What should a ice cream shop be like in order to meet the sensorial expectations of the public?
“Our surveys have provided a clear picture of the main characteristics that an ice cream shop must have: first of all comes the quality of the product and a bright and colorful setting. As regards the use of colors, there are no precise rules or strict tendencies. However, we have found that our customers prefer colors that are mainly in the range of blues and greens. Then there are pastel colors, which continue to be widely preferred, and it is easy to understand why: these are tones that go well with the different colors of the ice creams; in addition, they are light colors with a strong “sanitary” connotation, which easily transmit the idea of cleanliness”.

Do Italian ice cream shops correspond to these characteristics?
“Generally yes, although ice cream shops actually differ greatly from each other. One thing is certain, the type of shop depends greatly—as is logically to be expected—on the area where it is located and on the owner of the shop. If the client is one whose shop has already become a well-established ice cream parlor, experience tells us that it is usually a “classic” kind of shop, which is best able to emphasize the traditional and historical values of the ice cream shop.As regards the aesthetic aspects, in a time in which maximum freedom is the rule, I don’t think one has to be tied too closely to any certain aesthetic type. What counts the most is knowing your own needs, the type of sales you want to make and the kind of customer you want to acquire: from these factors comes the technical choice of the kind of furnishings needed, which can then be “dressed” in the “clothes” most suitable for the type of shop, the spaces available, personal preferences, and so on”.

Seventy percent of ice cream sales are based on impulse. How can one stimulate this emotional reaction in the consumer?
“The selling of ice cream is above all “visual”; we are so convinced of this that our professional ice cream showcase CLICK enhances the concept that you eat first of all with your eyes, and the main objective is to enhance the food appeal. When we walk by a nice showcase, the attractiveness of a well-displayed ice cream is in fact irresistible, and CLICK all of that is emphasized by its very advanced lines. Our eyes are the first to be impressed, and you must appeal first and foremost to the sense of sight. Whoever displays best sells most: this golden rule holds true also for ice cream shops.
For this reason display and lighting systems have been studied extensively. Showcases for ice cream are being studied and perfected continuously, and we introduced inclined shelves precisely because we wanted to stimulate the view of the product as much as possible and predispose the customer toward making a purchase. The technological advancements of today make it possible to use better, more direct lighting, which further enhance the attractive, natural colors of the ice cream and create a more inviting setting.
Ice cream shops have slowly started to offer a street-side display, another way of creating a strong visual impact: the large storefront display, where the necessary space is available, is a choice that pays in terms of extreme visibility and the stimulating of impulse buying. For those who cannot set up this kind of display but which want to achieve maximum visualization of the ice cream also outside a traditional shop, ISA has created the ICE CREAM CART, which immediately attracts attention and suggests the idea of fresh, genuine ice cream.
Shops where customers can see the ice cream being made also emphasize the cleanliness in which food should always be prepared and makes visible the values of freshness, genuineness and home-style goodness inherent in the making of ice cream.
As you can see, there are many innovations that revolve around the senses, and especially sight, which have greatly changed ice cream shops compared to the past”.

Are ice cream sellers giving special attention to stimulating these positive emotions in the consumer?
“The ice cream seller is a technician, a professional who is attentive and who knows very well what he needs, and closely follows the technological developments in the business. A person who wants the right product for their type of production and sales: this is usually the primary requirement. Their ideas are not always so clear from a purely aesthetic perspective; however, bit by bit, by studying different ideas and projects, the right solution emerges for stimulating a positive emotional impact in the consumer with home-style ice cream”.