How Retail Stores Manipulate You
HELLO FRIENDS!! a bit of an experimental video here, but i hope you guys like it...
Have you ever wondered why you always get lost in IKEA? Or why you can't leave Sephora without a hand full of lipstick swatches? Or why you just love hanging out at Target? I was curious... so I decided to do some research on how different retail stores manipulate you into spending more time at their stores, interacting with their products more, and therefore, spending more of you hard earned cash at their shops. We explored different tactics that Ikea, Target, Sephora, and Ulta use to lure customers in & keep them there until they make a purchase! This is the first of a 3-part series we're gonna be working on throughout the year!
A big thank you to Jen Clinehens for helping us out with this video; make sure to check out her KZhead channel here: / growlikethegreatest
Make sure to check out The Food Theorists' video on Grocery store manipulation here!! • Food Theory: You've Be...
This video is NOT sponsored!!
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MUSIC
Via AudioNetwork
WRITTEN by
Rachel Faulkner
Safiya Nygaard
PRODUCED & EDITED by
Safiya Nygaard
Tyler Williams
Dayana Espinoza
Jarvis Rooker
GFX by Dayana Espinoza
Other sources:
Remus, Emily. “Disruptive Shopping: Women, Space, and Capitalism.” The American Historian, The Organization of American Historians
Segran, Elizabeth. “Department Stores Were the Original Retail Startups. Now They're Headed for the Grave.” Fast Company, Fast Company, 1 May 2020.
Glancey, Jonathan. “A History of the Department Store.” BBC News, BBC
Smithsonian Magazine, “Why the Department Store Brought Freedom for the Turn of the Century Woman.” Smithsonian.com, Smithsonian Institution, 13 Mar. 2013
Mitchelson, Alana. “Why Is IKEA like a Maze? We Ask Its Design Boss.” The New Daily, 28 Aug. 2018
Ringen, Jonathan. “IKEA's Big Bet on Meatballs.” Fast Company, 10 Oct. 2017
Lubin, Gus. “Why Shopping at IKEA Is a Magical Experience like Nothing in the World.” Business Insider, 16 Jan. 2014
Waters, Carlos. “How Ikea Mastered the Gruen Effect.” Vox, 17 Oct. 2018
Collins, Lauren. “House Perfect.” The New Yorker, 26 Sept. 2011
Clifford, Catherine. “Meatballs and DIY Bookcases: The Psychology behind IKEA's Iconic Success.” CNBC, 5 Oct. 2019
Goldstein, Jacob. “'As Long as There's Human Life on Earth, a Strong IKEA Has Its Worth'.” NPR, 26 Sept. 2011
Jansson-Boyd, Cathrine. “How Ikea's Shop Layout Influences What You Buy.” BBC Worklife, BBC, 31 Jan. 202
Rosmarin, Remi. “A Study Breaks down Who Has the Best Prices between Amazon, Target, and Walmart in 5 Different Categories - Here's Where to Shop for What.” Business Insider, Business Insider, 31 July 2019
McMahan, Dana. “The 'Target Effect:' a Psychologist Explains Why You Can't Just Buy One Thing.” NBCNews.com, NBCUniversal News Group, 9 Nov. 2018
“Target Reveals Design Elements of Next Generation of Stores.” Target Corporate, 20 Mar. 2017
Bourg Carter, Sherrie. “Why Mess Causes Stress: 8 Reasons, 8 Remedies.” Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers, 14 Mar. 2012
Mead, Taylor. “Experts Confirm That It's Nearly Impossible to Buy One Thing at Target - Here's Why.” House Beautiful, House Beautiful, 20 Aug. 2018
McGrath, Lauren. “The Creepy Science behind Why You Love Target so Much.” Philadelphia Magazine, 23 June 2016,
Young, Sarah. “A Consumer Psychologist Explains Why Every Beauty Shop Looks the Same.” The Independent, Independent Digital News and Media, 17 Nov. 2016
Thomas, Ellen. “How Ulta Is Resetting the Mass Beauty Shopping Experience.” WWD, 23 Mar. 2018
Brown, Rachel. “Erwin Winkler Talks Ulta Beauty's New Face.” WWD, 5 Aug. 2015
Gregory, Sean. “Want to Save Some Money? Shop without Touching.” Time, Time Inc., 3 Apr. 2009
Jaffe, Eric. “An Evolutionary Theory for Why You Love Glossy Things.” Fast Company, 21 Jan. 2014.
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Intro
02:05 History Of Retail
4:55 Manipulated by Ikea
11:33 The Target Effect
16:58 Sephora & Ulta Get Their Revenge
22:30 Outro
23:32 Child Melts Down At Ikea
HELLO FRIENDS!!! ok this is a little bit of an experimental format for us, but we hope you guys like it - leave us a like & a comment if you'd like to see more videos like this! we saw a video from the Food Theorists where they discussed how grocery stores pump the smell of rotisserie chicken throughout the store to get you hungrier and more likely to buy more things, and wondered what other stores do this type of thing... have you ever caught one of these (or other) retail stores trying to ~manipulate~ you into buying more stuff? let us know in the comments below what other manipulation you've witnessed! xoxo, saf
I love your vids!
I appreciate the new content direction! Would it be possible to have a weekly or monthly poll on Instagram or another platform where fans can vote on new ideas and/or submit ones?
So like the IKEA you filmed in looks like almost exactly the same as mine but I don’t think you when to a ikea in Philadlphia PA but also like most IKEA look similar
Disney land puts smells like popcorn cotton candy and other foods to make you hungry so you buy food I've heard the smells are let out by speaker looking machine things around the amusement park-- forgot to put I loooooooove ur content (-:
I love your videos and I can’t wait for another video to come out and I watched all of your videos probably five times I think you should do another Franken makeup 💄
luckily for me, I have a foolproof protection against these clever tactics meant to make me spend money. it's called not having any money
Yes, peach. No money=no spending. I, too, can easily dodge the maniacal manipulations. Gas prices alone will send me to an early grave and I can barely afford ramen 😣 so I totally get where you're coming from.
And it's an actually good "life hack". 😅
You gotta be more than broke. You gotta have bad credit too. Even then, I am sure there's a credit card company still ready to try anyway.
ok
***US predatory credit card companies enter*** 😭
This is basically everything I learned to get a bachelors in marketing summed up in a 23 minute video. Iconic.
Masters degree here and was thinking the same thing. I love Safiya.
Ahhh so the marketing manipulated you and upsold the bachelors degree to you instead of just watching this 23 minute video, so it comes full circle 😂
I thought you don't need to watch her video or go to a marketing degree to know those things
Same!!!
omg yes
You forgot to mention that target has cup holders in their carts. Encouraging you to grab Starbucks and browse slower.
They had those when cafe was in store before any Starbuck was added.
Yes! Whoever invented the shopping cart cup holder was a genius.
they have other drinks, Jan. Not just Starbucks lol that's just what applies to you, not everybody lol.
Those cup holders don't work for everyone. I drink my chai latte within 2 mins
Also have a phone charging station at my target
When I lived closer to an ikea, I would listen to an audiobook and walk the store like it was a line at Disney land. I love the dreamy sense of disassociation that really helped me to pay attention to the book. I could sit on a couch or do homework after…. Eat food and leave with my class work and exercise done. It’s a good way to spend a rainy afternoon
I remember ikea as a 7 year old child in 1990/91.
+@@PraveenSriram Thanks for this highly relevant comment.
@@kindauncool he's just trying to remember the simpler times dude💀
y’all 😭
IKEA wandering is the millennial version of mall walking. Love it. Dreaming of the kitchen I’d have in the house I’ll never be able to afford. 😂
When I worked in retail, our rule of thumb was “eye level is buy level” . So hot ticket items were always eye level
but less expensive stuff was usually below eye level...so that's where I be looking.
