‘Time-of-day-marketing’ developed to boost high street sales

A new marketing technique, known as ‘time-of-day services marketing’, has been devised to help increase UK high street sales.

The strategy, intended for use by top UK retailers, has been produced by Dr Scott Dacko, associate professor of marketing and strategic management at the Warwick Business School (WBS).

The latest research in sociology, geography, biology, physiology, psychology and marketing has been consulted in the creation of this new marketing technique.

Dr Dacko commented: “I have brought together a wide range of practices and techniques that will help firms match better the totality of their offerings with the needs of substantially different customer segments to help them create a competitive advantage.

“Using ‘time-of-day services marketing’, retailers can adjust their lighting, music, in-store promotions and offers during the day to suit the type of customer that is likely to walk into their shop.

“Through research in psychology and marketing we can predict when different types of consumers will do their shopping.”

Retailers can appeal to different types of shoppers throughout the day by adjusting services such as lighting, scent and music.

“They can alter their environment, pricing, promotions and even staff for the different shoppers that tend to frequent their stores in the largest numbers at different times of the day.

“’Time-of-day service marketing’ allows shops to deliver an across-the-day service tailored to different sets of customers.” said Dr Dacko.

Dr Scott Dacko, in his paper Time-of-Day Services Marketing (published in the Journal of Services Marketing), highlights the importance of companies getting to know their customers and adjusting their services throughout the day according to different types of customers.

His research has for example found that women and families with small children are more likely to be morning shoppers, while young people tend to shop in the afternoon.