Here's a tip from someone who used to be a cashier: If you don't want something by the time you get up to the checkout just give it to the cashier. It happens all the time.
Right as a big lazy but thrifty family, my parents have unknowingly taught me just that, plus I feel bad leaving items I don't want randomly scattered in places they don't belong
@@ybfriendlystrawberry i only do it at the end of the trip and i never put it any frozen/ needed to be cold products anywhere other then where their meant to be at
As a previous cashier, I can attest to this exact thing. If you don't want an item, JUST GIVE IT TO THEM!!!!!!!! YOU PROBABLY DON'T EVEN NEED IT, EITHER!!!!!!!!
I'm surprised you didn't mention my favourite trick: The size of floor tiles! Smaller floor tiles give the illusion of going faster. As you notice the clicking of the trolley wheels becoming faster, you slow down instinctively, which means you stay in the store longer, which means you buy more!
Oh, is THAT why the stores I've visited over my lifetime have changed their floor tiles like that???? Holy crap THAT ONE I never realized. Though I still bee-line through the store, I HATE shopping and being out and about, so literally none of this applies to me anyway, but still, that's fascinating.
@Amy Mason it's not raised tiles, it's smaller tiles, so the gaps between them are more often, so it feels like you're going faster when the trolley clacks as you move forward
As a QUALIFIED MARKETING PROFESSIONAL and Business Studies GCSE A grade owner, I can confirm that all this stuff is encouraged in these Courses! We learn about these tactics in both Business Studies and Marketing. You can get entire *dedicated* qualifications in supermarket design and tactics. Thank you for shining light on this for people, to help them in this cost of living crisis!!!
Here's two hacks: 1. "Mom, can we-" "No" 2. Use cash and limit your spending money (i. e. List cost approximately 30$? Only carry 35$-45$ in your wallet)
Here’s a simple way to not fall into these tactics: be broke. You can’t get what you want if you don’t have money. (I hate doing the whole edit thing because it simply ruins the joke. Cause this was a joke. The logical thing to do is to bring the exact amount of cash you need as well as tax money, aka coins. Many of you guys suggested this and it’s true. If you really need advice to say money, then pay attention to the video. Now, please ignore this and continue with my dark joke)
Three tricks to beat them at their own game: 1 - Never go in hungry. Hunger interferes with your resolve. 2 - Head right to the aisles you know where your desired items are located. Stores rearrange their aisles regularly to keep people in longer, so advanced scouting is needed periodically. Some stores will also hand out charts with the locations on where they moved items. 3 = Never go in with more money in your pocket that you plan to spend. Its best to keep a running total in your head or written down since stores rarely place price tags on items these days, opting for labels on a shelf instead. Don't go more than $5 form your budget to account for sales tax. Currently, in Georgia, it is 7%. Some stores tack on an additional 10% at the register. These are also stores that appear to sell items for less than other stores, so they get you with the difference at check-out. As an example, if you budget $30 for your trip, don't go in with more than $40, and keep your pre-check-out spending between $27 and $35 dollars to account for sales tax and other hidden in plain sight fees.
As a Brit, the concept of sales taxes being added to your bill after you get to the register is insane. Literally the rest of the world just incorporates that tax into the listed price, meaning you know exactly how much you're paying for a given item as soon as you look at it.
@@cameronhector9074 - Unfortunately, in the US, they will tax us on anything they can. They don't include it in the price because they want us to spend more without realizing it. One of the worst is some stores appearing to sell stuff cheaper than their competitors, but the stick an additional 10% at the register in addition to the sales tax. So, we are paying an additional 10% for our purchase followed by the sales tax, which in Georgia, is currently at 7%. Its robbery.
I'd like to add something that's not always noticeable: Pinkish lighting is used in the central area of the produce section where the tomatoes are displayed to make them look riper. Take them to the lights by the lettuces/greens where the whiter light is, to see their true ripeness.
Tips from a teen who's been on too many shopping trips: 1. Listen to your own music. Picking something more upbeat (rock or pop) tends to create a more urgent atmosphere. 2. Make a list of desires while you shop. Writing them down will null your urge to buy the item in the moment. 3. With the list you have for necessities, put them in the order you will navigate the store through. Aka starting with the food at the entrance and working your way to the other end of the store. 4. Get a cart. I know this completely contradicts Matpat's point, but it's better for the environment to use reusable bags. Plus, you can open them up in the cart fo items so you're organized before checkout.
Some stores offer smaller carts now but there are usually far less of them. Also if you ride a bike to the store you can't fit as much on it. This helps keep down impulse buys and doesn't pollute as well.
Many stores no longer provide baskets "because of covid", which is total BS on multiple levels. Baskets are no germier than shopping carts - less germy, in fact, since toddlers don't sit in them. It's all a conspiracy.
Joshua Griffin I know this is probably not what u meant but COVID-19 is not a conspiracy. Also I agree we should be allowed to use baskets and the shopping carts but have wipes for the handles. They do this with shopping carts but I think they should also do the same with baskets
Is nobody else talking about how confused people must have been when seeing a random guy with a GoPro on his forehead waving his hands all over the place and waddling aggressively through the store, making sharp turns?
My top tips: 1. Go in with a list. 2. Make it quick. 3. Scan the lower sections of the aisle first. 4. If you need dairy, stick to the edge of the store to get there. 5. Use your earbuds and listen to your own tunes, or a book. 6. BONUS: Eat before you get there!
Thats cool! ( But now i have been wondering about how certain Family can get tricked easily than others! It would probably be because how they were raised! If you buy things when your brain is low/Tired from decisions or even with all the tricks you buy special things because you havent had them in a long time/ You went out for a certain Holiday or event! )
I can't believe you forgot to mention one of the most powerful tricks: constant store rearrangement. It feels like the store is rearranged every few times we go
After working at a grocery store for almost a year now, they do! Like EVERY MONTH! It never stops and I still have no clue where half the things we sell are because it's never the same 😂
i work at a grocery store and i can attest that our layout changes about once a week. we're supposed to move the sale items to high density areas so they sell faster, and what's on sale generally changes every week. it sucks for customers and it sucks for us
I love this break down. I work for a grocery store chain. As a result, I have taught myself to shop "backwards" I start at the back of the store. Then I'm in a hurry to get out so my dairy items don't get too warm. 🙃
@@TheMediaMage A personal trick I do is to bring only enough amount of money based off old tickets for pricing, usually avoiding things that are volatile in price
I may just be the weird one here, but I look up the exact aisle that the stuff I want to buy is on the store's website and make a beeline for those specific items -- no searching or wandering. I think I've impulse purchased exactly once in the last year (it was a whole wheat sourdough that I don't always find) and never spend more than ~30 minutes at the store.
12:30 As someone who works at a store "going and putting something back?" NAH they are just gonna set it on the gum 90% of the time regardless of lines.
Just tell them not to ring it up. The cashier usually puts it in the cart next to them. If they give you attitude, which some do. Just nonchalantly say something like "Hope I got enough on my card. He-he." No one wants to go through that process of having to cancel (whatever its called) items and redo the payment again.
@@IAmBrandonTho Exactly, I always ask them not to ring it up or if someone is with me that person puts it back for me. I have no shame in not purchasing everything once at the checkout.
The highlight of my Walmart cashier days was the day I found enough different items to make a full meal in the area around my register. Frequently zoned during a 2 hour period and found salad makings, milk, pasta, vegetables, eggs, STEAK, cake mix, a pork roast, chips, and I forget what else.
