How virtual in-store testing can save time and money, and accelerate the innovation pipeline

In-store or controlled store testing is a crucial insights tool – it helps brands and retailers optimize their products and strategies for better market performance. However, testing countless iterations of pricing, shelving, innovation, packaging, promotion and display in stores is impractical, and can be impossible during critical retail periods. For perspective, an in-store test in a physical store environment takes six to twelve months or longer, compared to virtual in-store testing at under eight weeks end-to-end.

In addition to measuring responses in changes to new shelf layouts and planograms, virtual in-store testing reduces the time that it takes to get the right products to market by adding an important layer to testing environments, giving brands more flexibility and insights in measuring shopper responses to new concepts and ideas.

What is virtual in-store testing?

At 84.51°, a virtual in-store test is a simulated shopping trip that exposes shoppers to different in-store scenarios. Shoppers engage with the test environment where they can pick up products, look at the front and back of packages, add items to their cart, and review their entire basket similar to how they would engage on a normal shopping trip.

After the virtual in-store shopping exercise, they then complete a questionnaire to rate their shopping experience.

The benefit of virtual testing vs. physically testing in-store include:

• Faster time to insights

• Ability to test many ideas and narrow in on the best one

• More cost effective

• More geographically representative

• Measures behaviors and shopper perceptions of the changes

• No stress placed on in-store operations

• Can be completed anytime of the year, i.e., no blackouts during critical retail periods

What types of questions can be answered by virtual in-store testing?

Virtual in-store testing answers a variety of questions related to shelf arrangement and assortment, display and signage, promotions, package design and more. For example, in a recent virtual in-store test, Kroger and multiple brands wanted to understand if there was a better flow for the sports nutrition aisle that would help grow the category and lead to a better shopping experience.

Together with the participating brands, including Premier Nutrition and Vega, they utilized the 84.51° Virtual In-Store Testing Platform to gauge if new aisle layouts would lead to stronger performance.

Once the virtual test was completed, it showed that changing the current aisle layout to the test planogram would lead to a 7% decrease in category performance and a negative impact to brands.

“Sometimes, the best path forward is making no change at all,” said Sherita Scott, category manager, sports nutrition, at Kroger. “We’re grateful for brands who embrace testing. Together we unearth the questions that propel our business forward.”

Does virtual in-store testing replace in-store testing?

While virtual in-store testing offers many benefits for gauging shopper reactions to changes and ideas in near-real environments, it is not a complete substitute for in-store testing. Virtual testing can't fully replicate real-life factors such as navigating a cart around other shoppers or being distracted by children.

Virtual reality testing is most effective when it is included with other testing strategies as an insights layer. After identifying several potential test concepts, for instance, virtual in-store testing can serve as a preliminary filter to prioritize those that have the most promise and determine if they should be tested in a store setting or rolled out. By adopting a data- and insights-driven approach from start to finish, brands can thoroughly evaluate changes before presenting them to customers in stores, ensuring the most successful outcomes.

See how testing new ideas will grow your sales with our Virtual In-Store Testing. Reach out to your 84.51° Insights Account Executive or Insights@8451.com to learn more.

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