Jokes on you, I'm 4'8". My eye level is significantly lower than most people's eye level
yes! and you KNOW the brands that are at eye level are paying BIG BUCKS to keep their products there
They purposely keep candy and sweets low to the ground because if you have a kid with you, and they're in a stroller or walking with you, that's the first thing they see. They see it, want it, whine and cry, and boom, impulse buy
Well sorry to break it to you but I'm aswell many others out there don't fit the average height. I certainly don't as I'm below 2 percentile of adult world height so that tactic doesn't work for me. Usually if I'm looking I have to be on my tippy toes or crouching down. There's no ducking in between. By the end of it I'm so tired and I have muscular dystrophy and back problems I just can't be bothered buying anything. Mostly because I perhaps can't find it due to being at extreme heights in comparison someone with a so called average height would, more easily do. This also applies to people in wheelchairs because I've been in 1 and know how difficult it is to reach. I guess I save money as I rarely buy because I'm also picky in what I like in terms of item I'm purchasing because for me it has to be of good quality cute if it applies and practical. If it doesn't meet those requirements it's a no from me.
Checking in from Las Vegas - we are currently being subjected to all of these tactics at once 🕺
I think we are all guilty to being subjected to all of these tactics..
don't be brainwashed
You got this!
Next video "we go through every hotel in las vegas" or something similar that Saf once mentioned years ago 😆🤫
Yes, Vegas, the strip anyway, is basically all a trap. Lol.
I went to college for graphic design. We had an entire unit about this kind of stuff. Afterwards, I found myself recognizing these patterns and avoiding them. I’ve saved a lot of money. Lol
Same here but mine was in Urban Planning & after a class where I learned how BigBox retail stores & malls are planned & designed; my already introverted homebody self started being even more strategic & smart while shopping in person. I always go with a list but once in a while I'd still splurge on stuff I want & need😂
My undergrad was marketing....same thing. You recognize it and avoid. You also become less materialistic.
IKEA for me does the opposite, I get so overwhelmed that I don’t buy anything
It goes even further for me - even though I like most of the stuff I have bought from IKEA years ago, I can't imagine going back because the drive to the location plus the maze sounds too exhausting for me to even consider.
I am the same. I cannot fathom spending an afternoon there. It exhausts me just thinking about it.
Agreed. I get massive headaches from being visually overwhelmed.
Me too. Geez!!!!
Same. I cannot stand going into ikea. I am not even that big of a fan of any of the furniture in there.
safiya has really been hitting it out of the park lately with interesting and varied content, everything since colonial williamsburg ive been like “this is different but makes perfect sense for this channel, very excited to see it”
lately? she's been hitting it out the park since the BEGINNING.
yes I love that she's posting regularly again!
It seems like she got re-inspired to make content and it's rly refreshing!
Best thing (I mean person) that has come from Buzzfeed. You can quote me. Haha
Summed it up perfectly. This is different but makes perfect sense. Love it.
My husband watched this with me and he turns to me and he goes. “Today I learned that you and I have an incredible amount of self control when it comes to shopping.”
SAME, but I've always known I was a penny pincher. Spending money stresses me out (even tiny purchases like from the dollar store) so even my "impulse purchases" involve me spending a good 20 minutes in that store just thinking ab if I can really justify it.
I very often go to IKEA and walk out with nothing, not even the thing I thought I wanted when I went there.
same, i guess it’s cause i’m picky, anxious and fast. i walk in and out in minutes.
I sometimes joke about my ability to go to Target and leave with only the items on my shopping list. People think I'm incredibly powerful - nope, I've just been extremely poor for most of my life. When you only have $50/week, or less, for groceries, it's mandatory to stick to your list and not make impulse purchases.
Yeah me too. And it’s why I’m wealthy. Not cos of my income, but because of my spending habits. I don’t spend anything.
One more trick stores (supermarkets in particular) use is to change the layout of the store on a fairly regular basis... This prevents you from walking directly to the products you want/need as you suddenly don't know where they are, making you spend longer in store looking for them, and making you more likely to pick up additional items...
Jokes on them, I'll be upset, and won't pick it, or finally find it and be so angry from searching for so long that I'll leave quicker.
🤯 . That makes so much sense
ngl as a blind person....this is actually my second hell. Too often do I go into common stores to have them been redone -_- and then theyre understaffed because theyre paying too little for the area soooo no one can actually help me shop without getting in trouble from a manager (anything over 5min trip is considered by most stores too be "too long" even if theyre helping someone like me do a full list! that's impossible and yet-). I really wish they would either A) pay proper wages, B) not change the stores and C) provide updated online information via website or app. I am mainly calling out large brands like Ulta, Walmart, CVS, Target and so many more. My fav shop is actually a local Asianmart ran by a grandma who refuses to change ANYTHING from ANYWHERE. Grandma Li
Is that just a US thing? Here supermarkets have the same layouts for years
@@bruises.n.bitemarks It's USA thing! It's done to make you wander around more so you'll see more things to buy on the way. Doesn't work on me b/c I'm blind so it just pisses me off.
I paused the video as my two year old daughter walked by me so I could say hi to her. She looked over my shoulder and shouted "TARGET!" with joy. She was right. When a two year old kid immediately recognizes the inside of your store, you've got your brand nailed.
Jumping on the round red bollards outside the store- I did it as a kid and every kid I see there does it 😂
It's disgusting that you're proud that your child has been manipulated. Some people don't deserve to have children.
@@shadowsoulless6227They’re laughing at how well the manipulation worked. They didn’t say shit about being proud of it. Get off your high horse.
Kids are even having target themed birthday parties now haha
@@LorenCognita Am I understanding this right, they aren't just buying their party stuff at Target but it's actual theme is "Target"? That is some capitalistic near-dystopian level stuff, right there.
Safiya: "Good luck putting it down now." Me: *looks at price tag, immediately leaves the store* Lmao its different when you're broke
Exactly 😂
Yep
lmfaoo amen
I always like to grab the stuff and think about walk around with it and usually end up not buying cause of the price
for me its worse lol
I feel like Marshall’s and home goods should have been added to this study. They have that treasure hunt design that works like a charm.
Or TJ Maxx where it’s always a mess so u find everything except what u were looking for
Yes we do i work there :)
And Thursday Morning, the worst treasure hunt ever, but I saw the CEO pushing this philosophy super hard 15 years ago. That's the whole appeal of that store. If you can call it appeal
Personally I have to be in the mood for chaos/hunting for things when I go there, though. I’m always in the mood for Target.
As a Marshall’s employee, yes. But those are all under the same chain, TJX as a whole should’ve been added to this, there’s 5 different stores under the same company, I cannot stress enough that if you have a TJMaxx, you have a Marshalls, and vice versa. We all get the same merchandise, it’s just under different names.
In places like Ulta and Sephora, I always pick out what I want online first and then buy it in the store. I never go in and just browse. It is waaaaaay too much going in Ulta, too many products to look through. Sephora is super expensive, so I already have my mind made up before I even enter the store. I rarely get anything extra from either places. I am completely obsessed with Target and I ALWAYS end up buying more.
@@nicholeingram9446 Their in stock list is shit. At least 1/4 of the stuff that's "in stock" isn't so that's not reliable. I've gone in for one thing and they don't even have it like 6 times ugh.
When I go to Ulta, it’s usually just for one or two things. Occasionally I’ll splurge on some eyeshadow or lipstick.
SAME! I always window shop online first. Even before going to restaurants, I’ll pick my order out ahead of time from the online menu. I’m indecisive and it just saves time.
This is a great idea! Makeup and skincare is basically impossible to buy online. You need to see colours and feel textures but I like the idea of picking a list of products to go and find (like a treasure hunt).
IKEA is one of the only places where i am very happy to be manipulated.
It is part of the wonder & mystery of IKEA that millions feel the same way. We know we're being channeled into a maze. We talk about it. We laugh about it. We come back for more. It's like your genial uncle inviting you over for lunch and then manipulating you into helping him weed his garden. "Oh, Uncle Sven. Such a tricky devil. Ha-ha!"
I have never been to IKEA 😢
I think part of it is because most of manipulating is just... making you have a better experience. Look at all the pretty rooms! We'll feed you! We'll look after your kids for the afternoon! It's nice.
all the other places i’d go “oh you capitalist prick, trying to pry all my money out of me!” but with ikea it’s just like… ikea is a friend. i love going to ikea. if i spend some extra money that’s fine. it’s a thank-you for the fun experience.
