What Your Supermarket Knows About You

[Contrary1]

Something to think about the next time you shop.

As the recession lurches on, retailers have adjusted their marketing tactics to appeal to your hoarding instinct

"...This particular section of the market was different from the usual aisle. For a start, it had different floor tiles — a type of parquetry imparting a sense of quality. And instead of the cart gliding imperceptibly across nondescript linoleum, it made a clickety-clack sound, causing the shopper to instinctively slow down. The shopper’s speed was displayed at the top of the screen, and as soon as she entered the zone, her pace noticeably slowed. She began looking at a tall tower of Campbell’s soup, and then plucked a can off the top. Bingo! The sign in front of the display read: “1.95. Maximum three cans per customer.” Before the shopper slowly sauntered off, she had carefully selected three cans for her cart.

Sophisticated as we may be, there’s no getting away from our more primitive survival technique of hoarding food to see us through lean times. So when we come across a deal that appeals to this ancient instinct, dopamine is released in our brain, giving us an instant rush of pleasure. My guide explained the exercise: “Yesterday we ran exactly the same offer, with two distinct differences. There was a dollar sign in front of the price, and no ‘Maximum 3 cans per customer’ line. We also gave the shoppers smaller-sized carts and changed the floor tiles.” These seemingly small changes translated into big differences. On the first day of the experiment, only 1 in 103 purchased Campbell’s soup. Today, however, it seemed that 1 in every 14 succumbed — a sevenfold increase.

Over several months of experimenting with signage, the team noticed that using a dollar sign in front of the price decreases our likelihood of making the purchase. The dollar sign is a symbol of cost, rather than gain. Removing the sign helps the consumer sidestep the harsh reality of outstanding bills and longer-term financial concerns. No doubt the larger cart and the changed floor tiles also played their part, but what was most surprising was our need to hoard. The dictum allowing only three cans per customer that sealed the deal.

The next time you go grocery shopping, take a look at the signs, the type of floor, and even the carts. Everything has been designed with an eye towards getting you to grab those three cans of something that was not on your list. The more attention you pay to the details, the more aware you’ll become of how you’re being manipulated. One thing is for certain; whoever made those three cans will be watching you just as closely."


Read more: http://ideas.time.com/2011/10/21/what-your-supermarket-knows-about-you/#ixzz1bcmK4Nom

[woo me with science]

1. I don't know how often lately I've seen signs that say something like,

"Buy two, get three free."

It is like shopping at a discount club, only you have to buy the huge quantities in order to get what used to be the regular price.

[durablend]

48. Actually the bigger racket these days...

Is "MUST buy X to get at $Y each"

[SheilaT]

61. My supermarket constantly prices things

thusly: 5 for $10.00, or 2 for $6.00, and you get the per unit price whether you buy the five or the two or whatever. I do like that, because usually the price being quoted is a serious discount from the standard price for whatever it is.

[Historic NY]

2. They also pump out register coupons based on your purchases...

my one store tells you how much you saved...at the register and its for stuff that not marked.

[RebelOne]

52. My local Kroger does that and I don't mind at all

because the coupons are for items that I buy frequently.

[Historic NY]

77. not so much for me...maybe its stuff the previous customer uses.

[ChandlerJr]

3. "What a cute bunch of cows!" she remarked.

"Not a bunch, herd", her friend replied.
"Heard of what?"
"Herd of cows."
"Of course I've heard of cows."
"No, a cow herd."
"What do I care what a cow heard. I have no secrets to keep from a cow!"

[dana_b]

4. lol

yes, a good Sunday morning giggle.

[WinkyDink]

5. Whatever. Yeah, milk's at the far back, bargains are bottom shelf, etc. I know this:it's a foolish

customer who eschews deals and coupons.
And who doesn't know what IS a deal.

Psychology applied to consumerism is hardly a novel concept.

[Gormy Cuss]

11. Not novel, but the more exposure it gets, the easier it is for consumers to ignore it.

Once you know the tricks being employed by marketers it's easier to move around them.

[redqueen]

6. This is why I hate advertising.

These people are preying on the subconscious.

[IDemo]

7. They know I think the background music is absurdly loud

And even turned it down somewhat for several months in reply to an email of mine that made its way up to the regional manager. But it's back up to where it used to be; Corporate must have found out and demanded a return to the acceptable 110db levels.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

24. You are not to be able to hear yourself think.

Thinking in the store about what you are going to buy is not allowed.

Not to mention the screaming unintelligible P.A. system.

[msongs]

8. is campbell's soup even real food anymore is the real question lol nt

[Glimmer of Hope]

17. It is crap and it has taken over my local Safeway! They are

revamping the the store and now there is a full aisle of those soup can dispensers. Is the market for canned soup that big?