Me and some friends did the math and, if we are being extremely generous and assume the person walked and was particularly slow, it would take at most 40 minutes to get milk and only milk from a store that is 1 mile away. So if you dad went to the store to get some milk and hasn’t gotten back in 20 years, he is likely never coming back
Ok solution: Have list Have headphones with fast hype music Get in get out look at your phone the whole time. Use small basket or bag Have mask. Follow list. Don’t let head wonder Am I missing anything?
Sweet. I already do all of those things cause I don't really care about other things. Just get what I need, if I want something else later, I'll be back. Easy
Some stores also relocate items somewhat throughout the store, even if still in the same aisle. Another way to keep you looking for what you need when you thought you knew where it was.
Exactly! As a personal shopper for a major grocery store chain, I find it ridiculous and completely unnecessary for THE SAME EXACT item to be located in THREE different places within the store! When a customer asks me for fish fry I gotta tell them to check 3 different places because my store over complicates what could otherwise be a quick trip for just the basics.
This is a foolish trick. It has a negative effect. It wastes a shoppers time. Shopping time is limited. When you’re in a hurry because you have to pick up the kids at school. A parent might not even have time to buy what they need.
Took me 10 years and watching this video to realize Decision fatigue was a thing. I've been dealing with it at work when hauling massive loads of tasks non-stop in a fast manner for half a hour usually. Thank you for the insight!
For what it's worth, decision fatigue probably _isn't_ a thing. It was found in one study a long time ago, but replication studies have _failed_ to confirm the results. Basically, decision fatigue has fallen to the replication crisis in psychology.
I just wanted to point out something as a marketer. When you walk into a store the sweet deserts are designed both as a way to get you to buy impulsively but it also works to get you to buy additional items because your brain believes that you did something good by turning down something expensive, unhealthy, or unwanted. So you are more likely to buy something more expensive because because you think you can reward yourself for not getting that cake. I love this channel and this video is right up my alley. Keep up the good work!
I don't understand that one. If I don't buy fucking cheap chocolate from the sweet isle I don't then go to the freezer and think "gee I guess I've earned this pint of icecream".
Being homebound due to disability, I shop online and it's delivered. However, I've noticed Instacart has their own ways of getting you to purchase more. First, as you start, they have pictures of items you have purchased before and of course ask if you want to repeat that purchase. When you put in a product to search, they often show you not only that item, but related items in hopes you make the purchase. When you check out - not yet you don't - they bring up a page that asks if you are sure your done shopping and they display products you have purchased before and those related to items you have and they think you might like. This way they hope to get you to purchase more.
If you bite the bullet of not buying something anyway: When you decide to go to the line, ask yourself while you look at everything. "Do you need everything?" When you decide to go to the line, there's a click in your head, having that energy that you're done and good to go to the easy part, putting it all on the belt and pay(yes, sometimes it's not easy to pay, I know). But Don't fold just yet and look at what you're going to buy. Is that all? Do you really need that product? Go back and put it all back with a more 'sober' view of it all. + If you're in the line and you really don't want it, don't be shy to say/ask if the cashier can 'put it aside, I don't really want it' It's normal to change your mind. Just ask. But please, be considerate of the cashiers too. It's not fun to have a big pile of dairy, veggies, and other products that can spoil. there's a small chance we can put those back since it's so busy. So try to do this yourself Thanks - An ex-cashier
One of my strategies is to INTENTIONALLY buy one CHEAP TREAT, and convince myself that that treat is better than the numerous expensive treats. Why have a snickers that will make me feel sick later if a single honey stick will do?
@@r3dp9 I usually do the deciding on treats and refreshing beverages before going into it, specially since I've memorized the layout, products I like and even prizes on most of the things I usually take
I work at a grocery store! :) Returns/not wanting items are totally understandable and okay to do, but please do try to minimize this with cold stuff! :)) Again, nobody really minds if you do, but it just makes everyone’s job a tiiiiiny bit easier
And as a cashier/stocker (walmart doesn't care what you applied to be, you are everything) please, please, PLEASE! I would PREFER you let me know you don't want something and give it to me than have you hide the dang thing somewhere I can't see it only to find the now completely liquid ice cream down there on the floor behind the belt...trust me, we do not care if you change your mind.
12:10 You can always tell the cashier if you don’t want something. They’ll put it back for you and will appreciate that you didn’t leave it in a random aisle instead
Absolutely! When I worked as a cashier I had tons of a customers tell me they didn’t want something, they changed their mind, etc. Or you could be the asshole that just puts it on top of the candy. EVEN the frozen stuff
This was my thought as well. I do it while shopping and it's common practice at my store. It actually irks me when I see perishable items left in different aisles while shopping. Who thought leaving ice cream in the cereal or bread aisle was a good idea?
As a cashier, I find it annoying when people ask me to put something back. Just go put it back yourself, you lazy fatass. If its something cold, it's supposed to be put back immediately, but if there's a long line I can't just leave me register to go put it back. So it just sits there in my shelf, and I often forget about it. Or it's just so busy that day I literally cant find the time. And if it goes back to room temperature, we can't sell it anymore and I get in trouble. So just put your things back yourself.
This is basically the only upside of anxiety. The horror of being around other humans is enough of a speed booster to get me in and out of a supermarket in around 10 minutes.
I hate when the cashier says something and I didn’t hear what they said, makes me wanna just say “nope” and walk away Actually sometimes I have anxiety when they say anything at all. Oh boy, one cashier didn’t believe I had twins (something I said during casual cashier talk) and kept pushing me to tell her the truth, it was so awkward, like what would be the purpose of lying in that scenario??? Like I’m going to lie to a cashier about having kids lmao no
@@Flashdog97 There is no "why". For people with social anxiety disorder, everyday social interactions cause irrational anxiety, fear, self-consciousness and embarrassment.
Counter Tactics - 1. Have earphones playing low fast paced music. 2. Go to the same stores often learn the layout so you can grab stuff quickly 3. Head to the back of the store first, and grab priority items. 4. Get produce last. 5. Double check before you enter the line to make sure you don’t want to put something back.
You should do a “Survivalist” episode where you figure out the best foods and water retrieval systems to have during an apocalypse. ie) boiling water from a lake vs rain collection. Hunting vs gathering / domestication
Matpat made a good point about the shelf stacking. Being a nightshift stocker. I was specifically told to make the higher price items higher up. Compared to the cheaper options for customers. I always tell my family to look lower for items.
Oh boy, my time to shine. Or rather, my mom’s. She’s ALWAYS planned grocery shopping to the max. We shop from back to front. The back is typically where the dairy is so we get it first. By doing that FORCES us to shop faster because of the dairy in the cart. Our list is not only planned for the trip but PRE ARRANGED by aisle to ensure we don’t miss anything. We’re low budget shoppers but are aware of the brands we prefer and take that cost into account when making our list if some of the brands or products are a bit more pricier. By the time we reach the front of the store, we’re tired of the trek back up that we rush to the checkout. Yes there are occasions where we fall victim to Big Brother Grocery’s game but for the most part with all this planning, we’ve kept our budget every single time!
Just wait for the next trick then. Rearranging the products. Slow circle high proce ones are suddenly where you regularly grab and the stuff you want is in another corner between lots of new temptations
nectarshrub When you live in a Texas town where Walmart is not only the place to get groceries but is also the nicest place to hang out meaning TONS of people go there, slowly physically and emotionally draining you to your very core...yes.
@@D3__ I do hate when they rearrange the store. Part of my efficiency is I will spend the time wandering up and down the aisles to memorize where things are. I dont even have good will power, but I also dont like 99.9% of the stuff that's in the store - never bought it, likely never will; I get what I need and I'm out of there. Once or twice a year, I'll "treat" myself to something that's always looked good but never bought....usually come out of those disappointed so it doesnt happen often.
