How do the mirrors of clothing stores manipulate us?

Marketing and the use of strategy They are fundamental elements when selling a product.

In order to obtain the greatest possible success in sales, it is necessary to take into account all aspects necessary psychological factors to please the buyer or consumer, something that most of establishments know. Clothing stores are no exception. But... What tricks do they use to make us buy? In this article we will see some of them.

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Adme.ru editor's experiment

The fact that stores try to manipulate customers into going into them and buying as much as possible is something everyone knows. Clothing and accessories stores also have the peculiarity that, apart from other tricks, special emphasis is placed on enhance the figure of the people who try their products and make the customer tend to feel attractive and flattered by most of the clothing available.

It is not uncommon for an item that has been to our liking in the store, when we put it on at home or when we go out, it does not fit us as well as we initially perceived. And it is that

in the fitting rooms of the stores they play with different effects in order to make the product more attractive and make it appear to fit us better than it actually does.

An editor of the Russian publication Adme.ru has carried out a kind of quasi-experiment in the fitting room of a total of 11 stores, photographing herself in the mirror to observe the differences between the image from inside the fitting room and in real life, wearing the same clothes. The results reflect that our own image can be partly distorted by different mechanisms, especially light, color contrast and the use of mirrors.

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In the fitting room: elements that "beautify" us

Both the previous experiment and many others have shown that store changing rooms are designed in such a way that the customer can feel favored with the store's products. Some of the main elements that we can observe are the following.

1. Use of lighting

fitting room lighting It is one of the elements that most affect the perception of whether or not a product favors the wearer. Generally, lights that transmit warmth are used and that make the person visualize himself with a healthy and tanned skin color. The sidelights and their intensity from soft to moderate also favor this fact, allowing the silhouette to be stylized. On the contrary, a frontal light is not very suitable, because it tends to transmit a somewhat wider image.

2. Shape and placement of mirrors

Where are the mirrors placed? and even if they have a certain shape they will also modify the image that we see reflected. The mirror in question must allow the person to look at himself from eye level.

If the reflective surface is tilted or forces the client to view your image from a different position than usual, the image may be modified. some mirrors too may be slightly concave, which causes the image seen on them to be slightly smaller and thinner.

3. color contrasts

The curtains or the walls of the fitting room also have a certain effect when it comes to perceiving ourselves in front of the mirror. The presence of stark contrasts between setting and figure that is observed can cause the characteristics of the product to stand out more. Depending on how it is combined with the light, the resulting appearance may be better or worse than what would be observed in reality.

4. Available space

The space and comfort that the changing room in question transmits also favor the purchase or the perception of our own image in the mirror.

Have a spacious and comfortable space It can make the person have a positive attitude and this affects their perception, as well as encourage them to return to the establishment in the future. In addition, the perception of one's own silhouette can be dwarfed when compared to a large space, which can make us appear smaller and thinner.

The opposite case, that is, a small receptacle without much space, can be counterproductive by more easily inducing a reaction of stress. However, it can also favor a quick purchase in which only some superficial details are observed. before making a decision while the effects of the previous points focus only on one's own silhouette.

Other aspects that favor the purchase

Apart from the aspects that we have seen, stores use other strategies in order to get our attention and encourage purchases of their products. Among them we can observe the following.

Showcase

Lighting and contrast effects don't just apply to the fitting room area. The shop windows are also an essential element when it comes to attracting the public, since not in vain It is the first thing that the potential client sees from the outside. For this reason, it is very useful to display garments that are highlighted by the lighting and decoration of the store, in such a way that they attract attention.

placement of garments

Within the store, the location of the products is another element of great importance to take into account. Place the most expensive products in a visible position and that finding the cheapest ones requires some searching makes it easier to make larger outlays. It is also important to place the novelties near the access to the premises, so that potential customers feel attracted by what may be inside.

use of music

Most stores use some type of music in order to motivate their customers to stay on the premises and consume. The type of music in question must depend on the type of product or establishment, as well as its potential audience.

Exclusive garments and temporary offers

The idea that something is running out generates in the potential client the urgency to acquire it before it is too late. Similarly, the fact that there are often exclusive items or limited offers can often make so that customers who have previously visited the store can return to take an interest in a garment in concrete.

soil type

The type of soil is another aspect that, although it is ignored by many, can influence whether or not you end up buying it. Soft and comfortable floors they make customers stay longer in the store, making them more likely to end up buying something.

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