GETTING LOST: THE TRUTH ABOUT RETAIL

I don't understand why every store is different.

This is a comment I used to get a lot when I worked for Dollar General years ago, and it was always used in the same context. The customer would come into the store in somewhat of a hurry with the intention of just grabbing a specific item or two with the intention of purchasing those items and being on their way quickly. Having shopped in a different Dollar General recently, they would go to where that product was located in that store, not knowing that the lay-out of the store they were in was completely different. This would cause them to "get lost" and walk around the store looking for the item or two they initially wanted, but during that search they would come across the signs that said "sale" or "new." By the time they reached the check-out counter, while frustrated with their search and making it vocally known, they found themselves purchasing five items instead of the initial one or two they came in for.

This is marketing. This is analytics. This is product placement. This is basic psychological manipulation. And it all works like a charm.

The truth is that retail store's want their customers to "get lost" in their establishments. They want you to increase the time you spend in the store because that will increase your chances of purchasing more items. Since you're already there with the intent to purchase, that means you're automatically susceptible to basic marketing ploys to get you to purchase more, and as you wander through the store, you're being wooed and manipulated every step of the way.

You see, your journey has already been predicted by a thing called analytics that these companies pay a lot of money for. They have the data on their customers, including demographics of age, sex, race, and even economic status. They know your purchasing trends, and they even have data on what items are often purchased with other items. For instance, in Dollar General, two of the most purchased items are milk and laundry detergent; so, they are going to make sure those two items are as far apart as possible because it insures that your journey be a long and tempting one.

Like a mouse in a maze; so, are shoppers in a store, and most people don't even realize this.