[ Controlled Store Testing ]

A best-in-class approach providing a 360-degree view of your test results

Before you invest significant dollars and hours in any in-store marketing program – be it in a new product, package or promotion – you need a clear picture of its potential for success. And there is no better to way to test that potential than at store shelves, where 70% of all shopping decisions are made.

A controlled store test from Knowledge Networks can mitigate risk, enabling assessment under real-world conditions, and giving the marketer needed quantification of change in sales or share that occur if we alter a store-based variable.

In-Store Execution (KN) KN brings to bear its years of expertise in designing the test, controlling the environment, obtaining retailer cooperation, warehousing test products, resetting and stocking shelves, executing promotions, and recording in-store conditions (for test brand and competitors). POS Data & Analytics (IRI) SymphonyIRI draws on its unequalled census data warehouse from almost all of the major food, drug, convenience and mass merchandise chains nationwide; this information is subjected to a series of quality checks. Shopper Card Data & Analytics (KN) Tracking purchases of 23 million loyalty card customers, KN’s National Shopper Lab allows you to identify the behavior of previous buyers and non-buyers alike, or any buyer group of importance. You can then compare these results to target increments, consumer targets, control (non-exposed) groups, and other entries in the category In-Store Intercepts (KN) KN brings a wealth of ISI experience to your project, adding a qualitative, attitudinal component to your insights.  A typical report includes buyer and non-buyer profiles, individual users, reasons for trial, repurchase intent, in-store experience, product usage occasion, and likes and dislikes. roll over the graphic to get a full description of each element of the CST 360 Cycle

You can pre-assess the effects of a variety of brand building efforts – from new product introductions to pricing changes and shelf placement – from three angles:

1. Incremental volume
2. Behavioral response to your efforts
3. Attitudinal measurement – what your customers are really thinking

The KN/IRI Alliance

Knowledge Networks is teaming up with The SymphonyIRI Group to deliver this 360-degree view, combining IRI's point-of-sale data and analytics with KN's frequent-shopper information and in-store execution and intercepts. The result is a comprehensive perspective backed by 50-plus years of in-store testing experience – something that informal tests cannot begin to deliver.

The result is a clearer perspective on the actual ROI from a variety of tactics: displays, in-store couponing, new product introductions, planogram changes, POS signage and in-store ads, pricing, sampling, and SKU mix.

Find out how KN's best-in-class CST approach can help you make the most of in-store efforts.