Something I've noticed in my grocery store is that the cheapest stuff is EITHER on the lowest shelf or the highest shelf, making them difficult to reach in two ways instead of just one. I am short. The high shelf-ones are the biggest problem.
this is exactly what my mom tells me. She has a checklist of things to do when in a grocery store so she doesn't overbuy. She always brings a list of things we need and where to find them in the store, she memorized the entire store and always follows the same route,and she usually brings me along to talk to her while shopping. She says that when a person is talking to you it takes your mind of things that you want to buy, even if they aren't needed.
@@dragonx3085 That's the work of a "reset team". Big chains even employee external teams. They don't want their internal employees knowing where that weird item is either. That means when you ask an employee, they are spending *your* time trying to find it. The business of selling shelf space is huge. Another third party company is responsible for holding an auction selling their shelf space to the Nestle's of the world. They then create "planograms" for the reset team to follow. A literal map of the auction results.
Have to thank my older brother with OCD for me spending less at grocery stores. He hates how many people are there per day and the germs of everyone touching and examining the products. His strategies have saved me lots of time and money compared to my mom’s version of shopping. And for those that are curious… 1. Plan heavily. Determine what meals you are going to cook that week, how many ounces / grams of everything you need, and approximately how long it will last you. If you buy something like mayonnaise, make sure to continue using recipes that require mayo in future weeks until it is gone to avoid expired food. Also, account for leftovers and meals lasting more than once, not having to cook if you know you’re going to go out, hang out with family, or be with friends that week. Wasted food is wasted money. 2. You have your list. Now, go all the way to the back of the store and get the cold stuff first (do not look at the other aisles. Make a bee-line to the back). Milk, juice, eggs, etc… so that way you basically have a ticking clock. You can’t be inefficient because those items are expiring as you distance yourself away from the cold fridges. If you do not have to buy those things but you have ice cream or frozen food on the list, buy those items first instead. 3. Stick to your list and do not deviate. Rather than meander through aisles, check the signs to see if an aisle has anything on your list. If it doesn’t, move on. If you cannot find it, you can always do a special pick-up order on the day you absolutely need it. 4. If you know where the item is but you do not see it in its usual spot (they are out, in another area, etc…), get the cheapest alternative and do not think about it. That way, you don’t spend time determining the tastiest or second best option. Just get by for the week. 5. Once you’ve gotten all your food, zip down to the non-food area and snatch what you need quickly. Your food is still getting warm. This does mean that you typically do not experiment with your products; you stick to the things you know and enjoy. 6. Once you have everything, find the fastest check-out line or self check-out. Get out of there as fast as possible. The only time that you shouldn’t be walking at a brisk pace in your shopping experience, is when you’re properly returning the cart. If possible, sanitize it so that it’s ready for another person to use immediately. It’s amazing how with his method, I am in and out between 20 - 40 minutes compared to my mother’s 90 - 120 minutes store trips (she does not walk fast, and goes through every aisle to make sure she gets whatever she wants, and she does not care about wastefulness or budget). With his method, I typically spend $50 per week on groceries instead of $98 per week when I did my mother’s method. Which is amazing, because his method is just about limiting time inside the store due to his fear of all the germs rather than saving money, but it literally cuts my grocery budget in half doing it his way. Lol
Using the frozen-ticking-timebomb technique is something I always use to curb my ADHD. No, you cannot look at ALL THE SHINY THINGS with icecream in your cart. Move, girl! Move!
@Sean Foley I buy a lot online now....like my paper products and non-refrigerated items. You can shop at walmart online and if you reach $35 which is pretty easy you get free delivery. That's less time in a store browsing for what you don't need. Less gas, time, etc. and competitive pricing.
Another tip is to eat before going to the store - shopping hungry also makes you spend more. Yes, stay on the objective, but I've fallen short of that. Sometimes being too strict is no fun - but in then again, it really is nice to save money!
I work in a grocery store. I only shop by a list and prior to doing any shopping at all, I go online and check the prices at my workplace along with a couple of other stores within walking distance (not gonna waste gas). Then I re-write my list based on what is cheaper at each store. Then I shop. I don't look at anything beyond what is on my list because I already checked out the other brands online so any adjustments have already been made. I hate shopping so it is a quick-in-get-out event.
I can’t stand being in a store for more than 15 minutes. I start feeling really tired and start getting a headache. I think I’m the exact person stores don’t want
I have just about everything I do on a schedule and planned out in advance, from how much time I spend on RUclips to time spent watching Netflix, to how long I play a game, and when it comes to shopping I plan out what I'll buy for dinner, lunch, get my weekend snacks, whatever soap I might need, etc. Anyway one time I was craving pie and even though it wasn't on my list I got it and it caused me to go .40 cents over my budget, and it made me feel really guilty, so now I make very sure never to go off list.
as you see why people are so rude to you... they all feel trick.... i on the other hand... only get them if it 30% off.... or not touching that thing...
As someone Who Works at A Grocery Store: I'm 95% certain we "Don't" have Food Scenting Machines... but I can't Really Deny Everything else {But as someone who Used to Spray down the Veggies on the Wet wall before Closing, I was only ever told it keep them Fresh overnight... Guess I drank the Kool-aid} ~One Tactic my Store's Company uses{that I personally Hate} is the "MUST Buy #" Sale. Basically, In order to Get An Item for a "Cheaper Price", you ABSOLUTELY Need to buy Multiple of them{Or at least a certain Threshold}. As Someone who Shops for Just myself, It makes me steer clear of those Items all together, but I've seen Customers Who are Shopping for their Families Buy in Mass; thinking they'll use it all {I AM NOT BUYING 3 Bottles of Ranch for a Salad I only ever get Every so often, errr} ~Another One I see people Fall all the time for is the "X for $X" deals. If an item is "10 for $10" or "2 for $5": I often see customers who will Buy that Exact First number, Even when they say they Don't need that Many. Most of these Deals Aren't even "MUST Buy #" deals!!!; if you were to buy 1 "10 for $10", then It's just a $1, or 1 "2 for $5" is just $2.50... And Don't get me Even Started on the "Buy X get Y FREE" Sales...{but getting 5 6packs of soda for $10.50 gets me every time...} IF MatPat Wants to make Part 2 of this Theory, There Are PLENTY of Directions he could go with it... Here are just a Few
There's more to it than just what you mentioned here. Some stores also have special discounts which require buying items on a designated list, like Dillon's with their 'buy 5' deals, and these items tend to be random things that are spread throughout the store in places that take more walking, in order to make you notice more stuff along the way that you otherwise might ignore. It's very deliberate that in the checkout where you often have to wait in line, you'll be seeing smaller packages of food which cost more compared to the actual amount of food in them, getting some people to overspend on those tiny chip bags rather than full-size ones which are more economically sound for the customer. Then there's the deli section some stores have, which is often great-tasting food, but the price is closer to fast-food restaurants than typical grocery prices even on pre-made options. You're meant to smell the delicious things over there, taking more time to buy some of it, and possibly even going there first because the smell distracts you, ensuring they sell you that stuff. These sections vary in placement depending on the store, but they're usually near meat, the bakery, or both, and both sections have their own ways to get your money. Bakeries will display donuts and sometimes pre-packaged baked snacks that a lot of people will buy, while meat sections tend to have big, chilled bins of expensive meat in the open, attracting more attention to what the store profits more from. If those things aren't enough, you also have the tiny restaurants actually placed inside stores. Sometimes this will be something like a Subway in a Walmart, in which case it might be some kind of rental deal where the store is just subletting space or something, but Hy-Vee actually has it's own burger restaurants now, and sells it's signature sauce in the appropriate section. I checked once just to get an idea as to how the prices go, and those Wahlburgers are way more expensive than most burger places, at least at the time I saw them. They may have adjusted that since then.
