4 ms·

Makes me think airlines will soon start strategically placing "purchasers" throughout the plane in order to maximize the effect of this social pressure.

savanaly 10y ago
As another commenter noted, it would not be cost effective to lose a whole seat just to sell a few more drinks, overpriced though they be. But it seems like they could increase sales in sort of the same way by distributing free or discounted drink vouchers to a select few passengers, and effectively turn those real passengers into "purchasers".
- phkahler 10y ago
  They could track frequent flyers who usually buy stuff and make sure they are disbursed throughout the plane.
ars 10y ago
It would not be cost effective for airlines (seats costs more than the purchases). But grocery stores on the other hand.... Setup areas with high cost brand name items, and purchasers to look at and prominently buy items. It would work even better at fairs, carnivals, etc since you might eventually recognize the person at a grocery store if you visit often. All you have to do is have people walking around nosily eating something that looks good.
- 6DM 10y ago
  That's probably why they hand out samples. Never thought about it beyond the individual product being sampled.
- deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]
maneesh 10y ago
Giving up several hundreds in ticket revenue to make 1-2 people 30% more likely to buy a drink...
- Declanomous 10y ago
  You could give people a free drink card before the flight. Problem solved.
  - deleted 10y ago
    [deleted]
  - Pxtl 10y ago
    Yes, but then the peer isn't doing the same action the airline wants us to do. Unless the neighbors see the peer buying the drink, I don't think it will work. If I see my neighbor paying for a drink with a voucher, it might make me want a drink, but it might not encourage me to pay for one as much as it would if I saw my neighbor paying for a drink. In fact, the resentment of not having it for free like that other person might produce the opposite effect.
    - Declanomous 10y ago
      I generally see the voucher presented after the drink is presented, which in my experience is after everyone in the row has ordered. I suggested a card rather than a paper voucher in an attempt to control for this outcome, since I suspect swiping a gift card is interpreted as a substantially similar action to purchasing something outright. That being said, I doubt the effect is caused by a single factor. For instance, there is a social stigma against drinking alone, at least in the United States. I'll feel more comfortable drinking if someone else is drinking as well, even if I'm travelling alone.
  - prokes 10y ago
    I can't understand why this is being downvoted. Declanomous is offering a hypothesis that improves on the original comment of giving away seats. While the impact of buying a drink vs. receiving a drink may differ, and the study only studied "buys", peer pressure works in other ways, too. One could argue that people drinking in the vicinity "pressures" or influences others to drink, so the solution Declanomous provided could 1) increase beverage revenue at low cost and 2) increase customer good will (the free drink recipient) at low cost. In fact, Southwest may know this as they send out free drink coupons to frequent flyers.
oarsinsync 10y ago
Lots of comments about this not being cost viable for the airlines to give up seats for these purchasers, but I read your remark a different way - the airlines will note which passengers purchase products on planes, and adjust where these passengers automatic seat selections put them in future - combining them with other data that they have on their customers (e.g. frequency of flights, if they're with children, etc) to try and maximise probability of purchases and influencing more people to purchase over time. Anecdotally, the people sat next to me on my last flight purchased wine, which resulted in me getting a mini-bottle too. Doh!
- deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]

savanaly 10y ago

As another commenter noted, it would not be cost effective to lose a whole seat just to sell a few more drinks, overpriced though they be. But it seems like they could increase sales in sort of the same way by distributing free or discounted drink vouchers to a select few passengers, and effectively turn those real passengers into "purchasers".

phkahler 10y ago
They could track frequent flyers who usually buy stuff and make sure they are disbursed throughout the plane.

ars 10y ago

It would not be cost effective for airlines (seats costs more than the purchases). But grocery stores on the other hand.... Setup areas with high cost brand name items, and purchasers to look at and prominently buy items. It would work even better at fairs, carnivals, etc since you might eventually recognize the person at a grocery store if you visit often. All you have to do is have people walking around nosily eating something that looks good.

6DM 10y ago
That's probably why they hand out samples. Never thought about it beyond the individual product being sampled.
deleted 10y ago
[deleted]

maneesh 10y ago

Giving up several hundreds in ticket revenue to make 1-2 people 30% more likely to buy a drink...

Declanomous 10y ago
You could give people a free drink card before the flight. Problem solved.
- deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]
- Pxtl 10y ago
  Yes, but then the peer isn't doing the same action the airline wants us to do. Unless the neighbors see the peer buying the drink, I don't think it will work. If I see my neighbor paying for a drink with a voucher, it might make me want a drink, but it might not encourage me to pay for one as much as it would if I saw my neighbor paying for a drink. In fact, the resentment of not having it for free like that other person might produce the opposite effect.
  - Declanomous 10y ago
    I generally see the voucher presented after the drink is presented, which in my experience is after everyone in the row has ordered. I suggested a card rather than a paper voucher in an attempt to control for this outcome, since I suspect swiping a gift card is interpreted as a substantially similar action to purchasing something outright. That being said, I doubt the effect is caused by a single factor. For instance, there is a social stigma against drinking alone, at least in the United States. I'll feel more comfortable drinking if someone else is drinking as well, even if I'm travelling alone.
- prokes 10y ago
  I can't understand why this is being downvoted. Declanomous is offering a hypothesis that improves on the original comment of giving away seats. While the impact of buying a drink vs. receiving a drink may differ, and the study only studied "buys", peer pressure works in other ways, too. One could argue that people drinking in the vicinity "pressures" or influences others to drink, so the solution Declanomous provided could 1) increase beverage revenue at low cost and 2) increase customer good will (the free drink recipient) at low cost. In fact, Southwest may know this as they send out free drink coupons to frequent flyers.

oarsinsync 10y ago

Lots of comments about this not being cost viable for the airlines to give up seats for these purchasers, but I read your remark a different way - the airlines will note which passengers purchase products on planes, and adjust where these passengers automatic seat selections put them in future - combining them with other data that they have on their customers (e.g. frequency of flights, if they're with children, etc) to try and maximise probability of purchases and influencing more people to purchase over time. Anecdotally, the people sat next to me on my last flight purchased wine, which resulted in me getting a mini-bottle too. Doh!

deleted 10y ago
[deleted]