We perceive the quality of a product through our senses, i.e. by seeing, smelling, feeling, tasting and hearing. It is less important whether the product delivers what it promises and is really of good quality, but rather our subjective perception in combination with what we associate with quality through advertising or experience.

 

The appearance of the product

How the product or packaging is presented plays one of the main roles in the perception of quality. You get positive feelings from the colour, shape and design depending on what appeals to you. Older people often find classic designs from the "good old days" more appealing than modern ones, while young people are seduced by bright colours. 

Unconsciously, we also compare ourselves with the appearance of the product, which is why women tend to prefer waisted bottles to bulbous ones. 

Partly consciously, partly unconsciously, people prefer to reach for goods that are associated with the desired lifestyle. This association is mainly created by visual signals.

How the product feels

In general, the heavier a product is, the higher its quality is perceived to be. This is mainly due to the fact that we have learnt that authentic products are often made of metal, whereas cheaper copies tend to be made of plastic. 

Everyone also has a subjective perception of quality when it comes to shape and texture. This stems from personal life experience, but it can be generalised. Products with a smooth, polished surface, for example, appear to be of higher quality than comparable products with a rough texture.

Quality by odour

The perception of quality through the sense of smell relates less to individual products and often more to the overall experience in the environment. For example, we immediately perceive a restaurant or hotel as being of better quality if it has a subtle odour. Unconsciously, you immediately feel better in a fragrant ambience. Citrus scents, rose and vanilla in particular are regarded as signs of quality. 

Surely everyone knows from their own experience the perceived difference between a well-maintained car that still smells of new materials even after years and a vehicle of equal value that smells of cigarettes inside.

Quality to our taste

Flavour is strongly influenced by visual impressions. Although it is easy to taste the difference in quality between a very low-quality product and a high-quality product, we are influenced by the appearance of products that are close to each other. If the design of the packaging is high-quality and elegant, we expect the product to be of good quality and therefore perceive the flavour to be better.

Quality through listening

Here too, it is more about the ambience when shopping or presenting the product than the product itself. This is why background music is played in many shops. Music whose beats per minute correspond to your own pulse is particularly effective. 

Businesses adapt to the clientele according to the time of day. At times when more pensioners are out and about, the music tends to be classical; when young people come in, the music switches to pop. The important thing is that the customer feels comfortable. 

However, the product itself can also give acoustic signals that influence the perception of quality. For example, people perceive potato crisps that emit a higher frequency when broken as being of higher quality than lower frequencies.