Psychology has long been used in the world of shopping and business , although this is a less academic version than the one that takes place in universities.

This does not mean that the different marketing techniques used by shops to influence the purchase of customers are not studied, although there is always the question of whether this type of trickery exceeds the limits of ethics .

Tricks and psychological effects used by stores

In any case, the reality is that shops, businesses and establishments open to the public use different techniques so that you end up spending much more money than you had planned. These are some principles of psychology that shops and businesses use without us realizing it, and that can greatly influence our purchasing decisions.

1. The purchase of shame

Medium and large stores and supermarkets tend to ensure that there are always a good number of empty carts and baskets near the entrance , not only because they are much sought-after objects, but also because they want everyone to take one.

Many people feel a certain embarrassment when passing by the checkout counter carrying a single product in their basket or cart, so they will have to buy some other product so that it does not seem that they have monopolized that container in an unjustified way.

2. Creating a watertight compartment

In supermarkets and department stores there are usually two significant absences: windows and clocks .

The fact that these elements are not available means that the shopping space is left without references to the outside world, which makes customers forget about the passage of time and that life continues to happen beyond the walls of the store. Thus, you are more likely to keep going around checking the products on display for sale.

3. The foot in the door

This is a persuasion technique that is also used in the purchasing process. It consists in that, when the customer has already chosen what he wants to buy and starts the process that will end in the payment, he is offered an “extra” for a little more money .

The chances that customers will accept this deal will be higher than if this pack of products were offered from the beginning, because the buyer has already become aware of the fact that he is going to spend money and, even if at some point he comes to believe that he is spending a little more than he should, the purchase of that “extra” will help him reduce the cognitive dissonance of having bought something without being entirely sure if it pays off.

In a way, continuing to buy is a way of justifying the previous purchase , it’s a way of making it look like the previous dilemma didn’t exist.Of course, if this extra offer is, in addition, a discount on another product (or is perceived as one), the cost assessment will also make this extra purchase look attractive.

4. The mirrors

Supermarkets use all sorts of tricks to make the average shopper who enters their doors stay inside a little longer. One of them is quite simple, and consists of placing mirrors .

Of course, most people don’t stand in front of a mirror and stare at themselves, but even if they do, they will tend to stay closer to them, looking at themselves sideways or walking more slowly.

5. The social proof

Some outlets and brands use a principle called social proof to sell more. The concept of a “social proof” means a demonstration of market power to show that a product is succeeding in the marketplace . It implies showing the consumer the success and social impact that a certain product is having on the target audience, although part of this “impact” may be fictitious or imaginary.

The dark side of social proof, for example, could be hiring bots and all sorts of fake profiles to follow certain Twitter or Youtube accounts, or creating a deliberate shortage of a product on the day of its launch so that queues form at certain stores where it is available.

6. The least necessary items are at the entrance

And those that require a greater frequency of purchase, in the areas furthest away from it . The goal is clear: to get everyone to walk past as many shelves as possible as often as possible.

7. The first floor, always for women

In clothing stores, the men’s section is always at the furthest point from the entrance . This is because the women who accompany the men to these shops are usually a more impulsive type of buyer than they are. This makes women who accompany men often tempted to buy something they have seen on their way to the men’s floor.

If you are interested in this article, you can also read: “The 12 psychological tricks supermarkets use to make you spend more money”