Top 10 Grocery Store Tricks to Get You to Buy More

When you walk into a grocery store, whether you realize it or not, everything is designed to make you buy more. From the carts to the smells, from the music to the shelves, very careful research has determined what will best sell. By knowing the tricks of the trade that your grocery store is using, you can become a more disciplined shopper and make sure you only buy what you need. Here are the top 10 tricks that grocery stores use to make you buy more once you’re in their store.

Entertaining and educational top 10 lists from TopTenzNet!

Other TopTenz Videos:

10 Absurdly Extravagant Purchases by the Chinese Ultra-Rich

Top 10 Ways You’re Being DECEIVED Without Even Knowing It

Coming up:

10. Over-sized Grocery Carts
9. Aromas
8. Free Samples
7. Music
6. Shelf Height
5. Associated Items
4. Scattering the Important Items
3. “Mock” Grocery Stores
2. Got Milk?
1. Perception of Freshness

Source/Further reading:

[ESUSAMEX]

Never go shopping without eating first. When you are hungry, you'll buy more products.

[samuelmarshall]

Next time at the store then remember the small trolley, headphones, nose peg, stilts, avoidance of free samples and milk. Seriously writing a shopping list and sticking to it is best.

[CoffeeBreaks]

Great video guys, extremely well-edited, and Simon, you're an awesome narrator! All the people at Toptenz I interacted with to get this collaboration up were extremely nice and helpful.
Thank you for helping a smaller channel get some exposure, I loved working with you guys! :D

[DerfLlennod]

I am a fan of the more ripened bananas, it has to have spots because it ferments more so it's sweeter. And if it goes all brown, i make banana bread (with reeses peanut butter chips in the baking aisle)

[acrefray]

"From the carts to the smells, to the music to the shelves" - That's some solid writing there.

[KristenPellegrini]

While in downtown Chicago one day I did a study with one of these mock grocery stores. It recorded my eye movements with these glasses and I had to pick a grocery list of items and discuss why I picked what items. It was one of the coolest studies I've ever done!

[firstcynic]

One of the main ways grocery stores find out what we're buying is through the "rewards cards". Being able to match sales to other demographics is immensely valuable.

[rtsharlotte]

A trick in pubs is to offer a tab because you don't see how much your spending. One trick I use is " would you like a single or double?" This works very effectively with Americans. In restaurants don't ask for recommendations because your likely going to get what they want to get rid if. The easiest thing to make or the meal that's going to make the most money.

[mikahjohn]

No one is better at getting you to see every aisle than ALDI. They literally make you walk through a predetermined maze path to get to the check out lanes lol. I still prefer them though!

[togwam]

I just have a mental shopping list as well as sheer determination and refuse to buy anything that isn't on said mental shopping list

[passthebutterrobot]

I go with a list of what I need. I buy what's on the list. And nothing else. Tough luck grocery stores.

[ericareyes]

thanks simon, quality content as always

[glrbqmg]

Thank you Simon, nice video informative and presented very well.

[bretak]

when you go into your local tesco at 3am and they have some black sabbath running through their speakers! bliss

[rendorwilliams]

I make a small list on an index card and mostly stick to that. Great video guys !

[ThisIsWhyWeCantHaveNiceThings.]

Just wanted to say thank you for helping my family and I find our way to "You Suck at Cooking". We love that channel. The macaroni and cheese video is one big epic win.

[mohamedsalimansari]

Great Retailing information. Looking forward for more of these

[joseantoniolago]

Before I go shopping, I eat, make a list and still, I end buying lots of extra stuff so the Grocery always win.

[QueSarahSarah]

Yup. I work in a grocery store. I've learned to turn on my mental blinders and not buy into the marketing ploys. Though, I will say that our store's music runs a variety of music with both upbeat and slow songs playing at all hours.

And yes, I shop using the smaller cart. I'm short so when I use the regular cart I just feel that much smaller

[tiffanym]

Woah I learned something ! Thank you for the video !