Sure, we’ve all done it (or at least most of us have). You’re standing in line at the grocery store or a large department store. You’ve done a great job of buying only what you needed, staying in budget and not giving in to all of the “stuff” that was thrown in your face. Unfortunately, you’ve got one last hurdle to overcome, and this hurdle is one of the trickiest. It’s the impulse cash register buy.
The display stands of “handy” products and the latest tabloid magazines that you encounter right before you hit the cash register aren’t a new trick. Stores have been using them for so long that most consumers are even aware that they’re being taken advantage of with these purchases. However, stores have gotten very skilled at selecting just the right products to place by the cash register so that at the last minute you realized that all along you “needed” a six-pack of lint rollers or the as-seen-on-TV pedicure kit. If you have children, this is even worse. Stores select items with bright packaging and popular cartoon characters that they know will appeal to children. Chances are if you’ve already maneuvered a small child through a large store, your inclination will be to “just say yes” to the child who cries over wanting something he or she saw in the bin before the checkout stand.
It’s no better online! How many online stores have you shopped at where, as you’re going through the electronic check out process, items are displayed to you and you’re asked if you’d like to add them to your shopping cart? The last minute impulse buy is as pervasive in marketing as the “mystery” discount price.
We’re stronger than this, though! We can say no! Here are three quick tips for bypassing the cash register impulse buy!
Take a Breath: The checkout line can be a crowded, loud, frustrating place. Stores are banking on your feeling that frustration to make you want to distract yourself with perusing items you could purchase at the last minute instead. Just take a breath and ground yourself instead.
Think About the Likelihood That What You Buy Will End Up in the Trash: How many items that you’ve purchased while standing in a check out line ultimately ended up in the trash can at your home? Focus on that thought before you buy that extra tube of mascara that’s staring at you!
Get Angry! Ok, don’t get so angry that it ruins your day. But do take a moment to remember that those items are being placed in front of you in order to take advantage of your state of mind and the fact that you have no choice but to be standing there. A little anger is sometimes a good thing in turning away from potentially wasteful purchases.
It may seem like a small thing, but we bet that if you started adding up all of the check-out line impulse buys that you made (and then probably threw away) over the years, you’d be shocked at how unnecessary and wasteful they ultimately are! You’ll find that saying “No” can leave you satisfied.
