsements from trusted sources
- Packaging that’s easy to open and/or resealable
Usherette trays prompt on the spot and often unplanned purchases
Using a branded usherette tray that incorporates many of the above triggers. If you’ve ever been to a movie cinema, chances are you’ve seen an usherette tray. They’re the trays that come around during the movie selling candy, popcorn, and other snacks. But have you ever wondered how they work? Usherette trays can incorporate many of the above triggers, but also provide the convenience of coming to customer and being in the right place when they choose to buy.
Sales triggers and usherette trays
Having a branded usherette tray can immediately remind the customer of the marketing messages and advertising and of the satisfaction they have had in the past from the product. Customers can also see the product in the vending tray. This can stimulate hunger, thirst, cravings, nostalgia, and the urge to impulse buy. The branding on the usherette tray could remind people of any endorsements in the advertising and the fact that an usherette tray with a strap full of products in the vicinity is temporary can trigger more immediate purchase decisions. Promoting a new product with a sampling tray can also appeal to the ‘newness’ trigger and lead to trial.
The practical elements of usherette trays
Usherette trays are specially designed to hold food and drinks without spilling them. They have compartments for each item, and the compartments are often divided by partitions or dividers. This helps to keep the food items from mixings together or becoming crushed. The branded usherette trays also have straps or handles that allow the usherette to carry them without dropping them.
Usherette trays are usually made of plastic but can, for example be wicker. They are lightweight so that the usherette can carry them easily, and they are durable enough to withstand being dropped or bumped into things. Plastic is often the material of choice because it’s strong and doesn’t dent or break easily.
Branded usherette trays as sales triggers
Usherette trays are essential for cinemas, for example, not just because they allow snacks and drinks to be sold without spillage, but because they offer convenience and are effective sales triggers. There are a variety of different factors that can prompt us to make an impulse purchase of a food or drink product and by keeping these triggers in mind, food and drink manufacturers can increase the chances that their products will be bought on the spot!