I got those exact mini chairs just like she did. And I’ve never found a place to use them, cos I don’t wanna punch holes in my wall. 😂 really cute though 😢
Another interesting fact: I’ve learned in Uni about a psychological effect that when you create or build something yourself you will enjoy and appreciate it more, because you’ve put work into it. So Ikea letting you build your furniture yourself is even more genius because it not only saves them a lot of money but makes you like the furniture even more!
It also saves you money as a customer, it lowers shipping costs and manufacturing costs making the cost to buy it less
Really? Because I hate building furniture 😂
This is actually called the ikea effect!
@@beccaran ikea effect works on my music and artwork too
I don’t buy from Ikea just because of that lol 😂🙈 I’m lazy 😅
No wonder shopping is so overstimulating for us neurospicy folks. Absolutely draining
Neurospicy is my new favorite term 🤣🤣🤣
Omg I'm totally stealing neurospicy😂😆 and yeah, so many stores are so exhausting
I thought it was me, I like shopping and music but the way most places are setup is very… jarring?
Literally 😭 pickup / delivery has been a life saver
right?! i can barely do 2 stores in one day. very mentally exhausting for me :(
I remember visiting IKEA, I spent 90% of my time there trying to leave .
💀
LMAO😭😭
Absolutely! When I go it's always to buy something in particular so I just wanna get it and leave asap. I never go with the intention of browsing
My mum made us spend like 8 hours at Ikea one time 😢
😂😂
One time at Ulta I was getting a wax pencil for my eyebrows. Of course an employee suggested the $20 one to me. I had some time so I put it in my basket but kept looking. I made my way to the drug store product area and found one for $6 and I took it to an employee and asked what the difference is and I was told I should buy the $6 one because they’re exactly the same.
You can also get the exact same one from dollar tree for $1.25 😂 that’s why 99 percent of my makeup comes from there now. I look just as expensive if I had spent $500 of Sephora products
@@anastasiya8314 this is what they call 'anchoring'
your editing and research skills are unmatched
It's amazing
Nice
The odd thing is that even being aware of these manipulations, we still seek out these stores to shop at knowing full well we're going to buy more than we planned. Making a list usually helps me stay on track.
I love IKEA😆
I do that too when I am on a very restricted budget.
read my name
✝️ LORD JESUS DIED & ROSE AGAIN TO PAY THE DEBT OF UR SIN! ✅By Faith in the sacrifice God has made are we saved from the penalty of sin! 🔵Turn from your sin that leads to death & accept His Gift that leads to eternal Life! 💜We are all sinners that need God. No one can say they are perfect to be able to pay their debt of sin. This is why only God could pay the penalty for us, that is merciful Love
I love making lists and I write them whenever I can
another thing that a lot of stores do (especially clothing retailers) is put the clearance section all the way in the back of the store or make it really hard to find. obviously they get less money if you buy things that are discounted, so they make you walk by all of the stuff that’s still full-price so you’re tempted to buy that stuff first.
That's true. Macy's is good at that. Their "Last Call" section is either upstairs in the back of the store or tucked away in some random corner. But, that never deters me. I'll find that dang clearance section if it's the last thing I do! Lol.
thats makes sense, may not be a thing in the uk/england, all the recent sales I've seen have been at the front so you see it and re enticed in even if you weren't going to before.
Similarly, I noticed Lululemon put their leggings in the back, even AFTER the clearance section. They know why people come to their stores!
That anxiety thing is real. I cannot shop Kohls anymore. They used to be fine, but lately it’s hard to go there because mine is always claustrophobic, overstocked and messy.
Yes. Kohl's is so different. It feels like it is partially a Five Below store. I can't do it.
They banned My Pillow. No to Khols.
@@fayeking5066As a former kohls employee, there is many reasons not to shop there, this is not one of them, customers complained we stopped selling my pillow, if we had any left they wouldn’t buy it, why not shop at a store just bc u can’t get a pillow also?
Me with Walmart😳
@@Katherine_xs I agree. Walmart is a nightmare. Too too much. I have never been a fan of big box stores; before it was because they're so time consuming. I've always wanted to get in and get out. Now, the overwhelm literally causes me anxiety.
COSTCO is one of the most obvious of the manipulators. It's simple: move products around so customers have to 'shop' around looking for what used to be in 'that spot' but now it's not. Brilliant!!
and costco shoppers always spend more there cuz who wants to wait in those horrific lines just to buy a couple items !
@@pktdbgnzwl Costco now has self check out lines 😊
All except for the rotisserie chicken, which is always near the back and requires you to walk past all of those tantalizing other products 😆
@@jessdelasouza they’re still long asf💀
And they hire a separate company to do demos or give samples of certain products usually asked for by the products company who pay for the space. CDS exclusively works in Costco, does demos of usually on sale products, and always keeps the store clean and less cluttered by means of workers searching and putting items back to where it’s supposed to be.
Strangely enough, I find that the warm light of Target is a big factor in improving my shopping experience compared to day Walmart or a grocery store. The harsh blueish white lighting makes me feel like I’m in an office I want to escape, while the warm lighting on Target makes me feel relaxed and homey. I LOVED this video concept and hope you do more like this in the future!
Strangely enough, I actually have the opposite experience regarding Target. I get inexplicably anxious simply entering the store and have frequently abandoned my husband in the store to get outside to prevent or deal with panic attacks. I've never had that issue in a Walmart.
@@MommyTiffany It might be because of the color red vs. blue. Red is a more stimulating color, blue is more calming. But for me Target is less chaotic to shop at compared to Walmart
already saw this video long ago but felt like watching it again. And I realized yet again and just have to say it: At the core, you truly are a filmmaker and a journalist. out of everything that could come out of this post-tv-youtuber-era, your content feels like the best it can get: you and tyler are loveable, not judgemental, it's wholesome to watch, you have an eloquent vocabulary, yet still relatable. you dive into various different worlds yet always stay authentice. Keet it up, as long as it makes you happy
My favorite thing is going to Target on Sunday for groceries right when they open at 7am. There is no one there but the employees and you get to take your time without it being packed. Top tier experience lol
The best time to go to any retail store is an hour to so after opening. Us retail employees haven’t had our spirit murdered for the day yet 😂
What I like the most about Target is their whisper quiet shopping carts. They just glide. Creates a more pleasent shopping experience not being distracted by the bumpdity squeely carts like most Walmarts have.
exactly!!
Omg yes at Whole Foods too!!
Yes, and there's no blaring music or constant yelling over the intercom. 👍
In my marketing class at business school they told us the squeaky/bumpy carts are usually on purpose. They’re supposed to make you walk slower and stop more often, some manufacturers even make carts with wheels that will start to wiggle and shake if you push them too fast. It’s the same mechanism that is on some wheelchairs and hospital beds, except in those circumstances it’s for safety rather than capitalism lmao
@@Eucis93 I actively avoid stores that have bad carts. It's interesting that it's intentional. I figure it's got to be that they assume that anyone raised in the upper class would not go in the store anyway when actually it's usually the upper class looking for a bargain but are pushed away from shopping in those places due to the carts.
The sad part about the Gruen Effect is that it's named for Victor Gruen, but he never would have endorsed it. He had a mission for the mall as a civic-minded, environmentally friendly "third place" to spend time after work, which had important services like post offices integrated. He totally opposed malls that were designed to be nothing but shrines to consumerism. Interesting guy.
Woah interesting
@@Ira__L And on top of that malls normally have the same big brands everywhere. The only reason I'm entering is for food. I love the concept of food courts (if they're done right and don't feel like an oversized school cafeteria). Small stores are much more fun to browse through while you also get to look at some sweet architecture:D
@@Ira__L melbourne central has stores, restaurants, a food court, laser tag, bowling, a cinema, multiple arcades, escape rooms, a historical landmark you can tour, a train station - and thats not getting into the emporium which it's connected to cause I haven't been in there enough to know what it offers besides more shops and a gaming bar. sure, it could offer more recreational activities, but it's not like it has nothing, and it's one of the main shopping centres in melbourne
Great video, you can definitely use this format again.👍🏾😃
@@Ira__L I live in a middle state of the USA, my mall has an ice skating rink, beer garden, movie theater, carousel, and children's museum, in addition to shopping, and lots of food.
