Technology makes it easier to vet buyers at a granular level, but not every perspective is a hit. With the right mix of data and real-world experience, companies can avoid the most common shopper marketing mistakes.

Smart companies around the world, from Colgate to Walmart, are jumping on the Shopper Marketing bandwagon. Teams sift through reams of data that offer shopper insights and try to identify what is relevant and actionable to build their brand. They hire research firms and consultants and have high-level meetings to discuss strategy around their Shopper Marketing research findings.

So how is it possible that we are missing the obvious? Are we so caught up in the science that we forget to walk into stores and act like shoppers? Here are some widely spread errors that we shouldn’t need a Shopper Marketing team to see.

Lack of basic shopping tools.. Example Walk-in closet 101, no focus group required: buyers want a three-way mirror in the walk-in closet. You’ve managed to capture their interest so far, don’t screw it up now. Buyers want to make sure those skinny jeans are true to their moniker both front and back, and they want to do so in private. Are you providing your buyers with the basic tools they need to make a decision?

Hard to find key product information. Example Fruit and Vegetable Department: There are two pieces of information that buyers want to be available: the price and the expiration date. Don’t make them work for it. Is the expiration date coded and hard to find on the package? Do you have price signs clustered above the shopper’s head with a sea of ​​vegetables below that require the shopper to know which is serrano and which is jalapeno? Is this a quiz?

shameless exhausted. In a world of just-in-time inventory, out-of-stocks happen to the best of us, but is it exacerbating the frustration of an empty shelf with no options at the point of purchase? Show buyers that you recognize the issue and that you want to fix it. Easy solutions, like a rain check on the shelf, a link to check other stores’ inventory, a coupon for a future purchase, or a coupon to purchase a similar item that’s in stock, could go a long way. retain your customer and maybe even the sale.

Convoluted promotional offers. Example: Giant CPG Manufacturer has a family of brands, none of which have the same name as the manufacturer’s name. To qualify, the shopper must sort through those myriad brands and purchase a specific dollar value of products between specific dates and mail in the receipt for a gift card for future purchases. Hey?

Forget the emotion in the promotion. Examples: crowded aisles, damaged packaging, burned out light bulbs, broken shopping carts. These are tools that help a buyer with how do they buybut in repair they work against why they buy

The good news is that these glitches can be easily fixed. Start improving the shopper experience now with a few tweaks, no fancy experts required.

Just don’t forget to give your eyes a break from spreadsheets and take them to the shops.