tricks to avoid Archives | MoneyDigest.sg

If you enter a drugstore to buy a shampoo and a toothpaste but end up buying S$50 worth of nail polish, buy 1 get 1 offer of contact lens solution, and holiday decors along with your needs…keep in mind that you are not alone. Most drugstores employ sneaky and clever ways to entice you with their products that are rather unnecessary.

So, be a savvy shopper by educating yourself with the 5 Times Drugstores Take Your Money through clever strategies…

1. HUGE WINDOW DISPLAY

As you walk in the wall you see a flashy window display of a fever medicine and you immediately rushed in since that is what you needed and you thought that they are having a special offer on it. Not so fast! A special window display does not necessarily mean that the product is a good deal.

2. ENTICING ENTRANCE

The seasonal items such as Christmas balls for Christmas season or artificial flowers for Valentine’s Day are presented to entice the shoppers in the entrance. Even if you did not come to buy these holiday decors, you get excited because of the claimed price drops at that moment.

3. ALLURING AUTHORITIES

Some sales representative are dawned in special uniforms or even lab coats to entice you with sweet-swelling shampoos or dermatologically tested cosmetics that you did not come to buy. So, if you are there to buy sunscreen, dandruff or hair growth shampoo then go directly to the respective aisle and buy the less expensive brand, which usually contain the special active ingredient.

4. SHELF GAMES

Drugstores place complementing products together so you end up buying not just the duster refills but also new sweeper handles and other attachments. To avoid this, focus on the shelf cards and look for the special deals or the special rebate items.

5. FAR PHARMACY

Drugstores are usually designed to encourage consumers to walk in a circular layout where the “must-haves” are tempting you along the way. And the highly needed pharmacy is located the far end.

Image Credits: Mike Mozart via Flickr

So, head straight to what is on the list and stick to it. You can also leave your credit card at home and bring only the certain amount of cash that is sufficient.

Have you ever experienced going into the grocery with a shopping list in mind, and ended up buying more? Maybe it is because you shopped hungry, or just because of the grocery’s marketing strategies. Some grocery stores have subtle, psychological, and clever tricks to make their consumers buy more. Thankfully, I’ve uncovered 6 Grocery Tricks that will help you save more on your shopping bill.

1. VISUAL ELEMENT: SHOPPING CARTS

Upon entering the grocery, you’ll notice the shopping carts. An invention designed in the late 1930s have grown in size over the years. Since larger purchases are easily done, the bigger the cart, the more money may be spent. So, if you intend to buy a relatively medium amount of items opt for using a friendly basket.

2. SENSORY ELEMENT: AROMA OF FRESHNESS

Imagine the smell of baked breads mixed with the fresh smell of flowers. Very enticing right? This is why newly baked goods and fresh flowers are placed near the front door. The goodness of smell will surely make you feel hungry, and keep your mood up!

Image Credits: Paul Swansen via Flickr

3. RIGHT SIDE PHILOSOPHY

Most grocery stores place popular items on the right side of the shelves to move shoppers from the left to the right. This is because all items throughout the store are strategically placed to follow the “right” path.

4. KIDS MATTER

Another strategy is to target the children’s interests because they play an influence on what goes inside the carts. Supermarkets purposely place cereals, toys, and sugary treats at a kid-friendly level. So, do not give in to what your kid wants (unless he/she makes a huge and uncontrollable scene) or you can just leave your kids at home.

5. HIDDEN ESSENTIALS

Essentials such as dairy, bread, eggs, etc. are placed at the back of the store and far away from each other so you’ll be forced to travel the whole store to get it. Once you have travelled, you probably bought more that what you’ve needed. By knowing this trick, you may start with going straight to the back with your shopping list on your hand to keep you on track.

Image Credits: Redjar via Flickr

6. LASTLY, THE NUMBERS GAME

Instead of putting a price of, “$4” for example, they will put an irrational price of “$3.99 or $3.96” to make you think that you saved more money by scoring a better deal. What’s more? They will also put that if you buy more then you will save more! It’s these small details that may sound silly but it surely works.

Sources: Grocery Coupon Network, Idea Finder, & Lifehacker

Grocery stores, like any other businesses, are looking for making profit. This is why they have used strategies and psychological obstacles to entice you to put more items in the cart. I hope that by knowing these tricks, you will be able to shop smarter and save more!

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