Homemade soup is so easy and way better!

[Sherman A1]

32. There may or may not be a market for all the soup you see

but, the mfgrs are paying for that shelf space and placement. It's not just about what sells the best.

[Contrary1]

50. Barely edible, in my opinion...

Have you seen the Campbell's commercial encouraging folks to open up a can of their chunky style, and pouring it on mashed potatoes for a wholesome meal?

:puke:

[Odin2005]

9. I hate marketers and these kinds of psychological manipulation they think up.

May they rot in hell for all etermity. They are scum.

[KamaAina]

22. Does it work on you?

I find I can see through it rather easily, unlike the masses of NTs.

[Odin2005]

27. I used to think not, but I was wrong.

Reading the article I realized that I fall for the "limit 3" BS a lot. :(

Another one that pisses me off is the X things for $Y stuff. I never know if you have to have exactly X number of products to get the reduced price or not.

[redqueen]

37. Well then of course you deserve to get ripped off.

I don't think that way, but obviously it's a popular opinion that taking advantage of people is ok as long as you can find some way to rationalize it. I find that opinion disturbing myself.

[Odin2005]

39. It's the old "caveat emptor" argument still used as an argument against any regulation that...

...helps protects consumers. Social Darwinist BS is what it is.

[redqueen]

41. I suspect it also may have something to do with a need to feel superior. (nt)

[KamaAina]

55. In most states, no

here in CA, 2 for $5 means you can get one for $2.50.

Where they get you is the "Buy one, get one free". :grr:

[MADem]

10. They don't know JACK about me! They sure try, though--with those stupid Loyalty cards!

I put my supermarket cards in the names of long-dead ancestors or treasured, deceased pets, and I affix a doctoral degree to their monikers, just to ice the cake.

I am in supermarkets A LOT, because I take people to the market and do the shopping for a couple of households. I'm wise to their tricks, the baastids!

[Capitalocracy]

13. I used to make a new one every time I bought something with a discount

In the names of James Morrison, Thomas Yorke, that sort of thing. They knew I was giving false names but they didn't care. That was back in the day, they probably check IDs now.

[MADem]

19. Half the time, they send 'em to "resident" at your address!

I've never been carded. Very recently I did a drugstore one, to get a massive discount on some stupid thing, and decided to memorialize a long-dead grandparent with that one. Now, I get a kick out of seeing the old family name on the receipt every time I pick something up there!

[Mnemosyne]

62. I always use Isadora Duncan. Why do they need my name?! n/t

[MADem]

76. +1 nt

[Ikonoklast]

12. This is nothing new to anyone in retail.

If you want to move a certain product off your shelf, put a limit on it, people will invariably buy the limit.

Been done since Hector was a pup.

[jberryhill]

14. OMG Supermarkets try to SELL stuff!

[sibelian]

42. No. Supermarkets manipulating you into buying things

you wouldn't ordinarily buy by knowing more about how you think than you do.

Perhaps you seek peace of mind.

[jberryhill]

47. People used to buy groceries from someone who knew a lot more

OMG, I went out for eggs the other day and I was hypnotized into buying a dozen frozen pizzas, even though I don't like frozen pizzas.

It's like magic, I tell ya.

I walk in with a list, and a leprechaun jumps out and puts things on my list that weren't there when I walked in.

[sibelian]

49. It might not work on you, jberry, but it does work.

I would hope that the wise might occasionally share some of their wisdom with the easily distracted. No that the easily distracted always welcome such attention, I grant you.

[TwilightGardener]

15. What kind of idiot buys three of what he or she doesn't need because there's an implied limit?

I don't bulk-shop. I don't buy more than what I need to get me through the week. I don't want a garage and basement full of toilet paper and boxes of stale cereal. I don't have enough room for the weekly shit I DO buy, it forces me to throw things out and limit my grocery purchases--that's a good thing.

[pinto]

16. I live on Soc. Sec. Finally made and held to this routine ->

1. Scan the sales ads.
2. Make a list. Include only things I know I will use.
3. Add only off-sale items that *have* to be restocked. Look for the best deal.
4. Don't walk the aisles. No impulse buys.
5. Shop from the list.
6. Checkout and go.

Took a while to make it a habit, but I have and it works for me.

:hi:

[MADem]

20. Good plan! Well done! nt

[pinto]

21. Thanks. Sounds kind of clinical in print, but there's usually a good variety of stuff on sale.

:hi:

[MADem]

25. I admire your plan because I do a lot of the same stuff!

I do allow myself the occasional impulse purchase, but not too often!

