NOT TO BE A BULL CALF ON A LEASH

Is a buyer always to blame for being a shopaholic? This is a fashionable phenomenon, which the 20th century brought down upon us and which gradually moved into the 21st century, becoming part of our lives. Fortunately or unfortunately, all conditions are right for it to spread in Baku. Let's start with the fact that not only the level of city life, but also its style and quality have increased. And if we take into account these criteria in terms of clothing, present-day consumers want not only to dress well and fashionably - brands, which draw people's attention, have come to play a role in their lives.

In any case, many ladies believe that there should be more brands on the body than in the head, which invariably brings them closer to glamorous life. It is also quite a fashionable phenomenon now, because like no other, it makes young girls part of high fashion, in other words, haute couture or in Italian, alta moda - sewing art of high quality, trendsetters of which are certainly French fashion salons. Which Baku girl doesn't dream of having in her wardrobe a designer dress which is an apologist of the French or Italian lifestyle? As they say, the right to good life has not been cancelled yet, and therefore, many representatives of the female population, and not only, are sometimes ready to pay a high price to buy branded clothing. It may be a mid-level brand, but in any case, it is well-known. Accordingly, shops of various famous brands are springing up all over the place in Baku. Some can afford them and others are waiting for discounts. And in both cases, trade is moving forward, and pretty rapidly.

Things are also going well in supermarkets. People have long concluded that shopping in larger stores and paying for a pile of goods from different categories is a lot more advantageous, for example, once a month than always buying something else in the store near your home or across the street. But at the same time, we come to the conclusion that changing, time changes us as well. Not so long ago, we suffered from the inability to buy something we needed, but today these torments have got the opposite sign - we are tormented by the possibility to buy masses of useless things together with what we need. And we buy!

As you know, the time of discounts in Baku is winter and summer. Before the New Year, in addition to worries about themselves, buyers are starting to think about gifts for their loved ones. In summer, you have to take care of a new wardrobe for autumn. Many festivals happen throughout the year, when we need to buy not only new clothes, but fancy knickknacks for the home and family, as well as products required for the festive menu. In search of all this, we go to wander around shops and supermarkets. Having experienced all the delights of abundance, we must acknowledge that, walking the floors of huge shopping centres, we have not yet become professional buyers. But retail chains have been successful in their professionalism, quickly mastering the laws of successful sales. And in the game of "seller and buyer", the latter are increasingly at a disadvantage. Hence begins a disease called shopaholism.

How often can you hear that a woman spent a week looking for a dress to go to a wedding, but in a large shopping centre, just a few metres to the right stand, she saw a beautiful bright red swimsuit in another department without which she was simply unable to leave? And, thus, she spent the money intended for clothes on a swimsuit.

Of course, such stories do not cause very positive emotions. And if something similar happens to us, we begin to spare the money and curse ourselves for our own stupidity, which was committed by a seemingly intelligent person. How do you change the situation?

The right way

Experts say that our desire to shop is continuously fuelled not only by great supply, but also the appropriate entourage. Stores are increasingly turning into family entertainment centres, where everyone gets everything according to their abilities and needs: someone gets food and someone else gets a cinema into the bargain. Warmth, light, music playing, vendors smiling, and our baskets are filled with incredible rapidity. Discounts, gifts, sales - do not miss your chance and buy it before others snap it up. What could be easier? But in fact, we still have to learn to shop!

The main task of the buyer is to buy what he came to buy. The material aspect is important too: if money is in short supply, the amount spent on shopping should not exceed the planned amount, otherwise disappointment is inevitable. And in order to successfully resist the temptation, you have to use the simple techniques offered by marketers and psychologists. First, before going to the store, you should make a list of what you need to buy. Surely, it will be rather long, and if shopping is a pleasure that is considered a panacea for stress (which can be disputed - editor), there is a clear chance to get it.

Second, you must strictly allocate a certain amount of money for shopping and take it with you. Do not make up any alternative options just in case - "what if I suddenly see something good". Third, before going to the supermarket, you need to eat. In this case, you will be able to walk past many products. Fourth, you should not go to the store or the market with a child - children and vendors cannot manipulate the feelings of parents: few people will deny a child who accompanies his request with cries and tears. Fifth, at the entrance to the supermarket there is always a choice - take a basket or a trolley. It is better to go for the first option: even if you want to exceed the norm and buy something in addition to the list, it will be difficult to carry it, and also the basket takes less things than the trolley which you want to fill to the brim. Sixth, shopping should start with the basic necessities, and then you may not have time, effort or money for other things.

Experts also advise to ignore piles of products in other shopping trolleys - the spirit of competition in this situation does not matter. According to experts, modern shopping malls are not inferior to Minotaur's maze by the size of their territory and complex pathways. As the thread of Ariadne, you should use pointers. You can turn to consultants at supermarkets. Do not search for the desired product on your own, because walking round all the shelves, you are tempted by something unnecessary.

Laws of sales

Why do people leave the store with a bunch of unnecessary things if they just went in to buy bread? It is a very interesting science, whose purpose is to get people to buy as much as possible. It is called merchandising. This Western invention is very effective in stimulating sales. People are starting to buy things they do not need. But how come a person of sound mind and memory buys what he did not plan to buy? Behind such a spontaneous purchase is "the law of impulse", which should provoke a person to make an unexpected purchase. This is achieved in different ways. For example, one of the main objectives of a shop is to maximize the time the customer spends in it and complicate his route of movement. This is achieved in a simple way which experts call the rule of the "golden triangle": top-selling products such as bread, milk and meat are placed as far away from each other as possible so that trying to finding the right thing, the buyer walks around almost the entire store. Willy-nilly, he pays attention to other products. It ends with an extra unforeseen purchase.

In general, the organization of retail space is a separate art. To ensure that the buyer has to change his vector of movement and the angle of view on the same commodity as much as possible, his way is built on the principle of "steeplechase", where there are distractions from the proper route on his way - screens, racks, and more. As you stumble on a nice bottle of wine for the 101st time, you cannot help buying it, even if you came for milk to treat your stomach ulcer.

Another common technique is to draw attention to products that yield maximum profit - they are sold at maximum profit. Such products are placed along the route of the buyer, who, as noticed, moves anti-clockwise in the sales area, looking at the middle of the wall on his right. Also, on these "golden" shelves there are products whose expiry date is about to end. This is fully consistent with the law "the order of the summands does not affect the sum": if you move the merchandise from the floor level to the level of the hands or eyes, its sales will increase.

Clever tricks

The impression of great demand for a particular commodity is also cleverly staged: the shelves are not filled to the brim as if these products have already been snapped up and you have the last chance. But accompanying goods placed around gently entice you: near tea - there are sweets, near beer - there are snacks. Those who sell clothes offer several things that are combined with each other, and against this background, a separate sweater or a skirt supposedly makes no sense

Scents and sounds are also among the soldiers of "the invisible front". They involve hearing and the sense of smell. Relaxing music in the store makes the process of shopping a pleasure and provides relief. The aromatization of the sales area whets your appetite, increasing sales. It is no accident that in supermarkets there are mini-bakeries, grills and coffee makers - sources of "delicious" flavours.

Thus, merchandisers' tricks cause the buyer to move around the shop in ways that the sellers choose for him, and he buys what the sellers want him to buy. And it all happens in a very comfortable atmosphere, simulating freedom of will, though it resembles the behaviour of a bull calf on a leash. If this role does not suit you, you should read tips from experts one more time. And enjoy your shopping!