This video is missing one of the most classic tried and true tactics: the “one cent under.” $2.99 is going to look cheaper and better than $3.19, and my own grocery store does one better by doing $2.98 to look like an even better deal than a competitor store.
Dude my store had a sale on boxes of canned soup the other day it was atrocious, the threw up a big sale sign marking the product from 2.99 down to 2.98
My store does it a little differently. The regular price is something like $5.19, and then they put it on sale for like $2.99 or $3.99; so it looks like it's almost half off when it's not really at all.
Imagine how stupid matpat looked doing that first person shopping bit, just some dude with a camera up to his face quietly making gestures with his hands
One of the best ways I save money at a grocery store is verifying the price I’m supposed to be charged with the price I actually am charged. Almost every trip there will be an item mismarked. Never in my favor. Your job at the register is to watch the prices as they are rung up. Not to bag, not to chat, not to rummage through your purse.
Companies when you look at the go gurts on the shelf and want a second box, "You played right into our hands. Did you really think that this box just fell out of the sky for you? No, this was another purchase, for us"
When I was a poor college student, I went by "I can only buy what I can carry." I ditched the cart and the basket. It was awkward to have an armful of all the things, but I wasn't able to pick up Oreos or whatever. Also, before I went to check out, I'd ask myself, "Do I really need this?" to those splurge items. Usually, I was able to say "no" and put them down. Then I got in line. One of the perks of not being a poor college student is not having to worry about my grocery bill any more. I mostly buy whatever I want now, but I'm also a more responsible adult, so..... still putting splurge items back on the shelf. Good habit to have, I guess.
Growing up as a foreign student, living on a constant budget for over 5 years… I can confirm I've developed some degree of immunity to these tactics. My trips to the grocery have grown to be a get in - get the list done with the minimum spending - pay & get out. Of course I've done some impulsive grabs but those are rare and mostly come after realizing I’ve saved enough money or knowing I've had some spare money to do so
The headphones one for me has done wonders. Wal-Mart has this thing (don't know if it's a rule or really strong guideline) that if you make eye contact you need to ask if they need help finding something. The headphones negates this as they think you are talking on the phone (good time to catch up on a podcast honestly so you can nod as you understand things like you're getting one very long lecturing at). Few other things you can add: --Have backup items for important things (if they are out of GoGurt, what can you get instead?) --If they have an online app you can order from, use it to check stock as you make your list (can alter your list before you even step into the store) --Use a spreadsheet app on your phone. You can keep track of costs, taxes to be applied, how much remains in your budget, and keep a record of what you bought each visit and the costs (helps when making your new list).
@@BackgroundSpace my first job was Walmart grocery. That was almost 20 years ago, but I can tell you that back then the training videos stressed being polite, approachable and providing good customer service. Managers even handed out pins to employees they saw being helpful. Collecting four pins got a prize like a $50 gift card. Employees SHOULD know their section. So if you are struggling to find something, please ask. For me at least, the minute or so I took to walk you to the item pulled me off a tedious tast like facing, back stock or worse, stocking milk. Seriously milk sucks. The crates hold four gallons, are stacked 5 feet high, you're in a giant fridge, and you literally cant keep up during a rush.
So funny, the supermarkets in Germany are exactly like this too…funny to see how the psychology just works. Ours are way smaller tho usually, the first time I was at a Target in Cali, I was like: WHERE IS THE STUFF I NEED?! THERE IS JUST SO SO MUCH STUFF! Super overwhelming.
Also fun fact, some grocery stores also swap some item placements every 6 - 8 months to always keep it fresh and to always keep you lost, trying to look for your product making you inevitable see more useless products you weren't planning to buy seem appealing and adding them to your list
That definitely can't be 100% true of ALL stores, I know for a fact our Costco has had the same layout literally for like a decade with a few tiny variations here or there, and maybe one or two large ones over that time, and our local Raley's literally has COBWEBS on the freaking aisle cards telling you what's in an aisle. Though that's definitely more of a net negative than a net positive >_>;
This is literally my job LOL. I work in a grocery store, setting the modular. Basically, we kick out all the discontinued things to make way for the hot new items. We rearrange the items on the shelf, sometimes switching shelves or sections completely, sometimes even the shelves move to different hights. We have to follow a map that the company gives us to show us the new placements. Some sections get modded 3 or 4 times a year. Other's are just once a year but most are twice a year, a Spring reset and a Fall reset. And it is time-consuming. checking expiration dates, cleaning dusty shelves, and setting the new price labels. Sometimes it seems like we JUST finished all the Spring resets when it's time to start the fall resets.
I took an economics class in highschool (it was a required class) and they actually told us how to avoid spending a lot more than you have to or intend to. They told us to not bring a card, but to instead keep the necessary cash and change in a paper envelope, and to write on the envelope how much money is in there, and what to spend it on. Bringing a card can cause you to buy more than what you have money for, because of the credit system allowing you to purchase essentially as much as you want as long as you don't max it out. And having the amount written on the envelope will avoid you losing track of if you can afford something at the store, and the list helps you stay on track. In general, having the physical cash on you can be a good reminder to how much you can afford.
I also am usually in a rush because my baby is with me and doesn’t like to sit nicely... so I rush past the entrance with all the bakery and produce and straight to what I need. Not always intentional but my baby keeps me under my budget I guess!! For my weekly grocery shopping, I have my list but I also open my phone calculator and tally my total myself to make sure I keep it under my limit. If I do keep it under my limit I reward myself with something from the impulse checkout lane!! So they are getting $2 extra out of me but ON MY TERMS 😂 Once I spend my limit on groceries for the week I can’t go back. Also, practice makes perfect!!
One and ONLY simple thing you can do to beat the grocery stores? START FROM THE RIGHT SIDE. Yes, 85% of peoples shop from left to right! So left is wrong, BE RIGHT, NOTHING LEFT! Great video!
Forgot the simple tactic of making the price of everything end in 99 cents. Customers subconsciously think a single penny makes things cheaper than it actually is.
@@kyab2815 I have a google sheets program that I use for my shopping list. I make my list and then the row of cells next to it is for the price, and I have a formula in that row of cells that adds every number in it and multiplies that by 1.1 to show me what my sales tax will be (U.S. , TN). Our sales tax is actually 9.xxx something but it's closer to 10 percent so I just overestimate a bit. I used to spend more than I meant every trip, hasn't happened since I started doing this.
One tip I haven't seen or heard anyone mention: shop the store backwards. There is nothing stopping you, but you follow the maze how they set it up... And just going backwards can reverse quite a few of these psychological land mines...
Also the best trick that's probably mentioned a few times in the comments already: Precalculate the price of the stuff on your shopping list. Add only a small amount of money on top for that "just-in-case"(aka 30% to 50% off stuff because it's best before date is approaching), if any at all. And voila, all(most if you added money on top) those tricks won't faze you. But yah, reverse sounds great too.
@@soya59 20 seems way too generous, could buy a load of unneeded things from that. But yeah, basically what I commented here too, lol. Just forgot to mention to keep your cards at home.
Grocery stores absolutely plan for some customers to "shop backwards". Plenty of pitfalls there too. As for cash -- being extra strict means the decision anxiety is even higher. I'm sure you'll do fine for a two or three trips. That next trip though, you'll reach for a little extra because you don't want a repeat of the (now obvious) anxiety produced by the previous trip. Keep doing it long enough. You'll find yourself right back at the cart size you so wanted to avoid.
As somebody who currently works in a grocery store, yes Matt is absolutely correct. The grocery store is designed psychologically to make you buy things that you don’t need.
