6 tips to use neuromarketing to increase e-commerce sales

In the e-commerce world, it's no longer enough to just have quality products and attractive prices. Competition is huge and customers have countless options on where to shop. So the key to success is to understand how people make decisions and what drives them to buy. This is where neuromarketing comes in - a scientific approach that uses insights from neuroscience and psychology to influence customer behaviour more effectively. So how can you use neuromarketing in your e-commerce store?

1. Visual stimuli and colours

The human brain responds extremely quickly to visual stimuli, so it's important to choose the right colours, shapes and design elements on your website.

• The colour red creates a sense of urgency and encourages impulse purchases (e.g. "Buy Now" or "Discount" buttons).
• Blue evokes a sense of trust and security, which is good for sections such as customer support or payment.
• Green is associated with peace and health, which is ideal for organic and organic products.

Don't forget to provide enough contrast between the buttons and the background to make the elements clearly visible.

2. Use of psychological triggers (biases)

Neuromarketing uses various cognitive biases (biases) that can influence customer decision-making.

The principle of scarcity and fear of missing out (FOMO)

• "Last 5 units left in stock!"
• "The sale is only valid until midnight!"
• "10 people are looking at this product right now."

People naturally react to fear of loss and tend to act faster if they feel they are missing out.

Social proof

• Reviews and ratings from real customers increase the credibility of a product.
• The number of units sold or the actual number of customers on a page supports the "herding effect".

Anchoring effect

• If you show the original higher price next to a product and a lower promotional price next to it, customers will perceive the offer as a better deal.

3. Personalisation and emotional connection

The brain responds positively to personalised communication. If you offer the customer tailored content, they will feel more engaged.

• Recommendations based on browsing and purchase history - "You might like..."
• Using the customer's name in email communications or on the website (e.g. , "Peter, check out the new products for you").
• Storytelling and emotion - People remember stories better than facts. Create a story around your product and show how it can improve the customer's life.

4. User experience (UX) optimization

Neuromarketing also uses principles that facilitate the decision-making process and reduce the cognitive load on the customer.

• Simple and intuitive navigation - The fewer obstacles, the faster the purchase decision.
• Using fewer options - If there are too many options to choose from, the customer may feel overwhelmed and not choose anything.
• Clear call to action (CTA) - Use simple prompts such as "Buy now", "Get a discount" or "Add to cart".

5. Neurological principles in pricing

Price is one of the most important factors in purchasing decisions. Neuro-marketing helps to optimize pricing strategy:

• Prices ending at .99 - 199 instead of 200 have a cheaper effect on the brain.
• Decoy effect - Offer three variations of a product, with the middle one being the most favorable (e.g. Small serving - 50 CZK, Medium serving - 75 CZK, Large serving - 150 CZK → most people will choose the middle one).
• Product bundling - People tend to perceive bundles as more convenient, even if the price of individual products remains the same.

6. Use of neuro-marketing in advertising

Neuroscience research has shown that certain types of advertising messages work better than others.

• Video ads with emotional content - The brain remembers emotions better than facts.
• Faces in advertising - People are subconsciously drawn to human faces, especially if they convey positive emotions.
• Use of sound cues - Soft music can improve mood and increase willingness to buy.

Example Pepsi vs. Coca-Cola - When the brain decides, not the taste

One of the most famous examples of neuromarketing is an experiment that questioned whether people choose their favourite brands based on taste, or rather emotions and subconscious associations.

In 2004, a scientific test was conducted in which participants tasted two samples of a cola drink - one was Pepsi, the other Coca-Cola. When they didn't know which brand they were drinking, most respondents preferred Pepsi. However, once the drinks were labelled with the brand logo, preferences changed dramatically in favour of Coca-Cola.

What was going on in the test subjects' brains? Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), the researchers found that consuming a drink with the Coca-Cola logo visible activated brain regions associated with emotional experiences and memories. In fact, Coca-Cola has invested decades in building its brand through a strong story, nostalgia and emotional connection with customers. As a result, people subconsciously preferred Coca-Cola, even though they initially liked Pepsi better.

This experiment shows the huge influence brands have on our decision-making. It's not enough to have a good product - the key is to evoke the right emotions and create strong subconscious connections that keep customers coming back. These are the principles that neuromarketing is built on.

Conclusion

Neuromarketing isn't just a theoretical concept - it's a powerful tool that can fundamentally influence your customers' decisions and increase your sales. All you need to do is implement a few simple principles, such as using colors, psychological triggers, personalization or UX optimization. By focusing on how your e-commerce store affects your customers' subconscious, you can significantly improve their shopping experience and increase the likelihood of order completion.

‍

‍