I work in retail and I can say this video makes so much sense. My store definitely does little things to get people to shop more and we always have customers that say I came in for one thing.
Sense*
Yep when I worked at a hardware/ home improvement store the big stuff like appliances and fixtures were always at the back. This is the stuff you already made your mind up about, but you have to walk past all the Halloween decorations and fancy lights to get there
Yeah, but I also think those people have to share in the blame by admitting they have some kind of shopping problem. Because people will come in and say they needed milk and leave with $100 worth of stuff. 1) You could have went to the corner store to get milk, not 🎯 and 2) I work there and I don’t walk around wanting to buy everything all the time.
@@barnacleboi2595 thanks I dint realize auto correct on my phone.
@@hannahbalkovec that is true.
As a neurodivergent person i hate stores. I cant believe there is a science behind this over stimulation-hell, give me soft chairs and a dim light and id be at your store all day. Im laughing so hard at this
This. I’m AuADHD, and there are so few stores I feel comfortable shopping at because of particular marketing techniques some use. Blocking visibility to create dead ends or nooks, changing product locations, bright reflective spaces that I perceive as glaring, products being grouped in ways to make you search more of the store… These things can cause sensory overload or trigger anxiety in ND folks. Otherwise, I generally enjoy shopping, especially to compare and select products in person. Accessibility for people with sensory issues, neurodiversity, or any physical issues that make shopping complicated, should (in an ideal world) be a higher priority.
@@lisa_wistfulone7957oh my god yes. i went to target yesterday and i straight-up had a panic attack and had to leave because i swear that store is designed to destroy my ADHD brain
This is one of the reasons I tend to shop at locally-owned stores primarily. The ones I go to are laid out in a much more sensible way (ex: frozen/refrigerated stuff right by the checkout so it stays cold longer). Not having to wade through a mass of shoppers and cheaply-produced things just to get some beans is nice. Not to mention the local stores where I live have a larger selection, better quality, and cheaper groceries than Target. I understand not everyone has stores like that they can go to, though.
I can totally relate to the target thing. When I had post partum depression after my son, I'd drive him and I to target when he was a little baby and buy a coffee at Starbucks and walk around for 3 hours and maybe buy one cute little outfit for him. It really made me happy, which is okay, I was struggling and it brought me a lot of happiness
I can totally imagine it working that way! Glad you found something that could still make you happy during that hard time, hope you feel better now
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Getting out of the house is important when you're a new mum. I used to do similar things
The fact that you had enough restraint to only spend $10-20 after being there for hours, is impressive. I'm glad you found a little something to keep your chin up. I hope you're doing better now. ♥️
Personally, I only can think of Wal-Mart where I've experienced this "going in for one item & coming out with a cart full!" Never shopped at Cosco, IKEA, Target, Sephora, or Ultra. I have a few times at TJMaxx, Marshals, & Home Goods.
my favorite retail scam is how certain stores doesn’t mark anything in the store so you have to go around looking for things and buy 50 other items you don’t need on the way
Similar to this, this little store near me doesn't price ANYTHING. Meaning you literally have to guess the prices. (Not sure if this is even legal)
mine is when craft stores have "everything" 50% or more off especially for seasonal items when they really double the original price just to cross it out. the real sale is after the relevant holiday passes
@@shigaraki2035 or you have to go up and awkwardly ask the price
They're always changing where certain products are around my local towns shops, def makes the rush before shool started nor intense trying to find the confectionery isle
@@crypticshadows Yeah, but we all know I am too shy for that.
One thing you didn't mention about the Starbucks in Target is that caffeine is proven to make people more impulsive shoppers. It's pretty nefarious if you really think about it. 😂
I manipulate stores back by sticking to my shopping list and not shopping hungry 👍
As an amusement park worker, this is absolutely true! Water bottles are marked up 400% compared to stores
Oooh where do you work??
There’s also a good reason for having the gift shop right by the exit. Some even force your into the gift shop with the way the paths are constructed.
@@CynthiaPrice79 gift shop at the exit of every single ride!! I was just at cedar point in Sandusky Ohio, going again Monday, it’s my fav place to be, but they know what they’re doing, and it works. Not to mention, I only buy the merch if it’s what I want
@@CynthiaPrice79 Some? If you go to DisneyWorld/Land or Universal Studios, bet your bottom dollar (if you have any left…) you will be shoved into a gift shop after a ride.
The "intentionally overwhelming experience" part explains very well why a lot of autistic people (including myself) HATE retail stores. We experience all of those many sounds and lights and smells etc. even stronger than neurotypical people do, and for us it very easily crosses into "too much" and leads to sensory overload (instead of leading to buying useless stuff).
To be honest, I have realised some years ago, that I was really getting overwelmed by the amount of differnet stimuli, while shopping IRL, - and I didn't like the feeling. Thing I hated especially was a stupid loud noise, which owners of the shops mistakenly call "music". So I gradually switched to online shopping, which I can do in a privacy of my own home. So much more comfortable, - to be capable to interrupt the shopping and get a cup of tea or visit a bathroom, and then return to your virtual cart later, - whenever you please. Not even mentioning, that nobody disturbs me by sayng: "How can I help you? What would you like to see?"
Not autistic by adhd with sensory processing disorder and I agree entirely. Walmart specifically has some weird combination of color palette and florescent lighting that makes me b line for the bathroom when I go in there, then leave with a developing migraine.
@@thepinkestpigglet7529 my social anxiety goes crazy half the time when I'm in Walmart.
idk if american shops have them, but some groccery/food shops where i live have autistic/elderly/kids hours, with no music, dimmer lights and more staff to prevent overwhelm and fatigue. they obviously know we're a missing demographic and still want our money. its capitalism! (but it is still nice to have a safer time to go when youre just not up to the NT world 🤷♀️)
@@vexedcer That's such a great example of how markets work when they work well, I hadn't thought of that, everyone gets their particular interests and needs met because the store owners are motivated
I've also noticed in Sephora that it's hard to find a particular brand unless you've memorized its location, because all the displays are in black and white and the logos/signage is small and all the same size. Makes me think they want you to wander around all the makeup until you find the thing you're actually looking for
For me I have always been an intentional shopper when it comes to stores. It’s definitely because I hated how my parents would go to a store and spend hours and hours buying random things and usually forgetting the one thing they came into the store for. Like one time my sister needed tampons and instead they just bought all college dorm decor stuff and forgot the tampons at a target
Girl your editing and research skills are UNMATCHED. You’re consistently producing high quality, entertaining, well researched, educating and funny content. Love it!
Hey! Did you know God is three in one!? The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit! Bless him! Jesus died for our sins, rose from the dead, and gives salvation to everyone who has faith in him! True faith in Jesus will have you bear good fruit and *drastically* change for the better! Have a blessed day, everyone!! ❤
Your worries (yes, anxiety), depression, suicidal thoughts, EVERYTHING will melt away and be NO MORE when you lean on God and put your trust in him! When I have physical pain, I literally pray and the Lord quells it, that I am healed!! Know that there is power in the name Jesus Christ! His name casts out demons and heals! People are bothered by his name. The world hates the truth and wants to continue living sinfully! God's children are set apart (holy) and righteous.
Apologies that your comments got inavded by bots
Something that most department stores win me over with is no staff harrassing you. I love to just wander around knowing no-one is going to bother me while I zone out, look at everything, and ultimately buy stuff I don't need. I actively avoid stores where the staff are set to aggro-mode. 😂
Yes! As an introvert, I relate.
yesss there have definitely been times when the staff were so pushy i just left quicker and bought the thing somewhere else instead lol
Yes!!! This! If I need help, I'll let the shop assistant know! But most often than not, I want to do my own thing in peace
as an introvert, this is so true because it bothers me when staff constantly ask if I need help finding something when I'm trying to zone out and enjoy the atmosphere.
Sometimes you’re just spontaneously browsing to see if something catches your eye and you don’t have anything particular in mind, so it’s really annoying when staff keep harassing you asking what you need exactly. It really makes me feel like I’m not welcome in the store unless I buy something instantly and leave. If they can’t read the body language that I’m browsing, not lost, I don’t know how they expect people to find out what products they stock if they won’t let you look. 🤷 managers probably telling them if they ever see someone to ambush them or else.
