Unveiling 15 “psychological traps” in supermarkets”

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Those who often go to supermarkets to shop definitely know to take the items from the back when buying yogurt, milk, and things like that. Especially when you realize that the dates on the very inside are indeed fresher than those on the outside, a sense of subtle pride and satisfaction quickly fills your heart! But the traps in supermarkets aren’t limited to these! 1. Products parallel to the line of sight have high profits. There is a common principle behind the arrangement of products in supermarkets: what is easily accessible to you is always what the sellers want to sell the most. Therefore, supermarkets usually place products with higher profits or those that are about to expire at a height of between 1.5 meters and 1.7 meters. Remember, you can get high-quality products at low prices simply by standing on tiptoes or bending down. 2. Place the items you most want to sell on the right. Supermarkets take advantage of people’s tendency to use their right hands by placing the products they want to sell the most and which generate higher profits on the right side of the main shopping aisles or display cases. So, when shopping at the supermarket, it’s a good idea to use your left hand more often to pick up items. 3. Protect the market entry for products with low margins and high volume sales. Upon entering a supermarket, you might be greeted by a pile of items on sale. Stay calm – the more easily visible and accessible the items are, the more profitable they are for the supermarket, or the more eager they are to get rid of them. People always assume that the goods at the front are average, and there are better ones further in, so they tend to buy more as they get closer to the back. 4. Fresh items should be placed at the back. When supermarkets arrange milk, yogurt, and foods kept in refrigerators, they tend to place the freshest products at the back, replacing them gradually on a daily basis. If you want to buy the one with the latest production date, then take out the item on the very inside. 5. Vegetables and fruits yield the highest profits. Fruits and vegetables in supermarkets are mostly displayed in the center for two reasons: First, psychological research has shown that because humans lived in dark caves for long periods in early times, they have an innate enthusiasm for brightly colored foods, which makes it easier to stimulate their desire to buy them. Second, most supermarkets outsource this area to suppliers; although the price is much higher than that in markets, the products can still be sold there. Furthermore, many fruits and vegetables are labeled as “green organic” products, but this is not necessarily true. A WeChat ID that will make you blush: nan538; you have to add it even if it makes you blush! 6. Prices involve “making up for one loss with another.” Supermarkets use the psychological \"halo effect\" by setting lower prices on necessities such as food and daily goods, so as to give you the impression that this supermarket is cheap, leading you to unconsciously assume that everything there is inexpensive. Then, the supermarket sets higher prices on other items to make up for the loss. 7. Made to order and sold fresh, with an enticing flavor. The aroma of food stimulates the secretion of various digestive enzymes in the body, causing you to increase your purchases of food without even realizing it. At this time, be sure to stay calm! Buy as much as you eat! 8. It’s best to earn money from children. Children are most prone to impulse buying. Children’s consumption is irrational, and they have a strong desire for possession; they can emotionally \"manipulate\" their parents. It is by taking advantage of this consumer psychology that supermarkets employ a sales strategy aimed at making money from children: the first step is to carefully arrange the display cabinets for children’s products ； The second method is to place tempting foods on the paths that children must take, and the third is to put children’s products near items that women consider essential. 9. The buy-one-get-one-free offer is shady. Some merchants quietly raise the price of their products and then include free gifts ； Many supermarkets also often sell products that are about to expire together with genuine items, and consumers tend to overlook their expiration dates. 10. Taking advantage of the special offer section. Supermarkets in Nanjing often run promotions, but some of them may not actually offer good deals. For example, there are some items at full price mixed in with those on sale. In fact, many discounted products are not really “a good deal.” 11. Larger packages are more expensive than smaller ones. Many consumers have the ingrained belief that buying more is more cost-effective than buying less; in fact, the price of large packages for many products is higher than that of small packages. This situation is common in snack foods, such as beverages and chips. Moreover, the weight and price of these products are often not whole numbers; for example, 480 grams, 458 grams, etc., making it difficult for consumers to determine which option is more cost-effective at first glance. 12. The cut fruit has a “suspicious origin.” With sliced fruit, you can buy as much as you want to eat; this sales method may seem convenient for consumers on the surface, but its origins are suspicious. Every day, supermarkets have a large amount of fruit that cannot be sold due to issues such as appearance or spoilage. The common practice is to break it down into smaller portions and sell it in those smaller packages. In some supermarkets in Nanjing, staff use knives to cut off the damaged parts of fruits and vegetables, chop the remaining parts into small pieces, and wrap them in plastic wrap; this way, no problems seem to be present, but the quality of the products purchased by consumers can still be significantly reduced. 13. Use lighting to attract people with color. Ambient lighting often makes food appear more vibrant; generally, red light is used for meats, yellow light for breads, and blue light for seafood. 14. Most salespeople take bribes. Some brands with limited influence usually don’t have the funds to spend heavily on advertising, and their products aren’t of high quality either; therefore, they use a \"numbers game\" by placing a large number of sales assistants in supermarkets and offering them high commission rates. 15. Checking out is the final step in shopping. The survey found that those \"trapped\" in long checkout lines are 25% more likely to purchase candies and drinks from the shelves. The items near the cash register are usually daily necessities or affordable small snacks. After seeing it, I realize it’s really true – from the shelves to the way items are arranged, the advertising, the lighting, and the music; it may seem casual, but everything has been carefully planned. There is only one goal: to pull the money out of your pocket, catching you off guard!