As a cashier, I have a PSA: *Do NOT feel ashamed to say "I don't want this/these item(s), it was an impulse buy."* We will take care of the items and respect you 1000% more as a person than if you just buy it or leave it at the end of our register/in the candy racks/etc. It isn't embarrassing to say you don't want it, we work there, we know *very* well how manipulative the layout is to your purchases. Also, please don't ask if the register is open when we're standing outside it with our light on or say "just in time!" "Waiting for me?" I die a little more inside every time.
Girl yes!! The rage I feel when I find items just chucked on top of towels or hidden behind comforters, ESPECIALLY, when they’re perishable....Like all we do is walk up and down isles, at any given moment you can peek your head out and catch someone walking by. Just give it to us so we can make sure it gets where it needs to be.
I always shop at the same place with someone else because of this ; they always have the groceries I need, the checkout lanes are fairly wide and my friend can always put the item back for me if I realized I put too many things in there 😊
If you have enough money to not get broke when buying more than you wanted, another hack is this: Go shopping without a car. You will think twice about how many things you want to drag all the way back home :D
Accurate. The cart we use is big but we shop every 2 weeks. We buy only what we need, though. Along with a dessert once and a while. At times my mom plans meals. So she buys 2 of the primary ingredients. Like meat, we freeze and frost some things for later.
Hi Food Theory team, you might not see this comment, but I would like to put it out there that this video helped me to get straight As across all my assignments for my ENTIRE module! I’m so thankful for all the work you all do and for helping me get that A! That's how well-researched these videos are!! I love what you are doing!!
Disney World uses scent marketing too, all over the parks. A good trick to use when buying things from anywhere is to avoid even grabbing a basket if you know you can carry it in your arms. The way I shop is my wallet is in one hand and I only put things in the other arm, because if I'm only going in for one or two things I don't even need both my arma
Ironically enough, I buy less using the basket. Probably because I'm actually following a list when I grab a basket. I can easily spend up to 80 dollars by carrying things in my arms. Reason: I am incredibly stubborn.
when i try 2 use my arms i end up filling my arms and needing a cart bc i am a puppet and i fall for every trap in the capitalist plot against humanity
If I go for a specific item, that’s how I shop. I pretty much ignore everything else. Going for the weekly trip: Dairy first (skirting the outside) then down and back on all the rows I need, then produce and checkout. I use a list.
Alternative: Shortly after eating, using your shopping list as a guide, log into the app for your preferred local grocery store and order curbside / delivery. Skips every single one of the triggers because you're not dealing with store layout, you're searching directly for products and pricing, if you start to get fatigued you can save your list and return later. Even the "added cost" of delivery is offset by avoiding those tricks and also not spending gas to get there and back.
I can't tell you how much this video has helped me, wallmart is really good with there manipulation. Seriously, there tactics are so good even employees had a hard time finding a product i was asking about.
I just got finished watching this video and your absolutely right!! I cant tell you how many times Ive gone into the store for just a few things and realized I spent more then I intended to!! And that check out line bit, thats the most anxiety inducing thing in the world!!
yes, actually, thats why its always advised to finish your exam as quickly as possible, and then to go back and check in the end after taking a deep breath to two and thats also why you need to practice for months sometimes years to give competitive exams with your full energy and brain power, and why often longer tests really show your true ability for both retention, and test taking abilities
most of those tactics don't work on me.. 1. i wear my headphones 2. i hardly look up ( cuz anxiety, looking at people freaks me out) 3. i have a one-track mind and when i have it in my head I go for that thing and only that 4. i actually hate shopping so i try to get in and out 5. i almost always shop when i have something scheduled after so that i don't get stuck browsing i guess it could really save you money to have a sad and lonely life and it's worse now cuz i moved across the US alone.... i am not okay.
hang in there buddy! hopefully you can find something fun and/or productive to do with your time and then that might help you meet like-minded people :)
Responsible parents teach moderation by usually saying no to impulse treats. That way when it is time to get candy it feels more special. The best thing to say is we have _ at home, if it's even remotely sweet.
I can only imagine him walking around in his local grocery store, hands held high and a camera headband strapped to his forehead. He probably looked ridiculous, but it’s all in the name of SCIENCE!
Looking at the perspective, I'm pretty sure he DIDN'T. That camera was strapped to his CHEST, which probably made it a lot less noticeable. So, he was just... walking around with his hands stretched out in front of him like Frankenstein's Monster, I guess? Which TOTALLY doesn't look ridiculous at all. :P
It might also help to, when curating your list prior to your grocery trip, to jot down exactly how many of each item you plan to get. Just a little trick I learned as a grocery store cashier.
Well, right. But because the lane at the end is packed with small, expensive sweets you have to argue with your child, because it wants that chocolate bar for 1$ so much, it throws a tantrum.
@@MoxxoM Easy solution "ok you can have that candy if you take this and put it back where we found it" You still save a few bucks, the kid is happy and you're not completely spoiling them as they have to do something to earn the candy.
@@vgamesx1 Clever move. I like it. And you can teach your child responsibility too. Too often I see items put in the wrong shelf. Even refrigerated items like meat.
@@MoxxoM Child throws a tantrum? Well, it is your failure as parent then. Just ignore it. If ignoring not works, punish child later. If child doesn't understand verbal reasoning, it must afraid consequences. And it is not child abuse, it is teaching how it must be done. It is how life works: either follow law, or get physically punished (fine, jail, etc). You either do it properly, or suffer consequences later in life, your choice.
@@yaroslavpanych2067 Well thanks for the tip and I think the same way you do in this regard and I worked in a kindergarten so I can say it works. You should not give into a child's tantrum because this just creates entitled egoistic people. But it sounds like you think I do have children. Which I do not. I just saw these behaviors in families when I go shopping.
Ha! That’s why you only bring a certain amount of money and everytime you want something you berate yourself until you feel like a waste to society and put it back. DO NOT feel weird by speeding through the aisles! DO NOT feel bad by telling the cashier that you don’t want the product anymore and give it to them! In fact use the fact that you only brought a 10 with you!
dairy sections are closer to the walls because it's easier to work in fridges and stack them up right away, decision making fatigue is a secondary factor, if it is.
@@kenyonbissett3512 good point, not all stores can accommodate so many frozen walls in a convenient layout, so they're in the middle where easily accessible by staff.. it's closer to that door which leads inside/warehouse section. Chips & candies can be further away from that door. but then every store's different not everybody follow the same principles..
Here's a tip from someone who used to be a cashier: If you don't want something by the time you get up to the checkout just give it to the cashier. It happens all the time.
Honestly. It's better than just dropping it EVERYWHERE
Right as a big lazy but thrifty family, my parents have unknowingly taught me just that, plus I feel bad leaving items I don't want randomly scattered in places they don't belong
@@ybfriendlystrawberry i only do it at the end of the trip and i never put it any frozen/ needed to be cold products anywhere other then where their meant to be at
As a previous cashier, I can attest to this exact thing. If you don't want an item, JUST GIVE IT TO THEM!!!!!!!! YOU PROBABLY DON'T EVEN NEED IT, EITHER!!!!!!!!
I just run back an put them back
I'm surprised you didn't mention my favourite trick: The size of floor tiles! Smaller floor tiles give the illusion of going faster. As you notice the clicking of the trolley wheels becoming faster, you slow down instinctively, which means you stay in the store longer, which means you buy more!
Oh, is THAT why the stores I've visited over my lifetime have changed their floor tiles like that???? Holy crap THAT ONE I never realized. Though I still bee-line through the store, I HATE shopping and being out and about, so literally none of this applies to me anyway, but still, that's fascinating.
this is devious! I've noticed uneven tiles, and items in odd places so you look through more. But the tile trick is pure evil!
