10 ways retailers trick you into buying way beyond your planned shopping

Sneaky product placements, price baits and bundling are some ruses to get you to pick up stuff only because it looked like a great deal; you may not even end up using much of it

While heading home late one night, Umang Jain, a Delhi-based entrepreneur, dropped in at a 24x7 pharmacy to buy a few medicines. At the checkout, he spotted some OTC (over-the-counter) vitamins that were not on his prescription. He says he bought some for Rs 200.

Rajesh Gandhi, a Delhi-based businessman and his wife were done shopping when a sign at the superstore's billing counter caught the latter's attention: "Free jute bag on purchases above Rs 1,000." Since she was Rs 125 bucks short, she picked up lipsticks, chocolates and key chains lying on the checkout table—for a carry bag worth Rs15. Gandhi says much of the extra stuff bought was never used.

Arvind Singhal, Chairman of Technopak Advisors, says, "The baits do have an impact and while many shoppers intend to stick to their shopping lists, a promo in a different category could play on their psychology and arouse enough curiosity in them to explore and make unplanned purchases."

Here are some of the new tricks retailers use

Gruen transfer: Named after Austrian architect Victor Gruen, Gruen Effect or Gruen Transfer involves intentionally confusing layouts and walkthroughs to make you lose track of your original shopping intentions and buy impulsively, explains Rajiv Bhakat, Principal and co-founder of Studio CoDe. He says Select City Walk (Saket) and Ambience Mall (Vasant Kunj) are some establishments in Delhi NCR that use GT. Here, mall architecture and features--serpentine mazes, lights, sounds, aromas, kiddies corner, festoons, fancy restaurants and even temperature control, among other things--do the salesmanship instead of the human.

While many people consciously visit a mall for the overall experience of shopping, eating, and entertainment, focused individuals can still dodge Gruen by having a large meal before heading to the multiplex, thereby lessening the impact of the multiple aromas reinforced by large backlit images of sumptuous dishes all along the cinema exit corridor that invariably takes one past the food court & restaurant area – after a three-hour fast, says retail entrepreneur and consultant Sandeep Chauhan.

Product placement: Retailers usually place expensive, more attractively-packaged items in the front row, at eye level, and your daily needs behind or below them. Says Sandeep Goyal, MD, Rediffusion: "It's a traditional retail strategy, encapsulated in the phrase: 'Jo dikhta hai vo bikta hai' (If it's in the face, it will sell). But it is essentially up to the consumer to succumb to, or dodge the temptation."

Chauhan adds: "Product placement is a science today, with professional outsourced agencies telling you exactly what to put where. They use artificial intelligence to figure out the best position for a particular product to move it fastest off the rack.

Play of words: Stores often carry a sign saying "50% off", dropping the caveat "up to" before the number. Chauhan says, "During a sale, many store windows invite the shopper within with impossible-to-miss visuals announcing "50% Discount" backed by classily attired mannequins. Only upon entering does the shopper realise that the one rack that fulfils this promise sells items she would never purchase. The bait works, as the shopper invariably begins inspecting merchandise with lower discounts. For all you know, she might even be coaxed into "just a trial" from the fresh stock counter, enjoy the effusive praise from the salesman for an excellent choice, appreciate the image in the mirror and end up purchasing an item which, forget about being on sale, is in fact at a premium!"

Knick-knacks at the checkout counter: The checkout counter is usually located at one end of the store, giving you more time to look around and make impulse purchases, says Chauhan. Digital marketing executive Anshul Anand bought a pen for Rs 150 because "it was cute". But, by her own admission, she rarely used it thereafter. And then, of course, there is the carry bag trick described above. However, consumer activist Jehangir Gai says consumer courts in India have made it illegal for malls to charge for bags branded with the establishment's logo or product. "By charging you for a branded bag, the retailer is actually making you, the consumer, pay for advertising."

Supersized carts: Superstores deliberately keep them large to make you feel awkward checking out. A fuller cart gives you a greater sense of satisfaction and makes you feel less embarrassed, too, says Chauhan. He adds: "Some retailers exploit the psyche of a shopper to whom a fuller cart gives a greater sense of satisfaction. These shoppers over-purchase in order to avoid looking foolish, maybe even embarrassed, pushing a huge trolley with limited items. Well, one just must be aware of the shopping list. If there is a choice, pick the cart that is most appropriate – it could be a hand-held basket.."

The older tricks

The denomination effect: If an item is priced at Rs 999, the shopper tends to think he is paying less than Rs 1,000 and often picks it up. Chauhan says, 'It's a big impact psychologically to have something priced at Rs 99.99, not Rs 100. The minute it becomes Rs 100, people think it's expensive." He says the 99/999 works well for shoes, toys and other fashion merchandise on sale.

Limited-time offer: FOMO or "fear of missing out" plays on the urge to buy something that may not be available tomorrow at the same price. So, a winter jacket on sale a month before the season could get picked up if the discount period is limited. Says Singhal of Technopak: "While the mall is not doing morally or legally wrong, customers need simply turn a blind eye to such offers, unless they've come specifically to avail discounts." Concurs Chauhan: "It's a strategy most retailers use. You must be savvy enough to figure out whether there is a utility for the item or are you buying something you do not require just because it has a fabulous discount."

Free food samples: "Can I offer you a sample," asks the salesgirl coming up from behind as you are looking at something else. "No compulsion to buy," she says soothingly. This one often works by playing on guilt—"how can I refuse her" you tell yourself and buy, even if in small quantities. Singhal says this is usually done with snacks and tidbits at the food court, and ITC's Bingo chips and Sunfeast biscuits employed such a strategy. He isn't so convinced about the guilt factor, though, and says many shoppers taste without buying.

Pushing bulk purchases: Do you really need 10 litres of cooking oil? But you'll buy the can anyway because 'it's a great bargain', as bulk purchases are cheaper per unit. But it isn't a good deal as such products come with expiry dates and large quantities of your purchases may get wasted. Says Goyal: "One way to get around this is to make community purchases where there is scope to divide the 10 litres into smaller lots of, say, two litres each and distribute among neighbours and friends looking for the same product." Of course, one would have a little legwork to do for such a thing to happen.

Bundling up: Often used with panache, especially by hypermarkets - bundling the detergent you came to buy with face creams, floor cleaners and other items, not all of which you may need. But you buy all because, well, you got a bargain, never mind if some of these just end up occupying space at home – for a long time. Chauhan says it is a play between need and greed. "If the former prevails, the consumer won't fall for the trick. But if the lure of discounts gets him salivating, he'll end up wasting money."