In these difficult economic times, over spending on your daily/weekly shopping budget is well worth avoiding. Lets examine some of the usual ways retailers try and part you from your cash
- Window displays offering discounts
Window displays offering Discounts
Supermarkets re arranging the product isles
Eye level offers
Storecards
Loose v Ready weighed and bagged
Grocery shopping on an empty stomach
Here we have window display offers giving the customer up to 75% off. " Off What" you might ask. Well, they have tempted you to step into the shop and you find that the discounts are from rrp, recommended retail price which is possibly never ever charged in the first place
Supermarkets re arranging the product isles
This trick is to keep you in the supermarket for the maximum amount of time making you walk past tempting offers that may entice you to buy a product that you would not have originally thought about.
Should you frequent the same supermarket over a period of time, you would get to know where most of the products that you normally buy are located and move around the store without noticing other "offers" and be at the checkout in no time at all.
Next time you visit, the supermarket has had a change round, where you normally find the cakes and biscuits they have replaced the isle with washing and cleaning materials. Where have all the biscuits gone? you ask yourself, while passing up and down a further isle looking for them. Whilst trying to locate the biscuits you will have to pass by products you dont usually buy and the retailer hopes to catch your eye with an unbeatable offer
Eye Level Offers
Where do you think the supermarkets put the most profitable or "Own Label" products on their shelves?
If you thought "eye level" then you would be correct. But what height is "eye level" you may ask?. It has to be average height so as the customer walks along the isle, the brands they want you to purchase are just below eye level making it easy on the eye. Also the manufacturer may well have paid a premium to have their products "in the zone", so the supermarket can offer them at reduced price but not affecting the shops margin
Storecards
How many times have you been shopping in a department store, when you reach the "Pay Here" desk the assistant offers you a discount if you sign up for the store card?
Quite often i should think
Their strategy is that giving you a discount on your current purchase will easily be recouped when you only pay the minimum amount and carry the balance forward on your monthly account.
The store will normally give you up to 56 days credit before payment is due and the option of only paying the mininum amount on the due date.
The interest rate charged on the balance is where they make their money, typically any rate between 19.9%APR and 30%APR. I have seen higher rates demanded but this would only apply should you have a poor credit record
Their strategy is that giving you a discount on your current purchase will easily be recouped when you only pay the minimum amount and carry the balance forward on your monthly account.
The store will normally give you up to 56 days credit before payment is due and the option of only paying the mininum amount on the due date.
The interest rate charged on the balance is where they make their money, typically any rate between 19.9%APR and 30%APR. I have seen higher rates demanded but this would only apply should you have a poor credit record
Loose v Ready weighed and bagged
When you approach the fresh fruit and vegetable isles, you need to have your brain in gear.
Do you go for the ready weighed and bagged or virtually pick your own? Ready weighed will generally be more expensive, so buying and weighing your own selection will bring benefits in a couple of ways. Firstly you can really examine the goods and select the freshest and second you can buy just enough for consuming whilst at their best condition
Grocery shopping on an empty stomach
Make sure you dont go grocery shopping on an empty stomach. having to walk past all those ready to eat snacks whilst hungry is a supermarket owners dream. You will be tempted to add many extra snacks, sweets and other sugary items on to your bill as your stomach tells you "YES"