Lol
@Amy Mason it's not raised tiles, it's smaller tiles, so the gaps between them are more often, so it feels like you're going faster when the trolley clacks as you move forward
@Amy Mason ohh I see. That's interesting. Well, yeah, a lot of supermarkets have gaps in between the tiles enough to make a noise
This channel has got to be one of the most “one of these is not like the other” things I’ve ever seen and I’m all for it
I'm with you there
Me too!
The nostalgia of being his first few subscribers
@@alaiaomanu6318 did you just....... I don't even........
Matt pat will you remember me when this channel hits 1 million subs?
As a QUALIFIED MARKETING PROFESSIONAL and Business Studies GCSE A grade owner, I can confirm that all this stuff is encouraged in these Courses! We learn about these tactics in both Business Studies and Marketing. You can get entire *dedicated* qualifications in supermarket design and tactics. Thank you for shining light on this for people, to help them in this cost of living crisis!!!
Here's two hacks:
1. "Mom, can we-" "No"
2. Use cash and limit your spending money (i. e. List cost approximately 30$? Only carry 35$-45$ in your wallet)
True
Absolutely, I actively try to avoid using Apple Pay cause it gives em a bigger price limit
My hack, go after you have lunch or dinner so u go full af, when I see snacks, my stomach is like.. nope
So bring my dead mother, and leave myself in a bad situation if an emergency happens - got it!
Legit great tip and good joke! Next time though put the mom example second.
Here’s a simple way to not fall into these tactics: be broke. You can’t get what you want if you don’t have money.
(I hate doing the whole edit thing because it simply ruins the joke. Cause this was a joke. The logical thing to do is to bring the exact amount of cash you need as well as tax money, aka coins. Many of you guys suggested this and it’s true. If you really need advice to say money, then pay attention to the video. Now, please ignore this and continue with my dark joke)
you are forced to only buy the cheapest of things and lesser things XD
I mean, if you only take with you the money you plan on using and nothing else, it's a great method
This is very useful, but also sad
you joke but it really is not a bad idea to just take the amount you want to spend and leave the card and other cash at home.
@@ryanclemons1 yes very true
Three tricks to beat them at their own game:
1 - Never go in hungry. Hunger interferes with your resolve.
2 - Head right to the aisles you know where your desired items are located. Stores rearrange their aisles regularly to keep people in longer, so advanced scouting is needed periodically. Some stores will also hand out charts with the locations on where they moved items.
3 = Never go in with more money in your pocket that you plan to spend. Its best to keep a running total in your head or written down since stores rarely place price tags on items these days, opting for labels on a shelf instead. Don't go more than $5 form your budget to account for sales tax. Currently, in Georgia, it is 7%. Some stores tack on an additional 10% at the register. These are also stores that appear to sell items for less than other stores, so they get you with the difference at check-out. As an example, if you budget $30 for your trip, don't go in with more than $40, and keep your pre-check-out spending between $27 and $35 dollars to account for sales tax and other hidden in plain sight fees.
Are you always paying in cash?
Man's got STRATS
As a Brit, the concept of sales taxes being added to your bill after you get to the register is insane. Literally the rest of the world just incorporates that tax into the listed price, meaning you know exactly how much you're paying for a given item as soon as you look at it.
@@Chillerll - I try to as much as possible.
@@cameronhector9074 - Unfortunately, in the US, they will tax us on anything they can. They don't include it in the price because they want us to spend more without realizing it.
One of the worst is some stores appearing to sell stuff cheaper than their competitors, but the stick an additional 10% at the register in addition to the sales tax. So, we are paying an additional 10% for our purchase followed by the sales tax, which in Georgia, is currently at 7%. Its robbery.
I'd like to add something that's not always noticeable: Pinkish lighting is used in the central area of the produce section where the tomatoes are displayed to make them look riper. Take them to the lights by the lettuces/greens where the whiter light is, to see their true ripeness.
Same with meat.
This is like buying foundation at drugstores
Tips from a teen who's been on too many shopping trips:
1. Listen to your own music. Picking something more upbeat (rock or pop) tends to create a more urgent atmosphere.
2. Make a list of desires while you shop. Writing them down will null your urge to buy the item in the moment.
3. With the list you have for necessities, put them in the order you will navigate the store through. Aka starting with the food at the entrance and working your way to the other end of the store.
4. Get a cart. I know this completely contradicts Matpat's point, but it's better for the environment to use reusable bags. Plus, you can open them up in the cart fo items so you're organized before checkout.
Thank you.
Some stores offer smaller carts now but there are usually far less of them. Also if you ride a bike to the store you can't fit as much on it. This helps keep down impulse buys and doesn't pollute as well.
Many stores no longer provide baskets "because of covid", which is total BS on multiple levels. Baskets are no germier than shopping carts - less germy, in fact, since toddlers don't sit in them. It's all a conspiracy.
Joshua Griffin I know this is probably not what u meant but COVID-19 is not a conspiracy. Also I agree we should be allowed to use baskets and the shopping carts but have wipes for the handles. They do this with shopping carts but I think they should also do the same with baskets
I try to bring a reusable bag and fill it like a basket.
Is nobody else talking about how confused people must have been when seeing a random guy with a GoPro on his forehead waving his hands all over the place and waddling aggressively through the store, making sharp turns?
no
Lokear
Lamo
Lololololol...!
hahaha I was thinking the same, althought I think it is on his chest
as someone who works in a walmart, nope.
@@Tailzy26 can confirm, have worked at a walmart before.
I’m immune to the psychological manipulation of grocery stores because I have a little thing called an utter lack of money
So awesome...
That would do it!
Same here
and i have no money
same here
My top tips:
1. Go in with a list.
2. Make it quick.
3. Scan the lower sections of the aisle first.
4. If you need dairy, stick to the edge of the store to get there.
5. Use your earbuds and listen to your own tunes, or a book.
6. BONUS: Eat before you get there!
As one who was in the grocery buissness for over 3 years, this is all true.
lmao
Thats cool! ( But now i have been wondering about how certain Family can get tricked easily than others! It would probably be because how they were raised! If you buy things when your brain is low/Tired from decisions or even with all the tricks you buy special things because you havent had them in a long time/ You went out for a certain Holiday or event! )
I am the stock photo of the guy smiling that MatPat has been using since 2012
Theory confirmed
Indeed!
I can't believe you forgot to mention one of the most powerful tricks: constant store rearrangement. It feels like the store is rearranged every few times we go
After working at a grocery store for almost a year now, they do! Like EVERY MONTH! It never stops and I still have no clue where half the things we sell are because it's never the same 😂
my grocery stores have always stayed the same for years and years as I've moved around :o I'm sorry yours do that to you!
i work at a grocery store and i can attest that our layout changes about once a week. we're supposed to move the sale items to high density areas so they sell faster, and what's on sale generally changes every week. it sucks for customers and it sucks for us
Walmart is FAMOUS for that.
Ugh. Truth. I have NO idea why in the world they do that. ticks me off.
I love this break down. I work for a grocery store chain. As a result, I have taught myself to shop "backwards" I start at the back of the store. Then I'm in a hurry to get out so my dairy items don't get too warm. 🙃
F***ing... GENIUS 😊👍
Smart
I too have used this tactic! The results have been great! ^^
@@TheMediaMage A personal trick I do is to bring only enough amount of money based off old tickets for pricing, usually avoiding things that are volatile in price
@@TheMediaMage I was thinking the same thing while watching the video, can’t you just start from the back?
