A new study explored how using letter-based cues vs number-based cues affects distance perception. In fact, when perception occurs before performing a task, individuals tend to perceive a shorter distance with letters rather than with numbers. Instead, when perception occurs after performing a task, we perceive a longer distance with letters than with numbers.
So, how does that apply to consumer behaviour and customer experience? For example, letter cues, more than numbers, can increase the likelihood of purchasing certain flight seats but also influence our desire to pay more for premium seats.
In the retail context, instead, we take more time and spend more effort when we walk in aisles with letters. Therefore, retailers might want to use letter cues in their aisles if they want their consumers to browse more. Letter cues can also increase consumers’ willingness to walk back to an aisle and pick the item they forgot to take. This is all because, as said, people perceive a shorter distance with letters than numbers before performing the task (e.g. the walk or picking up a product from a shelf).
Yes, we are geeking out a bit here but as you can see even the simple choice between whether you should use letters vs numbers in your wayfinding design or product information can have a tremendous impact on consumer behaviour and customer experience.
Such environmental sensory cues are crucial to help the human brain navigate environments but more importantly are incredibly effective tools for brands in influencing consumer behaviour and designing successful customer experience.
You want people to turn right vs left, pick out more expensive vs more affordable products, buy more quantity or more quality, dwell longer or be more mission driven, feel excited vs relaxed… These (and more) are all key experience objectives that can be very simply influenced with the choice of right sensory design cues. Letters vs numbers. Sweet smell vs citrus smell. Rough or smooth texture. Warm or cold lighting. Soft or hard flooring.