Rush Job?

A couple of weeks ago, Seth Godin recounted a tale of rushing round New York that has gnawed at my mind ever since.

My main musing has centred around the enormous marketing implications of this hurried-decision syndrome,

"most people buy most things in a state of urgency, not relaxation. We pay what we pay when we buy what we buy because right then, in that moment, it's not just important, it's vital."

If that's true - and it certainly is indicative of enough purchases to warrant consideration - then does it mean that marketers should focus on point of sale materials that grab the purchasing mind in those vital three seconds in the aisle? Or should they be building elective affinity ahead of time so that a Pavlovian short-circuiting of the hurried mind occurs in favour of their product?

It reinforces the importance of cognitive psychology to the marketer. As I've discussed before, there may be a considerable difference between predictive research indications and actual behaviours because a customer's brain activity differs between questionnaire-filling and making an actual purchase decision. So, it would seem logical to wonder whether the hurried mind is capable of recalling the preferences you've instilled in it when in a non-hurried state?

If not, then we should all be ensuring that the sales environment is as tranquil as possible.