I may just be the weird one here, but I look up the exact aisle that the stuff I want to buy is on the store's website and make a beeline for those specific items -- no searching or wandering. I think I've impulse purchased exactly once in the last year (it was a whole wheat sourdough that I don't always find) and never spend more than ~30 minutes at the store.
12:30 As someone who works at a store "going and putting something back?" NAH they are just gonna set it on the gum 90% of the time regardless of lines.
The long psychological fingers of the marketing decision has no power over the stubborn lazy shopper!
Just tell them not to ring it up. The cashier usually puts it in the cart next to them. If they give you attitude, which some do. Just nonchalantly say something like "Hope I got enough on my card. He-he." No one wants to go through that process of having to cancel (whatever its called) items and redo the payment again.
@@IAmBrandonTho Exactly, I always ask them not to ring it up or if someone is with me that person puts it back for me. I have no shame in not purchasing everything once at the checkout.
The highlight of my Walmart cashier days was the day I found enough different items to make a full meal in the area around my register. Frequently zoned during a 2 hour period and found salad makings, milk, pasta, vegetables, eggs, STEAK, cake mix, a pork roast, chips, and I forget what else.
@@margie253cypress putting meat there for two hrs? Does it go to the freezer or dump after that?
Me and some friends did the math and, if we are being extremely generous and assume the person walked and was particularly slow, it would take at most 40 minutes to get milk and only milk from a store that is 1 mile away. So if you dad went to the store to get some milk and hasn’t gotten back in 20 years, he is likely never coming back
What about 50?
What about cigarettes?
I’m not particularly sure where cigarettes would be placed in the store but the would likely be near the front, so it would take even less time
@@theonionmaster9486 milk is placed at the back, cigarettes are placed relatively close to the entrance
Thanks that’s what I thought
Ok solution:
Have list
Have headphones with fast hype music
Get in get out
look at your phone the whole time.
Use small basket or bag
Have mask.
Follow list.
Don’t let head wonder
Am I missing anything?
The headphones thing i will definitely do next time
brua if you accidently grabbed something you can just ask the cashier to return it
go to the back of the store first (or as far back as you need to go), and grab heavier items first - you’ll want to get out ASAP
Grab bottom items!
Sweet. I already do all of those things cause I don't really care about other things. Just get what I need, if I want something else later, I'll be back. Easy
Some stores also relocate items somewhat throughout the store, even if still in the same aisle. Another way to keep you looking for what you need when you thought you knew where it was.
I find that practice most annoying.
It happens the day after I have determined where everything is located.
Exactly!
As a personal shopper for a major grocery store chain, I find it ridiculous and completely unnecessary for THE SAME EXACT item to be located in THREE different places within the store!
When a customer asks me for fish fry I gotta tell them to check 3 different places because my store
over complicates what could otherwise be a quick trip for just the basics.
This is a foolish trick. It has a negative effect. It wastes a shoppers time. Shopping time is limited. When you’re in a hurry because you have to pick up the kids at school. A parent might not even have time to buy what they need.
If I can't find some item that I normally buy because they have moved the item, I quickly sense what they have done, and then refuse to buy it.
Imagine how strange it would be to see a guy with a camera on him while he's walking like a zombie while making gestures at an imaginary audience
There are people that twitch stream their daily lives.
Hey man leave my hobbies out of this
He wouldn't be out of place in Walmart
# 501 😁
That's just a typical day at Walmart. Though without the cameras, just a bunch of walking zombies making weird hand gestures and mouth noises.
Higher items are eye level
Short people: I cannot be stopped.
That's where the second highest prices are.
It's great until it's a spice on the very top in a small container and.. someone has taken the first ones in the row. REEEEE!
You should also shop using the price per ounce instead of the total price...
Tall people: Oh, it's on the other lane
is it possible to learn such power?
First theory: fries
Latest theory: grocery store
Favorite theory: kool aid man
Loving this channel. I hope it grows well.
⬆️ my sentiments exactly!
This is my favorite because I can actually use it
I loved Kool aid man I actually hope he features again soon 😂
Same
Exactly
Took me 10 years and watching this video to realize Decision fatigue was a thing. I've been dealing with it at work when hauling massive loads of tasks non-stop in a fast manner for half a hour usually. Thank you for the insight!
For what it's worth, decision fatigue probably _isn't_ a thing. It was found in one study a long time ago, but replication studies have _failed_ to confirm the results. Basically, decision fatigue has fallen to the replication crisis in psychology.
For a moment I was like "the cheaper items are always in my eyeline and expensive products are slightly higher" and then I remembered I'm short lol
It has its perks.
Same but also oof
It doses but some con too
Lmao I’m 5 ft
@@Wawagirl17
I feel that
Me: Food theory? That sounds dumb
1.5 hours later
Me: I didn’t know I needed this until now
Mat pat: Yes... just like the stores.
Same
Same sTeP pOtaTO
same
GaH aRe YaLl BoTs BeCaUsE i CaNt TeLl
@@cumresearcher9308 step tato. God purge us all
I just wanted to point out something as a marketer. When you walk into a store the sweet deserts are designed both as a way to get you to buy impulsively but it also works to get you to buy additional items because your brain believes that you did something good by turning down something expensive, unhealthy, or unwanted.
So you are more likely to buy something more expensive because because you think you can reward yourself for not getting that cake.
I love this channel and this video is right up my alley. Keep up the good work!
You have betrayed your own...
Respect✊❤️
I don't understand that one. If I don't buy fucking cheap chocolate from the sweet isle I don't then go to the freezer and think "gee I guess I've earned this pint of icecream".
@@candyman9635 some people will
Being homebound due to disability, I shop online and it's delivered. However, I've noticed Instacart has their own ways of getting you to purchase more. First, as you start, they have pictures of items you have purchased before and of course ask if you want to repeat that purchase. When you put in a product to search, they often show you not only that item, but related items in hopes you make the purchase. When you check out - not yet you don't - they bring up a page that asks if you are sure your done shopping and they display products you have purchased before and those related to items you have and they think you might like. This way they hope to get you to purchase more.
If you bite the bullet of not buying something anyway:
When you decide to go to the line, ask yourself while you look at everything. "Do you need everything?"
When you decide to go to the line, there's a click in your head, having that energy that you're done and good to go to the easy part, putting it all on the belt and pay(yes, sometimes it's not easy to pay, I know).
But Don't fold just yet and look at what you're going to buy. Is that all? Do you really need that product? Go back and put it all back with a more 'sober' view of it all.
+ If you're in the line and you really don't want it, don't be shy to say/ask if the cashier can 'put it aside, I don't really want it'
It's normal to change your mind.
Just ask. But please, be considerate of the cashiers too. It's not fun to have a big pile of dairy, veggies, and other products that can spoil. there's a small chance we can put those back since it's so busy. So try to do this yourself
Thanks - An ex-cashier
One of my strategies is to INTENTIONALLY buy one CHEAP TREAT, and convince myself that that treat is better than the numerous expensive treats. Why have a snickers that will make me feel sick later if a single honey stick will do?
@@r3dp9 I usually do the deciding on treats and refreshing beverages before going into it, specially since I've memorized the layout, products I like and even prizes on most of the things I usually take
I work at a grocery store! :) Returns/not wanting items are totally understandable and okay to do, but please do try to minimize this with cold stuff! :)) Again, nobody really minds if you do, but it just makes everyone’s job a tiiiiiny bit easier
And as a cashier/stocker (walmart doesn't care what you applied to be, you are everything) please, please, PLEASE! I would PREFER you let me know you don't want something and give it to me than have you hide the dang thing somewhere I can't see it only to find the now completely liquid ice cream down there on the floor behind the belt...trust me, we do not care if you change your mind.
@@RoxxyVillguarde the other thing people do is if they have meat or something that they realise is too expensive and put it in a freezer..
