The Science Of Shoppers’ Psychology

The shopping process is both a logical and psychological one, and it has been a subject of intense research and study into consumer behavioral patterns as well as purchasing tendencies.

You may have wondered why you have to walk to the very back of the store to get staple foods, why potato chips are usually hard to open, or why certain products are plastered with “Buy-one-get-one-free” or “Homemade” tags. It’s all part of the plan!

For instance, the Internet is laden with all sorts of discounts and coupons these days, because it’s easy to get a hold of them and redeem them right away.

The trick is to get people to commit to that first purchase, and with every additional one they become easier to convince. All of the subtle factors that play key roles in your decision-making as a shopper are crucial right from the time you are on the internet researching the products you would like to buy, to your visit to the store for the purchase.

These are manifested in customer feedback and positive reviews, store design, digital signage strategies, the texture of products and the use of colors, sounds and smells, arrangement, theatrical display of items (e.g. endless aisle), various discounts and so on.

It turns out that online shopping and offline shopping is more counter-intuitive than you may think, but luckily for you, you can master the skill and, before long, see through the shenanigans thanks to the infographic below.

Shopping is a bigger deal than you could ever imagine. Retail and convenience stores pay so much attention to the tiniest little details that will get you to make purchases, and happily too.

Now you know more about your shopping habits and how to make the most of them to become a smart shopper.