Another way that stores manipulate is by getting customers to sign up for credit cards. I was so happy that we didn’t have them at Sephora but a couple years ago they launched the card. We were told that our #1 priority was “selling” credit cards.
Why just sell your customers a product when you can sell them a product and then make interest from them too!!
That’s how it was at kohl’s. They told us we had to ask at least three times through your the transaction.
@@Naoxsui it’s so annoying for the customer and employee. I probably only got 6 signs ups in a whole year because I wasn’t about to ask someone to sign up for a high interest credit card when they’re spending $25. My boss would follow people around the store and keep talking about it 🙄
I was 1 day late and was charged a fee even know I canceled it and I payed it off , since I shut it down didn't have to pay the 90 dollar fine and just payed the 7
Victoria’s Secret all the way, I worked there and I hated having to ask every single customer if they wanted a card. Even if they say no, we’re told by managers to keep pushing and explain more about the benefits and there’s a point system. Every credit card you get, you get more points and you’re in competition with everyone, if you’re not getting much you’ll be scheduled for less hours and don’t get me started on the unlivable wage. Managers think that their store is all that and so fancy but if you really work there, it’s not. the design of the place with the fancy moldings and black marble flooring and table sizes and shapes just gives you a luxury boutique feel but you’re spending hundreds of dollars on crap and probably a bra that could’ve fit you better at another store. Even our sizing feature is manipulative so that you feel like you’re getting a personalized experience but if you have a bigger size or less of a common size, we’ll just accommodate it by giving you a sister size, push up bra, or what will give the most flattering look. and 98% of the time you definitely are wasting money esp on panties that’ll smell like dye after 6 hours of wearing it
I just realized that Walmart uses that maze methodology, for some reason they put the juice and the soda in two different sections, and sparkling cocktails are in yet another section. Although sometimes I forget about this and assume that the Walmart I'm at just doesn't have either juice or soda for some reason lol.
There's something so nice about seeing good viewer engagement when a youtuber does something new. It just shows theres a solid fanbase here that truly wants to see the content creator thrive.
1000% agree you don’t see many channels with as much variation in content whilst continuously getting millions of views on this platform specifically. They truly deserve it their content is unmatched.
we need more "real" influencers like them
That or they just did a good job, this is totally something Saf's fans would be interested in, since her demographic probably shops a lot at these stores.
As someone who's neurodivergent, I've noticed some stores are just really overwhelming and that I cannot stay in them for long before getting really worn out and overstimulated. I never knew they did this on purpose 😐
it genuinely makes it so much worse that most of their marketing tactics only make shopping more miserable for us disabled people
Yep, I have ADHD and also chronic migraines so I much prefer shops with a calmer experience, unfortunately there's not a lot of them anymore nowadays so I basically just buy everything online now (including my groceries since supermarkets in my country are also cramped, overstuffed and designed to be extremely overstimulating). Essentially for my migraine alone there's endless things that set it off in shops; bright lights, reflective surfaces, visual noise, auditory noise (music playing over the speakers), strong smells.. And then with my ADHD it usually means I don't spend more time in a shop and I don't buy anything more either, I just end up buying less than I came for and rushing through the shop to escape the exhausting environment.
I have a cousin with social anxiety so whenever she goes shopping she tries to get the things she needs as fast as possible. Knowing they put the items people are most likely to buy on the back really sucks
Right? I’m diagnosed ASD, and I’ve never ben in an Ikea and now I definitely don’t want to. Didn’t realise SCP 3008 was a documentary lmao. At least I’m less likely to impulse buy out of a combination of anxiety and spite for corporations.
I just go in get what I need and leave. Sometimes I forget something because I just want to get out.
I do love Ikea so I'm perfectly fine with manipulation. In fact I've been around the store so many times I already know where everything is so I now CAN take shortcuts and I really do manage to leave with just the stuff on my shopping list. However, there is one thing that still gets me, and that's the lack of the fourth wall and the absence of ceiling. Well, the normal one, at least. So when you're in the showroom and you walk through the "flats" you admire this or that piece of furniture, you admire the living room and how it's set up and you think to yourself "this would totally work in my own living room!" And you are so sure it would work because look how great it fits everything in this fake Ikea flat, you buy it and take it home and assemble it and suddenly it doesn't fit as good as it did in the store. You suddenly don't have enough space or it feels cluttered or whatever, and that's because you do have all of your walls at home and the ceiling is much much lower. :) Still awesome, though :)
Measuring one's space prior to purchasing furniture fron ANY vendor is a must!
I loved this video. I am a marketing student, and there's so much thought about placement, colors, lights, scents, music, prices, etc.
As a person with ADHD, the maze and the crowded isles give me so much stress and anxiety. I hate randomly arranged shelves too, I just want to go through it all one by one in order
I am like this. For me I can’t finish my supermarket day if I didn’t go to every island. That’s why I now I do a list so I don’t get so entertain but at the same time I get satisfiedby finishing the list
My husband with adhd go so, so stressed during his first and only time at ikea too. We will probably never go back.
Same, I really have to mentality prepare myself for any shopping I do. Even if it goes well, I am so mentally drained afterwards
If I have to go to a " maze " store I literally run until I find the section I look for and then run to the exit.... People look at me like I'm insane but i really don't have time or energy to waste 🤷😂
As a person with ADHD, the maze is exactly what I love about grocery shopping and IKEA. It’s like a whole adventure! And they give you a fixed path so you see EVERYTHING, when I always worry I miss a section to checkout in an average store
The overstimulation in stores gives me panic attacks! Shopping is such a nightmare for me, I had no idea the overstimulation was on purpose 🙃
I literally walk in w a hat, earplugs, and a mask to cut the exposure and it still is too much
That fact made me really sad. It’s hard to go out as is and then now knowing they overstim me on purpose. 🥺😢
Same with me unfortunately 😩
Yes! Since the pandemic I’ve been addicted to drive up pickup for this reason. Once I realized I didn’t have to go back in it was all over 😆
I have cried in Ikea because my mum said the bedsheet I picked out looked "cottagey".
I'm Canadian and everyone was SO excited that Target was coming. It was a complete disaster though, I think all of the stores closed within 2 years of opening. They didn't have any stock, every department was mixed with a couple of items and huge swaths of empty shelves and displays. It was actually depressing to shop there and they were very over-priced. On a plus, the Ikea by my house is 5 minutes away so we often go in for just marketplace and then leave.
They also put Zellers out of business as a result.
As far I know, they made their tomb by refusing to sign up with Zeller's contractant and refusing to retake their empoyes. Result: nothing on shlefs and no employes. A total fiasco I still laught about.
I remember my Dad telling me about when he was in the Edinburgh IKEA with my mum and they came across a tearful elderly lady who came up to them and asked for help escaping the store. Even after getting the bookcase you came in for you are forced to walk through the marketplace where you realise how much you need an egg timer and some tea lights
That’s why I goto the registers and walk backwards
😂😂😂
I almost feel like everyone should have a mandatory marketing class in high school, because I learned about a LOT of these things in my college course for my degree. Once you know how stores and just companies in general are working to manipulate you into making certain actions, it becomes a lot easier to fight against your instincts and become a more conscientious consumer.
I agree! I took marketing elective in high school and I learnt in depth a lot of the pricing strategies companies use. It’s very helpful
Oh hey! I love your channel!
@@berkleypearl2363 Ah, so there's an overlap of Drawfee lovers and Safia fans: this feels right. Both are fun and unproblematic and wildly unhinged haha.
I LOVE this experimental style. I'm super down for more "Why You Are The Way You Are" videos!!! And Safiya falling for the gimmicks she's highlighting brings it all together. Good chaos vibes.
grocery outlet uses special lights in the fruit/produce section so that fruit looks more ripe than it is. Green grapes look amazing in the store but when you go home you realize they are a bit brown/green and over ripe
that's not exclusive to them. it's like an old grocer trick.
