Ever notice how you can go to a store to pick up just one thing and then, by the time you get to the check stand, you have five or six things in your cart and a bigger bill than you had anticipated? This happens over and over because department stores use an array of techniques (grocery stores use many of the same tactics) to get you to pick up these items. By itself, each technique isn't very strong -- it's the use of them in combination that is powerful.
Here are two examples:
The most expensive versions of a product are the ones at eye level.
Take a look sometime at the arrangement of different choices for a particular product, such as laundry detergent. Almost every time, the most expensive options per unit are placed at eye level, so you see them first when you enter an aisle. The bulk options and better deals are usually on the bottom shelves.
Staple items are placed in the middle of aisles, nonessential and overpriced items near the end.
Why? If you enter an aisle to get a "staple" item (i.e., a high-traffic item), you have to go by the other items twice -- once on the way in and once on the way out. That gives these items two chances to make their pitch at you.
Find out more after the jump. It also features 10 ways you can fight back.
Source: MoneyCentral
Image: Dogwelder / Flickr
Tags: Store | Spending | Money
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