5 ways supermarkets trick you into shopping their way

S

Shosho

New User
"These days you've really got to have your game face on when you head out to buy groceries. Supermarkets have quite a few tricks they use to get you to buy what they want to sell, to keep you in the store as long as possible, and to encourage impulse purchases. Here are just a few of the methods they use so you can be ready and shop smart:

* Eye candy Tempting impulse items aren't just located by the cash register. Many stores put the candy/sweets aisle directly opposite the cereal aisle so a must-have (cereal) easily leads to a must-avoid (candy), especially if your kids are along.
* End-caps People often assume (I'm guilty of this one) that because something is featured and stacked up at the end of the aisle that it must be on sale or new or on some other kind of special. Rarely the case, but then you've already got it in your head that you want one.
* Shelf shuffles Supermarkets often rearrange the order and location of basic items in a blatant effort to keep customers looking longer and spending more time in the store shopping.
* Cozy spots to relax By incorporating comfortable places to relax like cafes and coffee shops grocery stores make it easy for you to make shopping almost an all-morning or all-afternoon event. The more time you spend the more you're going to buy.
* Tantalizing smells Stores often position the bakery or deli near the entrance so the first thing you smell and think of when you walk in is freshly baked sweets and rotisserie chicken."

Isn't shopping fun??? :evil:
 
CanadianChic

CanadianChic

Hall of Fame
I like to shop for groceries in the evening when there are less shoppers around. The problem is I am usually hungry when I shop and end up buying way more food than I want or need.
 
A

angharad

Semi-Pro
Shosho said:
"
* Shelf shuffles Supermarkets often rearrange the order and location of basic items in a blatant effort to keep customers looking longer and spending more time in the store shopping.
Click to expand...

Some supermarkets - like one where I used to work - keeps laminated aisle directories at each end of every aisle. If you know to use it, you just have to look up the item you want and go to that aisle.
 
ilovecarlos

ilovecarlos

Professional
I have 2 that I patronize...until my favorite one is finished being rebuilt nearby. One has excellent produce, the other...eh...not so much....The one with the crappy produce plays really good music though...I find myself thinking, "wow, haven't heard that in ages"..it makes me smile...BUT then they go and do something truly heinous (sp?)
Buy 2 Canada Dry gingerale 12 packs (my one soda weakness) and get 3 FREE!!!!!.....Good deal?.....Ah no....not when they charge $6 bucks each for the 2 you have to buy to get the other 3 free...bad...bad...but they have really good cognac pate and gourmet goodies ILC needs for the holidays...why, oh why do they do these things? And why is it that just when you know where everything is, they decide to re-arrange the store...department stores do this too....It makes me C R A Z Y!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rant over....carry on:evil:
 
Feña14

Feña14

G.O.A.T.
I work in a supermarket and yeah those are pretty accurate.

I put out all the beers, wines and spirits and the ones we put at the end of aisles always seem to sell, even when the exact same item is also on the main aisles with the rest of the alcohol.

Clever I suppose :)
 
TheShaun

TheShaun

Hall of Fame
Shosho said:
"These days you've really got to have your game face on when you head out to buy groceries. Supermarkets have quite a few tricks they use to get you to buy what they want to sell, to keep you in the store as long as possible, and to encourage impulse purchases. Here are just a few of the methods they use so you can be ready and shop smart:

* Eye candy Tempting impulse items aren't just located by the cash register. Many stores put the candy/sweets aisle directly opposite the cereal aisle so a must-have (cereal) easily leads to a must-avoid (candy), especially if your kids are along.
* End-caps People often assume (I'm guilty of this one) that because something is featured and stacked up at the end of the aisle that it must be on sale or new or on some other kind of special. Rarely the case, but then you've already got it in your head that you want one.
* Shelf shuffles Supermarkets often rearrange the order and location of basic items in a blatant effort to keep customers looking longer and spending more time in the store shopping.
* Cozy spots to relax By incorporating comfortable places to relax like cafes and coffee shops grocery stores make it easy for you to make shopping almost an all-morning or all-afternoon event. The more time you spend the more you're going to buy.
* Tantalizing smells Stores often position the bakery or deli near the entrance so the first thing you smell and think of when you walk in is freshly baked sweets and rotisserie chicken."

Isn't shopping fun??? :evil:
Click to expand...

they put the milk at the back of the store so that you have pass all the other stuff to get to it.
 
A

angharad

Semi-Pro
TheShaun said:
they put the milk at the back of the store so that you have pass all the other stuff to get to it.
Click to expand...