Hey Safiya. I just wanna say you and Tyler always bring me happiness in a bad time for my family right now. Currently without a place to call home and struggling to keep my head above water for my 19 month old lil girl. You make my mind go into a better place for a moment during your videos and I appreciate that. Love you guys and love your adventures! Please never stop 😭🥰🥹🥹🥹♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️
Target also relocated personal care items like deodorant, toothpaste and lotion several years ago so they aren’t all grouped together as you would expect and you have to search for them thus causing you to see other things you might buy. Paper plates and paper towels used to be near each other and are now in completely different areas.
Interesting!
Lol, I’ve noticed this and it actually had the opposite effect on me. It’s so hard to find shit in there I just get what I need and leave because it takes me too long!
Something I learned from a different video is their carts are different than other budget stores. Walmart’s are made metal and are loud & clunky. Targets are lighter, quieter, and move easier. And because the cart is lighter by itself, it tricks you into buying more stuff because it takes longer to become heavy.
Ugh yes, that used to enrage me because I spent so much time trying to figure out where stuff was when I needed multiple bath care items. At the time I thought they were stupid, turns out I just didn't realize I was being manipulated.
Oh my god...I always wondered why the hell they would put shampoo in one corner of the store and body wash in the other corner together with the toothbrushes. Like it makes no logical sense. Now I know why...tbh it just exhausts me to look for stuff in the store, so I just order online for pickup instead and end up buying less than I would have if they just put the shampoo and body wash together!
Another marketing scam can be in outlet stores because a ton of items are made for the outlets. Btw, I love your vids Saf! This made me day, especially after someone ate my leftovers. Edit: Tysm for all the likes!!!
Finally it's here. *YES* kzhead.info/sun/rM-xo5SXi5eBjZE/bejne.html
Exactly! Outlet stores and same tags on clothes you find a places like Walmart. Calvin Klein outlet = Walmart....
Not even just the outlets but department stores during major sales times like after Christmas or end of financial year, they get specifically made things that are poorer quality for sale time.
@@Brabra99 Calvin Klein is a great example, because there’s the high-end products but there’s also the Costco ones
I hate that so much. You either purposely saved, or were full and brought home YOUR food, then you are out and about or doing something, and you start to get hungry, then you remember you have leftovers and you actively are thinking about them and so happy they are there waiting for you. Then... you come home and open the fridge, and it's gone...that's like a knife in the heart!
I really enjoy when you go through the history behind what you are doing in your videos, it’s super cool and interesting to watch! 💕
We are being manipulated by the stores. However, in my opinion, as consumers we have the responsibility to look at our behaviour. In this time that we are alive, we are being influenced on and off social media, which leads to overconsuming (e.g., trying to keep up with trends). I was like that too and always wondered where my money went. After my divorce it has been one hell of a ride financially (I never had to worry about money, or how to spend it, and now I had to count my pennies), and I decided I wanted to do things differently; build an emergency fund, minimalistic living, and more. In the last eight months I found ways to accomplish this, with some help from other KZheadrs. In my opinion, it's about getting grip on your finances and growing a stronger mindset when shopping. It won't come overnight, but it's possible if you put your mind to it.
Well, joke’s on the retailers because, when I get overwhelmed while out shopping, I often don’t buy anything at all. LOL It’d be interesting to see how many people they lose as customers due to their strategies. Granted, I’ve never been someone who likes to browse or window shop. 🤷🏻♀️
I went to Ikea once as they're so far from where I live. I was excited going in. Almost instantly I realized it was not the store for me at allllll. It is not fun to shop at & I think I bought only 2 things from there. I saw so many issues that wee so inconvenient for customers. Plus it was PACKED with people... in those tiny areas... omg it was terrible. On the other hand I'm a HUGE Target fan thought I do feel like since they started to remodel a few years ago it's not as interesting shopping there anymore. And honestly the Magnolia brand is quite boring when it comes to household decor & stuff.
Ikea makes feel really claustrophobic and exhausted. And I do like window shopping.
I chronically avoid chaotic situations like that too, but love online window shopping. I'm curious about the numbers of shoppers as well, but wonder if online shopping or having the option to do curbside pickup or delivery negates any observable losses.
@@mermaid1717 I have learned IKEA can be overcomed with the right planning. And prefferably a group of friends. It’s basically makesit so you can speedrun the store.
@@MissCaraMint I'd have no issue going back. After seeing it in person I'd know how to execute it. But it's nit just the layout & crazy obsessed crowd.. it's the style of their products. You'll always be able to find something in there to like, but the EVERYTHING straight lined furniture, stupid little couches, blonde wood.... it's just so bland. I know it's rightfully Scandinavian styled, but the store is so worldwide.. find new styles to explore. Then there's the lack of help LIFTING products from the warehouse & getting it to the car... and the loading zone with a metal bar blocking the cart from getting all the way to the actual car so you can actual get your stuff loaded in your car.
When talking about Ulta and Sephora, especially Ulta, they do "free gifts" when you buy other things and it definitely gets me!
I agree with this whole heartedly. I joined the uh sephora club? recently and they sent me a “free gift” for my birthday but then required that I buy something to get it.
idk if we're talking about the same kind of free gifts but every beauty store i've ever gone to does the slipping in minis of perfume/moisturizer/eyeshadows... at check-out. and sometimes they really do check YOU out to pick which minis they'll throw in, like when i was a kid (in the 90s/europe) and went in a store with my grandma for her to buy some lipstick or day cream, she'd get another of the same from another (pricier) brand or the newest from the same brand or the cashier would notice me and throw in a kid-targetted fragrance.
I used to help manage a Disney Store and did a lot of marketing, planning floor layouts, and changing walls/shelves. So much of that had to have sales in mind. It was really cool to learn about the tactics behind sales.
I have only been to ikea once in my life, and I got so overwhelmed trying to find what I was actually looking for among the 1,000s of items and navigating maze of the store that I literally cried😂😭
Aww
I have found the only way to avoid the Target Effect is two things: make a list, and never get a buggy. The list gives you a definitive set of rules, and the lack of easy transport means you can't grab extra stuff. It tends to work for me.
My friend used this strategy when going grocery shopping as well. Still ended up buying more than she planned, but now had the added stress of keeping all the products she picked up from falling down.
Order pick up from Target also helps as well, so that way you just buy what you need and not buy additional items👍🏽
Yeah, if you are using pickup orders you really have to go out of your way to get anything extra
@@JaMadatMe I've also said it in a different comment thread, but ordering my groceries online has actually lead me to order more stuff, not less. I think it's the fact that I don't need to carry/pack it myself, or that I don't see the physical amount of products I'm getting. So it really depends.
another hack is taking public transit or something other than a car so you REALLY can't carry more than you need. naturally this doesn't work well if you are buying for multiple people but when living alone it's a great method
I’ve actually taken a couple marketing classes. Most of the fast food restaurants, specifically McDonald’s, have the giant signs (or arches) high enough so that your child can see it from their seat. So you’ll be more inclined to stop and buy a meal for them when they ask.
Fast food is a really interesting study in this concept. Back in the 80s, they were all about bright, off-putting colors and uncomfortable seating, to get you to leave faster. Somewhere in the 90s, that changed. A lot of fast food went to more pastel colors, easier on the eyes, and added padding to their seating. Presumably so you’d stay longer and order more?
They study so much psychology and use it for profit and not for quality of life.. makes me sad
So in one of my high school classes we actually had a simulator game for merchandising. So I already knew that stores were manipulating us, but this stuff is always fascinating to hear about and how each store does it a little differently.
I'm finding the cheapest and fastest way to shop is to buy it online and go pick it up at the store. I do this with everything I buy from Target. The shelf price is always higher and I avoid the temptation to buy things I don't need. I don't see how they make money this way though it works well for me! Oh..you two had me laughing the whole video! Very informative too! Great job!
Another manipulation they do is move shelves of things in the store, so if you know the layout of the store, and *go right there* you find that the object you are looking for has moved. I hate it. Since I'm aware of the manipulation, it actually makes me angry and less likely to buy anything else since I get a laser focus to get the thing I was there for, but I'm atypical. Target does this by listing items on their website in the wrong aisle 24-7 and then not fixing it.
