Supermarket shelves are designed to grab your eye, with pricier brands at eye level to tempt you into skipping the cheaper options below.
Stores use sneaky pricing tricks like odd-number endings (e.g., $9.99 instead of £10) and prices with fewer syllables (£27.82 vs. £28.16) to make you think things are cheaper than they are.
Retailers use cross-selling to tempt you to buy extras that match or complement your initial choice, like displaying matching clothes or Amazon's "frequently bought together" suggestions.
Supermarkets use sneaky layouts and frequent changes to keep you browsing and buying more (think: milk at the back, rearranged displays).
Retailers exploit our fear of missing out with "limited-time offers" and dwindling stock to pressure impulse purchases.
BOGO deals trick our brains' love of bargains, often inflating prices to cover the "free" item.
Stores leverage social proof, like seeing a crowded restaurant or positive reviews, to make you feel their products are more desirable.
Supermarkets use oversized carts to trick you into feeling like you haven't shopped enough.
Retailers craft a multi-sensory experience (sight, touch, smell, sound) to trigger emotions and encourage impulsive purchases.
Easy return policies exploit the "Endowment Effect," making you buy more because giving something back feels like a loss.
Stores use "speed bumps" like displays to slow you down and expose you to more products, increasing the chance of a purchase.
Stores lure you in with sale items near the entrance and by the checkout, hoping to snag impulse buys.
Free samples exploit reciprocity, making you feel obligated to buy something after enjoying a complimentary bite.
Stores use color psychology: warm colors (red, orange) grab you in, while cool colors (blue, green) subtly make you spend more.