It’s almost inevitable as you go to make your final purchase at a store. Near the counter is candy, assorted over-the-counter drugs, drinks, and other “impulse” items.

The reason impulse items are there is because people buy them. If a store has about twenty thousand customers a year and half of those purchased a one dollar impulse item, that store made an extra ten thousand dollars that it otherwise wouldn’t have.

How Do Impulse Items Benefit The Customer?

Realistically, not all impulse items benefit the customer. Some impulse items are just gimmicks. Others (such as batteries or disposable cameras) might actually be useful. Some impulse items are designed to make the customer go, “Ooops, I forgot something. This is what I was looking for.”

Some impulse items can actually be a convenience. Say, for example, the customer intended to grab something to drink before leaving the store. However, the drink section is far away and the customer doesn’t want to leave the line. Conveniently, the drinks are right near the register and the customer can grab a quick item before cashing out.

What Are Blog Impulse Items?

When customers come to a store, they come for a particular product or service. When readers come to a blog, they also come for a particular product or service. Your product may be your content. Your service may be your expertise, or advice. However, what happens when a reader is about to leave your blog? Do you have impulse items to allow the reader to make “one more purchase” before leaving?

Listed below are examples of impulse items:

• Related posts.
• Tags.
• Subscription link.
• Ads.
• Contact information.

Question to the Reader/Blogger

Just as in retail there are good and bad impulse items. What do you think are good and bad impulse items for blogs? If you are also a blogger, what type of impulse item do you think works best on readers?

Thank you for reading.

If you liked this post, please consider subscribing or Stumbling this post. If not, please let us know how we can better serve you.