[pinto]

29. LOL. The deli at the local supermarket makes great peanut butter cookies. When they're baking,

half the store smells of fresh cookies...yeah, I go for it. :hi:

[highplainsdem]

31. LOL. I've done that sort of thing. Last time it was apple fritters.

But everything else I was getting there that day was on sale, so the impulse purchase didn't cut into the savings very much. :)

[MADem]

35. +1 .....Mmmmm, good! nt

[highplainsdem]

30. I do the same. And I really stock up when there's a good sale price and it's

something I know will be used within a few months. I don't consider that "hoarding" either, despite the wording used in the article. Makes sense to have the pantry well stocked, especially if it cuts down on trips to the store and saves me from having to pay regular price later. I have to buy very few groceries at regular price.

It takes a few minutes to write down the shopping list, but then I can usually do the shopping and check out in about ten minutes.

[CTyankee]

40. I also do the "match up the coupon with the sale item" thingie for double saving!

I keep a small stash of coupons for things I use. I refresh and winnow out the stash once a week while planning my shopping. It's great to get both the sale and the coupon on one item!

[madinmaryland]

45. #2 is the most important thing. Always have a list. I will add, though if one of

your regular items is on sale, go ahead and stock up on it (unless of course it is a perishable item.)

:thumbsup: for a good list!

[RebelOne]

53. I am also on Social Security and I follow the same routine,

but I am guilty of impulse purchases sometimes.

[Codeine]

18. OMG ADVERTISING AND MARKETING !!11!!eleven!!

[leveymg]

23. What your supermarket knows, so does NSA/DHS. Both buy open source data, like your grocery receipts

from consumer data aggregators. They know where you shop, how much you spend, what you eat . . . it all goes into the profile. Don't buy too much humus, lamb and couscous or you may trigger some red flag and get bumped up into a higher interest category.

The problem is, they think they know more about you from these things than they actually do and there are so many false positives, the whole system is probably counter-productive to identifying actual terrorists.

Officer Mike, wanna come for dinner? You already know what's we're serving tonight, so bring the right wine this time.

[MADem]

26. That's why your loyalty card needs to be issued to Heywood Yablowme! NT

[leveymg]

28. Only if you're trying to attract the wrong sort of attention. I believe in overpowering them with

lots of useless, excess data - transparency is subversion. If they want to conclude we're deep-cover moles because we eat Greek yogurt and lots of pistachios, that's their privilege.

See you at around 7 for dinner, Mike. A nice Shiraz would go well with the main course. Shiraz - another indicator! B-) :evilgrin: :hi:

[MADem]

34. My problem is that I live simply.

Old car, combine trips, economize at the grocery store, no credit cards...I just don't have a lot of "data" with which to overpower them. Ergo, I go with the smaller "nunna ya beeswax" approach.

I'm in the 'T'aint no body's business if I do" school of thought. If they mined the data anonymously, I'd have less issue with them--but because of the way I assign my cards to dead people and animals, they, in essence, are doing just that!

[leveymg]

68. I understand that there are people with cats and dogs with 10 credit cards each. So if you want to

try the other approach, just enlist your furry friends. They can create quite a data trail, and even track them across fields and woods, as well!

[MADem]

75. Ha ha ha! I know my pets constantly get applications for cards, but I never take 'em up on it! nt

[madinmaryland]

46. Hey! Agent Mike Hunt is very nice!!

:evilgrin:

[Odin2005]

63. !!!!!

:spank: :spank: :spank:

[leveymg]

69. Naughty, naughty. No waterboard for you tonight.

[formercia]

36. ....and if the boys don't like you...

you may find your favorite items are no longer in stock, if you use your Credit Card to pay. It's good advice for we troublemakers to use cash.

[EFerrari]

56. I want to use my card and order my purchases

French bread
Unsalted Butter
Coffee
Kale

Yogurt
Olive oil
Unbleached Flour


That would be fun.

[formercia]

58. Make sure they're the store brands if you can

That would be even more fun.

[leveymg]

70. Sounds like you're building an IED or eat a very lean lunch.

:9 B-) :evilgrin:

[high density]

33. I go into the supermarket weekly and buy the same things like a robot

The marketing/floor tiles/whatever is all lost on me.

[Brickbat]

38. If you make a list and stick to it, you're good. It's not too hard.

[Dover]

43. I suspect it may go further than this...

I complained to my local grocery chain store about them no longer carrying a food item I often bought, and also their tendency to get rid of some popular brands (that I happened to like) and replacing them with their own, cheaper brand. When I called their customer service office the woman took all my information (my name, which store I shop at, etc.) and said she'd call me back later in the day. And she did.
She seemed to know what brands I usually buy and then went on to explain why certain ones were no longer carried, etc.
But how did she know what my buying habits were? Well, I often use a debit card and of course all items I buy are itemized on the receipt. Do they store that info????

