Sneaky Shops

On entering todays lecture I was greeted with Christmas music, images of Santa and some glowing fairy lights, and it definately got me in the festive spirit. It also made me realise that Christmas is just around the corner and that I still have lots to buy. And after listening to todays lecture I am pretty sure that most shops know that all these decorations and tunes that they play get their customers thinking the very same thing!

We were informed that supermarkets are designed in a certain way so that the items that we buy most regularly are stored right at the back. So when you go to get that carton of milk for your cereal in the morning you often come away with a lot more than you intended. Sometimes we even forget the one item we went to the shops for in the first place. This is not us being stupid or forgetful, it can all be explained by the layout of the store. We are made to walk through all the seasonal products, tempted with half price goods and buy one get one frees, all cleverly positioned on route to that pint of milk.

This is not the only example of shops trying to get us to spend more money (which most of us don't really have in the first place!), we were told of other sneaky tactics that these companies adopt in order to get us buying. Chairs are often found dotted around the changing rooms, and before today I thought these were purely for comfort. However they aren't there to give us a little rest from all that hardcore shopping (which I originally thought), they are there to keep you in the shop longer. And the longer customers spend in a shop the more they are likely to buy!

At this time of year the shops seem to be mobbed, with hectic customers frantically searching for that special gift. But why is it that we feel the need to spend lots of money in order to show someone that we care? I am not suggesting that we start making our own presents and to be honest if the only present I received on Christmas Day was a scarf my mum knitted I would be pretty hacked off! But I think the best cards you get are often the ones that are handmade. Someone has taken the time to make it, and in my opinion its a little more special than just picking one out a shop. Even though that option is probably cheaper and less time consuming!

This year the class has decided to do a secret santa, and we have the grand total of £5.73 to spend on our unknown victim. I know that this still means we will be spending money but its more fun and the small price tag means that we will have to come up with something more thoughtful than if we had a £100 budget!