I was not aware that that's the reasoning for it but I hated it nonetheless. There are big discount stores where I can buy some random crap if I know it's cheap, but most of the time the reshuffling feels like a waste of customers' time... I hate waste😣
As an employee at *one* of those beauty stores, overwhelm is definitely something that we’re taught to use against people. Me? I take care to be gentle to the guests and make sure that everyone knows what they’re looking for so they don’t overspend because it’s soooo harmful.
Good for you!!
gets fired
@@love-wp5fy haha, real talk.
This is why I hated working in retail. I don't want to trick people into buying something they don't want and would much rather help them get what they are looking for.
Thank you. It's appreciated by your customers.
Having worked at a Sephora, those high-gloss surfaces also take constant cleaning to stay nice. There is often an entire night crew whose job it is to clean during the holiday season.
I appreciate how Target has the toy section in the back. Possible strategy: preventing (or at least containing) child meltdowns that would make the store unpleasant for other shoppers?
I have noticed over time, that if I go into a store the following will happen: if I take a cart, that’s $100 or more spent. If I take a basket, that’s $50 spent. If I only buy what I can hold, that’s between $25 and $30 spent, regardless of the store name. I’ve saved so much following this!
Yep! The Food Theorists talked about it in their video. Having a cart means more space, which is a smaller limit, and that allows your brain to spend more. Also, pushing a cart doesn't tire you out the same way that carrying a basket or stuff in your hands does.
I’ve recently starting doing this and it’s saved me so much money. I still sometimes hold onto way more stuff than a rational person would, but it really makes me think of what I need versus what I think I need (aka want)
I went to the mall recently and stopping to see if I genuinely liked something helped me save money but obviously that’s not something I am great at doing everytime
I once got the small two tier cart thinking I wouldn't buy enough to fill a regular cart at Kroger so I filled both tiers with stuff I didn't intend to buy so I don't bother with the little cart anymore and I know some of the tricks that are used to separate me from my money.
somehow this basket theory did not prevent me from buying an exercise weight at target and carrying it around for an hour in there 🤣
as someone who used to work at target, there's definitely a LOT more messaging going on then you realize. like the red line that is on that main walkway so your brain subconsciously wants to follow it; it's not obvious until you know it's there. every target has it. the reason the store's usually so clean and organized is bc they hire people JUST to monitor the fronts for departments. there's cut throughs from one department to another but they're not glaringly obvious until you stumble through one since the employees use them the most for restock or online order carts to keep them out of sight. the lighting varies too, warm in the clothing and furniture vs cold in makeup department plus the position of the spotlights. add in the employee radios that are almost never over the intercom and kept only to the individual with different channels to keep announcements and notices private as to not disturb customers and it's so interesting.
current target employee here. something else is the music in the bathrooms. Oddly enough, they turn up the music just loud enough that you aren’t hearing everyone’s business. That’s one I think is crazy smart because it’s one small thing that makes being in target more comfortable
I love this, can you please explain the red line, is it a literal red line I’ve been missing 😂
Huh......no wonder I hate going to target, I always thought it was the other shoppers that made me uncomfortable. Turns out it's the store itself. The more you know.
@@katrinarosival9815 it is! at my store it was on the right side of the walkway and went around the entire store, my orientation group went over it and i was STUNNED how i didn't notice it before. our manager said every target has it bc the human brain automatically wants to follow a line ie; walking around the entire store to see everything, enticing customers (sorry, guests) to buy more
@@missy2105 dude I feel so had 😂 I’m gonna look for it now!!
THank you so much for conducting all that research! It was very interesting and enlightening. I was just at The Container Store today, and although I was there for 1 specific thing, I did notice that I had to snake my way to the area and also that there were strategically-placed sections of "kitchy" stuff to get there. It's fascinating to analyze why a store is laid out the way that it is.
I have worked at multiple grocery stores and all of this is absolutely true. In fact, they specifically have maps for the employees on how to stock for each season. Including facing each object/food to make it more appealing.
"You'd have to backtrack to do so" I've seen my mother ditch items a metre away from where she grabbed it coz she couldn't be bothered to put it back. She feels no guilt, no shame as people see her do it. She is a scary woman
Its amazing to see what people ditch where in stores
Anyone doing go-backs probably hates her 😂 As someone who once worked retail, just hand everything you don't want to the cashier. There's usually a basket or pile it goes in.
My dad does the same and it annoys the hell out of me. I'll take the item and walk back to where he picked it up just to place it back. That tactic does not work on my family lol
Mothers and grandmothers are a different breed. XD /j
if it's not something that needs to be temperature controlled? (I'm not abandoning frozen foods in the bread aisle or anything. I have seen that done. those people scare me) otherwise? Where I decided I didn't want it is where it lives now. Freeform freelance marketing?
I love the shopping carts at Target. They feel sturdy and glide effortlessly through the store. Makes it easier to just stroll through the store and browse items. Compared to Walmart, where I’m fighting to keep it going straight and there’s at least one wonky wheel making a loud ass screeching sound the whole time 🤣
Yes, a fellow cart appreciator!
Plus there are 2 cup holders and a phone stand in between them so you can prop a phone for your kid to watch while you shop
And the cup holders are sturdy so you don’t feel like your Starbucks is going to fall out 😂
I’ve never related to anything more in my entire life
YES THANK YOU the target carts are immaculate
Thank you. I like videos that actually teach something like this one. So many influencers talk extra fast and end up being more of an entertainment than informational.
You guys are so much fun to watch! Thank you!
There's a story my mom tells about how my grandfathers friend couldn't sell a product so he (my grandpa) made a sign "one per customer" then everyone was asking why they couldent have more. Power of suggestion and marketing I guess.
Well if you build it.....
Yes. I often see promotional price tags saying "limit 4 per customer", with a higher price for additional items. You also see prices like "3 for $10", which means they each cost $3.33, unless there's actually another price listed for individual items. In both cases they are influencing you to buy the number on the sign instead of deciding for yourself.
@@blackmber Where I live, the original price and price per kilo are required on items so that you can see if you are getting a deal or not. Even then, it's in smaller text or often hidden by the "special price" Crappy thing is that I'm aware of this, yet I'm a sucker for it anyway. My brain has a hard time resisting "2 for x" price, even if I save not even a dollar equivalent vs base price. It would also be cheaper in almost every case to only get one, rather than the x for x deal, but that's why billions of dollars are spent on things like this. Because it just plain works. Knowing doesn't really help.
I’ve never been in an ikea, and I’m not sure this is making me want to 😂
omg it’s so much fun! the one I go to in the uk is huge and it has like makeshift pretend rooms like bathrooms and kitchens and bedrooms and it’s so awesome lol, definitely worth it!
read my name!
Cause you’re poor
wow, how have you managed to avoid them so long! P.S Ikea is the best
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I’ve loved ikea ever since I was little, no wonder why I want to be an interior designer someday. I always like to pretend I’m living in the little rooms and every section of the store always has something that draws me in. It’s like the mall with every store you like right in front of you 😭
I've never been to one but have always wanted to go. I was just thinking about aking my friends to go to one with me as it will be far away
@@TheLoneMitten Go for it…IKEA is definitely a fun experience.
This is why I have a shopping list and I eat before going grocery shopping. I’m following things my mom did, which honestly helps out as college student.
I worked at IKEA for years, especially in "home decor" where you find the hand, "Handskalad", customers always put up the middle finger. I had to put it down 10 times a day 🙃 It's also really nice to know the shop by heart, I could get from one side to the other in a matter of minutes. Most IKEA's have a system for employees to find specific products really fast wherever they are, just by looking at the ceiling.... :)
I was at Ikea yesterday and couldn't find an item and they, the employee, told me about the number system on the ceiling. It is really smart.
My local one used zip ties to hold the middle finger down
what’s the number system on the ceiling?
I use to work in the Recovery department before eventually getting a job in merchandising and personally i never understood how people get lost. Im dumb as bricks and even I could remember which way was what and how to get around quick.
@@barira2995 It's very simple, we use a grid system. Every little "square" in the store gets a number (1 to x) and a letter (mostly A to... X, Y, Z depending on how big the store is). Every product gets assigned to a square, for example F48. If you are at C36, you know F48 is 3 squares south (C --> F) en 12 squares to the east. The combinations are written on the ceiling. Employees have IKEA "smartphones" where they can look up where a product is. When I would move a product to a new island, I'd have to update the letters-numbers, so everyone is up to date. That way anyone in IKEA from any department can help you find your product.
