Impulse Buying

Ever heard the term? Maybe. Have you ever done it before? Probably. Here’s an example scenario: you’ve just finished grocery shopping. You have all the food and home supplies you need and you get in line at the cash register. There are a few people in front of you and you have to wait. You look to your right and you see your favorite magazine, so you pick it up. Then you move closer as one person has finished and the next shopper proceeds to ring up their stuff. What do you see next, and ice cold pop (or soda if you’re in the south). Hmm looks good. So you get one. You move a little closer to the front of the line, and what do you see? Your favorite candy bar or snack, and you grab a few for the road.

The items in check-out line are what grocers call, “Impulse products”. They are low-cost, high margin products that they can sell at a relatively cheap price. They’re compact and easy to grab. Which means, they’re great for tempting people to grab them “last-minute” and “on-the-go”? Just think about it, when’s the last time you saw a single Twix candy bar on sale in the grocery aisles. Most times you won’t…Why? Because, it’s during that time, most shoppers are taking their time. You’re more likely to see a bulk pack of Twix in the grocery aisle and a single Twix in the check-out line.

The best is when they sell candy “2 for $1”, you really feel like you’re getting a deal then. But the catch is, you really don’t need it. When’s the last time you drove on the way to grocery with “candy bar” on your grocery list? You probably never have. You go in, with the intentions of buying groceries and get suckered into buying snacks while waiting in the check-out line because they’re cheap, fast and easy.

FIGHT THE URGE AND DON’T SUCCUMB TO IMPULSE PRODUCTS!