Here's the trick big supermarkets like Walmart and Costco don't want you to know about for you to buy more
Retailers like Walmart and Costco use tricks to get you to buy more, such as laying out products in a way to make customers purchase more than they planned.
If you’ve ever gone to the grocery store and ended up buying more stuff than you had planned, don’t blame your lack of self-control- well, at least not totally.
Supermarkets have long been in the business of selling unnecessary items to unsuspecting customers, and they have a few things up their sleeve when it comes to waking up the impulse buyer in you.
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Here’s the trick big supermarkets like Walmart and Costco don’t want you to know about for you to buy more
A grocery store’s layout is created not out of a need for it to be aesthetically pleasing, but rather to get consumers to buy more things than they need. These establishments usually have long aisles that force you to pass by some products that you may not normally think of buying for yourself.
Shorter aisles would be more convenient for shoppers because they can choose a quicker route to the counter to pay for their purchases, but longer maze-like lanes cause you to meander within the store. And the longer you stay, the more products you see, and the higher the chances you will buy more than you intended.
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To go with the long-aisle design, stores also use strategic product placement to expose you to as many temptations as possible. For example, popular staples such as dairy products are usually found at the back of the supermarket to force you to travel a longer distance for your must-have items.
Stores also move their items around, forcing you to go around searching for products on your grocery list, while being enticed by tasty treats in attractive packaging or the latest kitchen gadgets.
How to avoid impulse grocery-shopping
Avoiding impulse purchases at the grocery store is possible if you follow some simple strategies.
- Make a shopping list and stick to it.
- Eat before you go to the grocery store. When you’re hungry, you are more easily tempted to pick up snacks or unhealthy food.
- Avoid aisles that tempt you. Skip the snacks and sweets sections.
- Limit your time in the store by giving yourself a deadline to make your purchases.
- Avoid discounts and special offers unless the items are already on your shopping list.