That one's actually more logistics than anything else. Refrigerated and frozen stuff is usually the perimeter of the store, with the exception of the front end (where you check out, and enter/exit). It allows them to use one or two cooling systems, which tend to be loud and unsightly and wouldn't "work" being smack-dab in the front of the store. The one I worked in used a local dairy, and the trucks were able to back into the "warehouse" section of the store, within about 15 feet of the dairy case, keeping the milk fresher and consistently refrigerated.
 
ilovecarlos

ilovecarlos

Professional
Topaz said:
That is my method...I'm all about the lists. Though, like you said, they only work 'most' of the time...not 100 percent! :)
Click to expand...



Yup, I'm all about the lists too, except when I get there I realize that my list lacks the cute little cocktail sized bread for the pate or a nice smelly cheese that I didn't realize that I just HAD to have...ooooohhhh or that the shrimp were on sale and they were amazingly large and I...well, you get the idea:confused:
 
35ft6

35ft6

Legend
angharad said:
That one's actually more logistics than anything else. Refrigerated and frozen stuff is usually the perimeter of the store, with the exception of the front end (where you check out, and enter/exit).
Click to expand...
In the grocery stores here, they have no problem building refrigerated units that go all the way to the check out lines for frozen foods, beer, and non-milk drinks. I think he's onto something there with milk. Now that he mentions it, other items people buy with greater frequency, like eggs and bread, are in out of the way places, too.
 
35ft6

35ft6

Legend
SFrazeur said:
I hope that stuff written was not mean to be revolutionary. I would give a "well duh" to the list.

-SF
Click to expand...
Actually, it is revolutionary. A lot of thought was put into how to get people to buy more at the grocery store. Psychologists, sociologists, etc. You underestimate how much thought, money, and planning goes into getting people to part with their money.

Along the same lines, the colors red and yellow have been shown to make people eat more. Next time you drive by fast food places, take note of what colors they seem to use in their dining area, on their menus, and on their signs outside.
 
Deuce

Deuce

Banned
Shosho said:
"These days you've really got to have your game face on when you head out to buy groceries. Supermarkets have quite a few tricks they use to get you to buy what they want to sell, to keep you in the store as long as possible, and to encourage impulse purchases. Here are just a few of the methods they use so you can be ready and shop smart:

* Eye candy Tempting impulse items aren't just located by the cash register. Many stores put the candy/sweets aisle directly opposite the cereal aisle so a must-have (cereal) easily leads to a must-avoid (candy), especially if your kids are along.
* End-caps People often assume (I'm guilty of this one) that because something is featured and stacked up at the end of the aisle that it must be on sale or new or on some other kind of special. Rarely the case, but then you've already got it in your head that you want one.
* Shelf shuffles Supermarkets often rearrange the order and location of basic items in a blatant effort to keep customers looking longer and spending more time in the store shopping.
* Cozy spots to relax By incorporating comfortable places to relax like cafes and coffee shops grocery stores make it easy for you to make shopping almost an all-morning or all-afternoon event. The more time you spend the more you're going to buy.
* Tantalizing smells Stores often position the bakery or deli near the entrance so the first thing you smell and think of when you walk in is freshly baked sweets and rotisserie chicken."

Isn't shopping fun??? :evil:
Click to expand...
That's nothing.
I've heard that tennis racquet companies convince people to buy their products by claiming that each generation of racquets is better than the previous generation!

As if that's not enough, I've also heard that many fools actually believe that claim!!

Ain't that a kick in the head!?
 
ilovecarlos

ilovecarlos

Professional
WBF said:
Mmmm. Wegmans this weekend. My favorite grocery store ever.
Click to expand...



sniff sniff...we don't have any here yet...there is one in Virginia I think. The closest I have is Whole Foods...good but expensive....but it's the only place around I can find my steel cut Irish oatmeal.....too bad that's not the only thing I leave with
 
R

richw76

Rookie
ilovecarlos said:
sniff sniff...we don't have any here yet...there is one in Virginia I think. The closest I have is Whole Foods...good but expensive....but it's the only place around I can find my steel cut Irish oatmeal.....too bad that's not the only thing I leave with
Click to expand...

I feel your pain. We have Whole foods and fresh market as the big box, but there are also many smaller coop and specialty grocers. We usually do a major shopping run about once every 3-4 weeks. but hit whole foods 3 times during the week for parsley for taboulee or whatever. and I never buy just the parsley. If I go hungry I blow at least 30-40$ a trip. :)
 
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