Stores like to take and keep your money. They want you to spend, spend and spend some more. Loads of money has gone into different marketing techniques to make sure that you don’t leave the store without a bunch of stuff. The key thing is that it is just stuff, you probably don’t need it, make a list and only get what is on your list and eat before you go grocery shopping! If you forget something at the store, it isn’t like it is going out of business today and you can most likely for without it until you can make it back to the store. Some stores have people employed just to front face their shelves so you don’t have to reach for that item. Things that are usually at eye level are not nutritious for you at all and are stereo typically items that you don’t need.
Stores are designed to make you shop and spend a lot of money, impulse items at the check outs and at the ends of every isle is a great way to see that. You most likely do not need any of the impulse purchases but they are there and you have most likely have fallen for them more often then you would like to think or even admit to. Stores also like to get you with BOGO’s (buy one get one) and multiple deals (buy 2 or 3 for a set price) but you really don’t need more then one, these things make you think you are saving money but you are really just spending more money to get the second item that you really don’t need to be purchasing. It doesn’t help the situation at all that product packaging is also very incising. It is usually very colourful and has a cute little mascot to help sell itself to you. The prettier the packaging the more you want to purchase the item.
Online stores have tricks as well to get you to spend more money. Some examples are that you have to spend $25 or more to get particular items or if you spend over $50, $75 or $100 you will get free shipping and even if you spend over lets say $150 you will get a free gift with purchase. Have you ever ordered an item and it ended up being more money with taxes and shipping & handling? Have you ever had to pay duties on top of what you already have paid for the item? Things can add up quickly. Yes it is time, energy and power to you to the store to purchase items verses being on your computer but is one really better at the end of the day for each item that you do end up getting?
Marketing is something different. Look for the different ways that stores are getting you and don’t let yourself fall for them. Don’t let yourself be had. Beat the system, don’t let the man get ya. Don’t let stores win!