22 June 2012

Guerrilla Shopping - Part 4: Resist Impulse Shopping


Guerrilla Shoppers are strong, they resist impulse shopping. Australians waste thousands of dollars a year on spontaneous, impulsive, un-planned purchases. The sad thing is if you were to ask them if they were impulse shoppers they would deny it. Yes, they are in a state of shopping denial.

Here are some tips that will help you resist impulse buying and keep more of your money in your bank account.

1.  Just say no. It's usually the first real work babies learn, so if a baby can say it so can you! Marketing experts depend on our inability to say no. They place the most expensive items at eye level in the most eye-catching displays. The real bargains are on the top and bottom shelves. Say no to expensive eye-level buys and look high, look low for the real bargains.

2.  Take time to smell the roses, just don't buy them.  As soon as you walk in the door of the supermarket you are surrounded by the fresh flower display, with the scent of freshly baked bread wafting across, tormenting you and tempting you to wander over to see what is good. You have to cross these sections to get into the supermarket, but you don't need to stop. If you stop you're sunk. By all means sniff as you push your trolley through these money traps.

3.  Don't shop hungry. It is an oldie, but it's true. If you are hungry when you shop are far more likely to end up with around $35 worth of foodstuffs you don't really want in your trolley. Have a sandwich and a cuppa before you leave home and keep your $35.

4.  Become a lone shopper. I know it's difficult, I once had three kids under 4, but if you possibly can leave the little ones at home when you shop. For a start you'll be so much faster. And more relaxed. You won't be distracted by lots of questions and making sure little fingers aren't tossing things into the trolley to "help" you. Oh, and you get to miss out on the deliberately placed kid sized temptations at the checkout.

5.  Make a list, check it twice and then stick to it. It is just commonsense - you've made your shopping list, you've checked it and it has everything on it that you need so stick to it! Do not deviate from that list.  Research shows that shoppers who use a written shopping list consistently spend less. Who would have thought a sheet of paper could have such an influence?

6.  New Improved? Really? The product or the packaging? Signs like "new and improved" and pretty new packaging are deliberate attempts to weaken your defenses.  Before you buy, check the labels. Often times not much, if anything has changed in terms of the product, it's just the packaging and price that have had the facelift. Evaluate every item to determine whether or not it is a good buy and ignore the marketing hype.

7.  Shopping is not a hobby. I like shopping but it's not my hobby and it shouldn’t be yours. Shopping centres are not entertainment precincts regardless of how they advertise themselves. Shopping is a chore to be done. Make it a habit to go to the shops no more than once a week. Over-exposure to supermarkets makes you much more vulnerable to the marketing ploys designed to get you to part with your cash.

8.
  Don't fight the crowds. Work out the least busy time at your supermarket and do your shopping then. It's more relaxing for a start. And you won't be battling trolleys coming the other way down the aisle. The checkout queue should be a breeze and you'll be done and dusted, home enjoying a  cuppa before you know it.

9.  Cash only. Leave your credit and debit cards at home. Take your grocery money in cash. There's nothing quite like the fear of not having enough money to help you stick to your shopping list. There is nothing as embarrassing as finding yourself at the checkout with too many groceries and not enough cash!

10.  Shop the loss leaders. And only the loss leaders. Loss leaders are designed to draw you into the store to get the low, low price and then you are tempted by the regular priced accessory items surrounding it. Go and buy just the loss leaders (if they are on your list and you will use them) and leave. Do not buy another thing! Just the loss leaders. Sure the stores will be losing money, but that's the risk they take. You are stronger and smarter than that - you are a Guerrilla Shopper and you want to save BIG!

1 comment:

  1. I have just returned from my shopping trip round Aldi with my list in my hand and the beauty of our local Aldi is that it is outside the shopping Mall so no temptation....

    ReplyDelete

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