A little merchandising fact as you mentioned sight lines: Did you know that in recent years the optimum “eye level” for your best products has actually lowered, and it’s because of phone use! When glancing up from your phone you’ll be looking at a lower height than if you were walking around without one, so that’s now the default for shoppers!
That is really interesting. We were just this week talking about how design of things have to be adjusted to the modern people because they are generally taller, like they had to add about 5cm to the car roofs and made them bit longer because modern people got too big to fit otherwise, and modern door handles need to be higher up for healthy average person (though city insitutions ought to use the push/pull style half meter long handles instead, to have good access also for people with issues and also kids, THAT is super interesting branch of ergonomic design, to make everything in the city well accessible to EVERYONE - city offices, bus stops, zebras areas for crossing street etc.), but as you say, how people use things matters a lot too, and the phone effect is in my area clearly affecting advertising as well, like placement of graphic stuff like headline on the add, and where the add itself is posted. With the Pokemon GO craze some brands were quick to realize it and Rexona created pathwalk dots with adverts for deodorants where the Pokemon Gyms were virtually located, now that was genius marketing move. Even ppl not playing noticed and not just bcs they walk past and see colorfull dot on the street, but they went actively to take a look bcs the players made a small crowd around the spot so ppl went to check out what is so interesting there. Many expected some kind of promo action going on when the campaign was new, and were confused there were no salesperson or event host, it even made it into evening News on all the big TV channels. Now in other countries, especially in Japan, shops and brands either used their closeness to the Gyms and put on products or campaigns clearly luring the Pokemon crowd, or in some countries you could PAY to have Gym of your company in your spot so people would come there.
This was so interesting! I particularly appreciate all the research that went into it!!
Love this format, hope you'll continue!
I'm such a goal oriented shopper that most of these tactics go over my head.
No same, I'm a woman on a mission for 1 thing and 1 thing only. Literally none of these tactics would work on me
Same. Also I'm a cheapskate so I even if I'm on a mission I often won't buy it, because "do I really need it?" :D
Same. It actually stresses me out to have more things than I need. It’s more to keep track of in my head
Same here and also I'm also a happy window shopper so it makes it easier to just say hmm that's pretty or look yummy and then walk away with no regrets
I believe you. I’ve seen people like you walking out of Ikea with only a cupboard, no new salad bowl or candle, not even a meatball stuck between their teeth.
I always just tell myself “I don’t have anymore space for crap.” That’s the only thing that helps me not spend money on things I see. Lol
I'd love to see one of these on H&M because the psychological sorcery of that place is most of the reason I have no cupboard space left. I tell myself not to create future clutter every time I go past now so I don't end up buying the same cute top I already have in three more colours just because it's on sale now.
If I don't need something big or heavy, I never take a basket or trolley, so I can only buy as much as I can have in my hands🙈😂
Yes. Thank you. We're in the age where I can buy luxury beauty and quality furniture, but I can not rent, let alone own property large enough to gather clutter, cute and nice things.
About no windows in the store part of IKEA. Funny enough, I've been to the flag store in Älmhult, Sweden and their garden section is actually bright and light from all the windows they have in the section to invoke a greenhouse atmosphere. Also IKEA uses those bins full of many items to emphasize inexpensivess of the product
I love window shopping though, just going to a store to see if anything stands out. Usually doesn't and I'm good at talking myself out of purchases at this point haha. It helps that I was usually broke when developing this skill, so I couldn't buy anything.
I always forget Safiya and Tyler went to Stanford and then they hit us with deeply researched videos like this
As a former fashion management student/veteran retail employee, I was so impressed by this video and even learned a few new things (like the shelf height of drug store vs. luxury beauty products). More content like this please!
Finally its here. YES kzhead.info/sun/eriBnKejbph7gpE/bejne.html
Depending on someone's disability, they possibly made shopping for the cheaper items more difficult. If it's an item I need, then an employee will need to reach it, but otherwise I'm walking right by it because it's not worth the pain, quite literally.
Really enjoyed that. It was really interesting seeing how similar UK stores (even though they are different retail chains) look to the US stores you visited (IKEA obviously is identical and I have those chair hooks). My son (when he was about 12) had memorized all the short-cuts in a local IKEA - which was extremely useful. We found unlimited free tea (with the "family card") a good incentive to visit and stay in IKEA. It's a tactic also used by one of the posher UK grocery stores. Happy to watch more like this. Thank you.
Great video! Because of all these things, such as having to walk thru the whole store to get to what I need, makes me not want to go into stores anymore. Target, Walmart and the like, are my arch nemesis, we try to avoid those completely. That is why I prefer smaller stores like Aldi’s or buy online.
IKEA was even more of a maze nightmare in covid times when they had first re-opened (here in the uk anyway). After you’d been to the loo, you had to walk through the entire shop one way system again before you could leave!
My first time in ikea since I was a kid was so stressful I was like why do people like it here??
The closest I ever came to a panic attack was in IKEA not being able to find the exit.
My dear ol' dad had his first and only panic attack in IKEA and didn't know what was happening, hes never been back 😅
I lived in Sweden for a short time and there were quite a few stores formatted this way. A path with one direction, one way in and one way out.
My husband and I got lost in ikea for over a half hour once…we never went back lol
I'm so glad I grew up poor to not be as susceptible to these tactics. Was taught to go in with a list, stick to the list, do not defer from the list. The local superstore based in my state actually has an app that you can craft your own lists in and allows for you to find coupons for those items via that list. I'm still a hand writer, so I only search the app when needed. It shows a lot how different people shop based on their upbringing and social status.
I always take advantage of the in app discounts and coupons, plus Target has that feature where you earn cash to use in the store. Buying toothpaste now can give me free toothpaste later. And I shop around by checking all the stores I frequent so I don't always buy a product at the same store, I buy it wherever it's cheaper that time.
And the mazes and frequently moving stuff to other shelves/rearranging the whole market doesn't work on me either, since it makes me irritated and willing to buy less products. If everything is where I expect it and can find it fast I may have time to wander around some more looking for discounts. But if I'm already spending that much time searching for items I came to buy in the first place, then I will make sure to only get those items and get the hell out of there!
They know who they can't trick and don't bother going after you people.
@@adrianaheiler9794 I think that's the biggest issue now. The old tactic of getting people in and keeping them in worked when people generally had more time on their hands. Now people are so pressed for time and value their time that they don't want to be in the store for long. The longer they're there the longer they're not trying to sleep, have fun, etc. Like if I can run into the store and it's right where I expect it I can get out within minutes. If I have to go searching because they wanted to randomly move things around I'm not buying anything extra, I'm just getting increasingly frustrated that now I'm stuck here looking for what I need and losing all that free time.
I feel the same way. I don't know how these tactics can really work.. like do you really go into Ikea and just wander then buy extra things? My practical and frugal mind is blown by the idea people could go in and just end up spending more than they planned on. The only time I can understand that is when it's like food and something was actually a much better value so you bought a little extra now to buy less later at a worse deal. Like something actually *useful* and practical. Not like you go into Ikea for a new couch and walk out with a new lamp, new bedside table, etc. The only thing I can see working really is when a store is really trying to push a certain brand, and that really only works on people that don't bother to research - which I do. Like I can definitely see where someone might go into a store wanting to buy a phone and they don't really understand what makes a phone good so they're just like "Uhh.. uhh.. -looks at advertisement- Give me that one." Then end up stuck with a horrible phone nobody likes purely because it was advertised so you'd *assume* it's good. But even with that scenario that person still has a budget in mind I'd assume. This is similar to when I'd watch house hunting shows and they'd be like "Our budget is $300k." then they find a house for say $350k and they're fine with buying that.. how did you budget $300k and end up spending $50k more..? Where'd you get that 50k extra?? Did you?? The logical part of my brain is just like WHY?! YOU HAD A BUDGET FOR A REASON! STICK TO IT!
This is quite helpful of identifying these tactics in our own local stores and avoiding impulse buys. These stores are literally playing with the buyer's brains.