Retail stores are not just places to sell things. We walked back and forth in the hallway, but behind it lay a lot of planning.
It integrates behavioral psychology and intelligent design, aiming to enhance the shopping experience. To be honest, they want us to spend more money. This is not the magic you see, but a carefully tuned science. They strive to capture our attention. The store influences our decision-making. They make your shopping experience enjoyable and successful.
Have you noticed something suddenly appearing in front of you? Sometimes you put some extra things in your shopping cart. These things did not happen by chance. From when you enter the store to when you make the payment, retailers are playing some tricks.
Their strategies are usually subtle. They will guide your shopping route and show you more products. Experts say that this level of detail is astonishing. This is like a carefully designed system aimed at extracting as much money as possible from you. This is like the wonderful interaction between store planning and customer behavior. Understanding these steps can help you become a smarter shopper.
1. **Those end-of-aisle items on sale are probably not saving you much money**: This may sound a bit strange. The tempting products placed at the end of the shelf are called “end shelves” by people. They are not always a good place to save money. Andrea Voroh is a consumer cost saving consultant. She pointed out something important. She mentioned, ‘The products on the end shelves may not necessarily be the most cost-effective.’ These positions are easily visible. The store places them there to catch your eye. They usually display some seemingly cost-effective products. These products are usually well-known brands, such as cereal or sports drinks. The main purpose is to make them look cost-effective.
The products on the end cap may be discounted. It is important to remember that they may not be the cheapest option for that specific type of product. Ordinary products or store branded products may be cheaper. Perhaps you can find it elsewhere on the main shelf. The product on the end cap is easy to buy because it’s right there. This is a product that is easily impulsively purchased. However, take some time to compare the prices. Take a look at similar products on the shelves. This is the real way to save money. It can ensure that you get value for your money.
Sometimes the simplest method is the best. Strictly follow your shopping list. If you never intended to buy that end cap, then skip it. Even if it looks like a discount, it’s okay. Not buying will definitely save money. The end cap is very attractive to you. But you need to consider its appearance first. Don’t just look at the signs. Take a closer look.
2. **You go in with a grocery list, but your supermarket works hard to get you to deviate from it**: We all wanted to do well from the beginning. You made a list to make shopping quick and focused. But grocery stores are good at disrupting this plan. Most of their income comes from those who are not listed. A survey conducted in 2023 proved this point. This is a large number. 36% of Americans said that most of their shopping was unplanned. The store deliberately played many tricks. They allow you to buy things you don’t even want to buy.
Here is a common trick that works very well. They will place the important items you need, such as milk and eggs, in specific places. These places are usually located at the deepest part of the store. This situation is not accidental. This will make you pass by many other products first. You must go through these products to find the basic items you need. The more tempting products you see, the higher your chances of finding them. You may see something and feel that you ultimately need it.
The store also uses beautiful items. This is not just about the placement of items. Andrea Woroch talked about this. She said that the store will “display some tempting food to encourage you to buy”. For example, avocado, lime, and potato chips are usually displayed on the display rack of avocado sauce. These exhibitions will give you some ideas. They make you feel that buying unplanned things is both simple and cost-effective. To avoid such strong impulses, please stick to your shopping list. Maybe we can go shopping after dinner. This can avoid buying things due to hunger. You can also order online and pick up the goods in store. This is very helpful in reducing the purchase of unplanned items.
3. **The best deals? They’re often not at eye level**: When we look at the shelves, most people will look straight ahead. This is easy to see. The store naturally knows this. They will use the position of the product on the shelf as a tool, which helps them influence your choices. Usually, products that are level with your line of sight are priced higher. They are not the cheapest choices you can make in that category of goods. Placing them there is a plan aimed at selling more goods and increasing the store’s profits.
Andrea Woroch told us about this. She explained it very simply. Expensive branded products are usually placed at the line of sight of ordinary shoppers. Most people look left and right when shopping. Cheap products are placed in invisible places. Store brands and regular products are placed on higher or lower shelves. This placement method takes advantage of our preference for simple and easy-to-use things. It’s much easier to pick up something in front of you than to look up and down in the hallway. This is like a subtle psychological drive that prompts you to choose products with higher prices.
To find cheap goods in such places, you need to pay more attention. Don’t just buy things you see at first glance. Develop this habit. Look up, down, left, and right at the shelves. Compare the prices of famous brands. Also take a look at the store’s own brand or counterfeit products. They are either placed on the shelf or under the shelf. This simple step can help you save money. It is also very effective for the things you often buy. If something is too high or too low to get, you can ask the salesperson for help. Finding more cost-effective products, even if it’s just a small effort, is worth it.
4. **That loyalty program comes with a hidden agenda**: Joining the loyalty program at the grocery store feels great. It feels like a win-win situation for both parties. You can enjoy special offers and discounts, and even earn points to save money in the future. But behind these seemingly beautiful things is a system. It will collect your information to help develop a marketing plan for the store. Experts will remind you to pay attention to these plans. They have a hidden agenda behind them that concerns your shopping.
Your shopping habits are being tracked and sometimes even sold. Dan Bradley said so. He works at CX Orlando. This company helps stores understand customer behavior. Every time you swipe your membership card, it will record your shopping details, including your shopping history, purchase time, and purchase frequency. These pieces of information are very useful for stores as they can help them understand your preferences and guess what you will buy in the future. They will use this information to group customers and then specifically send you promotional messages. These pieces of information help stores replenish the necessary inventory and improve their services. But this also means that your private shopping records will be viewed, and this information may be shared.
The discounts offered by these plans may seem cost-effective, but in reality, they are usually designed specifically for you based on the information they collect. Bradley pointed out an important piece of information. These discounts may seem cost-effective, but in reality they are just carefully designed and appear to be worth it. They target the goods they usually purchase. The purpose of doing this is to attract customers to come knocking. Their goal is not always to give you the lowest price for all products, but rather to attract you to visit the store. They want you to frequently purchase their products. Understanding this hidden plan is very helpful. You can consider loyalty discounts more carefully.
5. **The Decompression Zone: Creating A Strong First Impression**: The first step in entering a store is very important as it can prepare you for shopping. This initial area is commonly referred to as the ‘decompression zone’. Here, shoppers will change their mindset and enter the store from the outside world. This is undoubtedly a crucial space. It can make you feel at home, but it can also make you feel confused and stressed.
If the entrance area is cluttered and crowded, you will immediately feel stressed and unable to concentrate on the products displayed in the store. But if the stress relief zone is designed properly, it will make people feel spacious and not cluttered, and instead make them feel very warm. Just like cleaning your mouth before eating, it can help you adjust your senses and prepare for the upcoming shopping. Some small details can also create a relaxed atmosphere. Soft lighting or carefully arranged displays can achieve this effect.
A very important point is that this area is not a place to promote promotional products or bombard customers with various signs. The customers here are still adapting to the in store environment. Placing the main product or advertisement too early may be missed by customers. The purpose of doing this is to help them gradually adapt. It’s best to place eye-catching things at the back. Place them after the first area. Customers can settle down here slightly, which makes it easier for them to notice the products and interact better with them. The purpose of doing so is to create a good first impression and prepare customers for better exploration of the store.