By the way, when I walked into the store the other day I was overwhelmed by the scent of cinnamon that they were pumping into the air.
Did it influence my intended purchases? No, but I was aware that it did make me feel hungry. Very slick.

[GreenStormCloud]

44. Yawn. Easy to counter.

A. Make list before going to store.
B. Stick to list.
C. Buy off-list only if it is a real bargain. For example we always check the reduced-for-quick-sale section of the meat counter. If there is a real bargin there then we get them an put them in the freezer. We rarely pay full price for meat, usually it is knocked down to half-price.
D. Buy fresh fruits and vegetables from a local fruit stand. Way cheaper than the store and better quality. His stuff is riper and therfore has a better flavor but has a lower shelf life. It is sold to him very cheap to move it before it goes bad.
E. For non-grocery items, buy online if you have time. Better selection, cheaper prices, and at Amazon you get to read what other customers think of the item. That feature helps a lot in avoiding trash.

[immoderate]

51. A "twofer" sale that lasts more than a week signals a huge price increase to come.

Usually about 25-30% more.

--imm

[RebelOne]

54. Usually, I only buy one item on the twofer. because I only

need one of that item, so if I buy it at the twofer price, the item is only half price at checkout.

[tammywammy]

57. I just went to the grocery store

I had a list and stuck with it. I'm baking a cake tonight, which is a box mix that you add stuff to. I'm test running the cake this weekend (to the delight of my coworkers tomorrow) before I make it for my dad's birthday next weekend, so I was buying double everything. I needed two of the big boxes of chocolate pudding mix, and it was on sale 4 for $5. I went ahead and bought two vanilla ones, cause I'll definitely use them making banana pudding during the holiday season. It only makes sense to buy more of the sale items if you actually use them.

BTW, I wish my regular grocery store had those smaller carts that I've used at other ones.

[Habibi]

59. The minute I wander onto those tiles,

I skedaddle to the quieter linoleum, or whatever that smoother surface is. I cannot *stand* the racket.

[Lucian]

60. Um, the article assumes we're all zombies...

I'm not one of those consumers. I know what i need at the store and never stray from my list.

I can see bullshit.

[Odin2005]

64. I thought I was "not one of those consumers", too, then I read the article.

And I realized I constantly fell for the "Limit 3" BS hook, line, and sinker.

If this shit didn't work they would not use it. If it's so clever that even those that have their eyes out for psychological manipulation fall for manipulation so much the better for them.

[Lucian]

65. No, I really don't fall for it.

I have never strayed from my list. Not once. I'm a poor graduate student and my funds are very limited.

[Honeycombe8]

67. I may sometimes, but generally, it's a waste of time for them to try to influence me.

You know the old trick of pricing things a penny less so the sign says $1.99 instead of $2.00. That has never worked on me. My mind automatically rounds amounts up to the next dollar...so when I see $1.99, I actually see/think $2.00.

If I buy 3 cans of something, maybe their marketing worked. Or maybe not. I wouldn't buy 3 cans of anything that I wouldn't use/eat. In other words, I would've bought those 3 cans sooner or later, anyway. When I see a "limit" sign, I don't usually buy the limit. Unless I was going to buy MORE than the limit, then the sign tells me I can't.

I think probably placement of items works on me to some extent. When I see something scrumptious, it makes an impression on me (the Krispy Kremes by the front door, so you have to pass them...yum). And SOMETIMES I may buy because of placement. I think probably that works most on me with magazines, a weakness of mine.

But I've been shopping all my life, with my mom before I did it on my own. So there's not much they can do that I haven't caught on to.

[Curmudgeoness]

66. LOL, soup for 1.95 with a limit of 3. Doesn't sound like a bargain to me.

And if you think this is a gimmick, our stores all do the "10 for $10" or something like that. You can buy one for $1, but that isn't how they advertise it. I live alone, there is NOTHING I want 10 of, but it works with a lot of people.

All is not lost though, 1 in 14 bought soup----13 didn't buy that crap.

[JVS]

74. My store gives you the 11th free when you buy 10 for $10.

And that goes for combining different 10/$10 items. So I was able to get 5 jars of spaghetti sauce, 2 2-liter bottles of pop, 2 boxes of pasta, and 2 1 lb bags of organic baby carrots all for $10.

[iris27]

71. $1.95 for a single can? Are they insane?

$1.95 for all three would be a good deal, but otherwise that camera would show me laughing at the ridiculous price hike and moving on.

[iris27]

72. delete - dupe

[oregonjen]

73. To avoid giving out your real phone number for discounts, use Jenny's

http://www.parenthacks.com/2011/07/travel-grocery-club.html

Easy to remember and you still get the discounts. :)