Crowded Store = Bad for Business

Research finds that customers accidentally touched in a store were more likely to leave the store with a negative impression.

In the study, attractive people briefly touched shoppers or stood next to them. Customers who were slightly touched spent less time in the store and were more likely to have a negative view of the products than those left alone. The effect was most observable when male strangers did the touching.

Buying Means Touching

American Economic Review reports that people will pay 50% more for a product if the item is in front of them vs. on a computer screen or just a text description.

Interestingly, product desire lowered when products were behind plexiglass. The findings demonstrate that being able to physically touch a product significantly affects purchasing behavior.

The Meaning Behind "Touch"

Science is giving more attention to our earliest form of communication - touch.

1) Studies have found that students who received a supportive touch on the back/arm from a teacher were nearly twice as likely to volunteer in class as those who did not. 2) A doctor's sympathetic touch makes one think the visit lasted twice as long VS those who were untouched. 3) A massage from a loved one eases pain, depression and strengthen a relationship. 4) Volunteers communicated eight distinct emotions merely by touching a blindfolded stranger. 5) A study of the high-5's and chest bumps in an NBA season revealed that, with a few exceptions, good teams (and oftentimes players) were touchier than bad ones (most touchy: Celtics and Lakers; least touchy: Kings and Bobcats).

A warm touch seems to release oxytocin, a hormone that helps create a sensation of trust and reduces stress hormone cortisol levels. In doing so the prefrontal area, which affects emotion, bears less of a burden and the body "chips in" to help in the task at hand. Psychologists think man builds relationships to distribute problem solving across brains. We're wired to share the processing load, and touch provides this supportive signal.