12:10 You can always tell the cashier if you don’t want something. They’ll put it back for you and will appreciate that you didn’t leave it in a random aisle instead
Absolutely! When I worked as a cashier I had tons of a customers tell me they didn’t want something, they changed their mind, etc. Or you could be the asshole that just puts it on top of the candy. EVEN the frozen stuff
oh god - i hate these kinds of people, just leaving random PERISHABLE icy item in middle of aisle
This was my thought as well. I do it while shopping and it's common practice at my store. It actually irks me when I see perishable items left in different aisles while shopping. Who thought leaving ice cream in the cereal or bread aisle was a good idea?
As a cashier, I find it annoying when people ask me to put something back. Just go put it back yourself, you lazy fatass. If its something cold, it's supposed to be put back immediately, but if there's a long line I can't just leave me register to go put it back. So it just sits there in my shelf, and I often forget about it. Or it's just so busy that day I literally cant find the time. And if it goes back to room temperature, we can't sell it anymore and I get in trouble. So just put your things back yourself.
But consider this: Social anxiety
This is basically the only upside of anxiety. The horror of being around other humans is enough of a speed booster to get me in and out of a supermarket in around 10 minutes.
The Most Dangerous Noodle y e s
If I need one thing.. I get one thing because I want to go home!
I hate when the cashier says something and I didn’t hear what they said, makes me wanna just say “nope” and walk away
Actually sometimes I have anxiety when they say anything at all. Oh boy, one cashier didn’t believe I had twins (something I said during casual cashier talk) and kept pushing me to tell her the truth, it was so awkward, like what would be the purpose of lying in that scenario??? Like I’m going to lie to a cashier about having kids lmao no
why would you be bothered by random people doing their own thing in a grocery store wtf
@@Flashdog97 There is no "why". For people with social anxiety disorder, everyday social interactions cause irrational anxiety, fear, self-consciousness and embarrassment.
Easiest way to beat grocery stores: come in 20 minutes before closing
Counter Tactics -
1. Have earphones playing low fast paced music.
2. Go to the same stores often learn the layout so you can grab stuff quickly
3. Head to the back of the store first, and grab priority items.
4. Get produce last.
5. Double check before you enter the line to make sure you don’t want to put something back.
Thanks
Good tips. Thank you!
I always go with my music, know the mart in full and go with a list. I end my purchases in 30min tops.
i like to play loud metal while shopping
true chad.
You should do a “Survivalist” episode where you figure out the best foods and water retrieval systems to have during an apocalypse.
ie) boiling water from a lake vs rain collection. Hunting vs gathering / domestication
And what non-perishable foods/items to get beforehand.
No
Yes
Y E S
*Y E S*
2019: A Heist with Markiplier
2020: A Grocery Run with Matpat
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😂
I need this
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Matpat made a good point about the shelf stacking. Being a nightshift stocker. I was specifically told to make the higher price items higher up. Compared to the cheaper options for customers. I always tell my family to look lower for items.
I like to imagine matpat with his chest mounted GoPro holding his hands out in front of him but with his arms bent like a trex to get those shots.
Ikr, I was thinking how awkward that would be
Rule 1 of the grocery store: Never shop when you’re hungry
Rule 2: never go with hungry kids ( chips and candy aisles)
@@alexismartinez7943 Just better go without the kids if you can.
@@wojt7635 fun fact the more children oriented snacks are actually placed at lower shelves at (you guessed it) child eyesight height
@Obama Tales Official That's why I eat oatmeal before shopping. It's pretty heavy grain on the stomach and helps me avoid impulse buying.
Its a good thing we had these sandwiches before shopping
Oh boy, my time to shine. Or rather, my mom’s. She’s ALWAYS planned grocery shopping to the max. We shop from back to front. The back is typically where the dairy is so we get it first. By doing that FORCES us to shop faster because of the dairy in the cart. Our list is not only planned for the trip but PRE ARRANGED by aisle to ensure we don’t miss anything. We’re low budget shoppers but are aware of the brands we prefer and take that cost into account when making our list if some of the brands or products are a bit more pricier. By the time we reach the front of the store, we’re tired of the trek back up that we rush to the checkout. Yes there are occasions where we fall victim to Big Brother Grocery’s game but for the most part with all this planning, we’ve kept our budget every single time!
Just wait for the next trick then. Rearranging the products. Slow circle high proce ones are suddenly where you regularly grab and the stuff you want is in another corner between lots of new temptations
You get tired from walking around a store....? U ok?
nectarshrub When you live in a Texas town where Walmart is not only the place to get groceries but is also the nicest place to hang out meaning TONS of people go there, slowly physically and emotionally draining you to your very core...yes.
@@D3__ I do hate when they rearrange the store. Part of my efficiency is I will spend the time wandering up and down the aisles to memorize where things are. I dont even have good will power, but I also dont like 99.9% of the stuff that's in the store - never bought it, likely never will; I get what I need and I'm out of there. Once or twice a year, I'll "treat" myself to something that's always looked good but never bought....usually come out of those disappointed so it doesnt happen often.
Bruh that’s poggers
Something I've noticed in my grocery store is that the cheapest stuff is EITHER on the lowest shelf or the highest shelf, making them difficult to reach in two ways instead of just one. I am short. The high shelf-ones are the biggest problem.
"The ones that they want you to buy are at eye level"
Short people : Why are these items so cheap?
lol as a short person, I've beaten the system.
Tall people: why are all of the good things on the floor.
These are the short jokes we need
The one perk about being short 👌🏼😂
Omg I declare you the winner of the comment section
this is exactly what my mom tells me. She has a checklist of things to do when in a grocery store so she doesn't overbuy. She always brings a list of things we need and where to find them in the store, she memorized the entire store and always follows the same route,and she usually brings me along to talk to her while shopping. She says that when a person is talking to you it takes your mind of things that you want to buy, even if they aren't needed.
To make it even better, do what I do when I shop with my mom and use your phone's calculator to keep track of your spending. Helps us every time.
and that's where they hit you with the "move essential items to different places in the store every once in a while" tactic. List still works though.
That's so interesting!
I always keep headphones in and listen to music, podcasts or make a phone call if I have to go in the store alone.
@@dragonx3085 That's the work of a "reset team". Big chains even employee external teams. They don't want their internal employees knowing where that weird item is either. That means when you ask an employee, they are spending *your* time trying to find it.
The business of selling shelf space is huge. Another third party company is responsible for holding an auction selling their shelf space to the Nestle's of the world. They then create "planograms" for the reset team to follow. A literal map of the auction results.
Have to thank my older brother with OCD for me spending less at grocery stores. He hates how many people are there per day and the germs of everyone touching and examining the products. His strategies have saved me lots of time and money compared to my mom’s version of shopping.
And for those that are curious…
1. Plan heavily. Determine what meals you are going to cook that week, how many ounces / grams of everything you need, and approximately how long it will last you. If you buy something like mayonnaise, make sure to continue using recipes that require mayo in future weeks until it is gone to avoid expired food. Also, account for leftovers and meals lasting more than once, not having to cook if you know you’re going to go out, hang out with family, or be with friends that week. Wasted food is wasted money.
2. You have your list. Now, go all the way to the back of the store and get the cold stuff first (do not look at the other aisles. Make a bee-line to the back). Milk, juice, eggs, etc… so that way you basically have a ticking clock. You can’t be inefficient because those items are expiring as you distance yourself away from the cold fridges. If you do not have to buy those things but you have ice cream or frozen food on the list, buy those items first instead.
3. Stick to your list and do not deviate. Rather than meander through aisles, check the signs to see if an aisle has anything on your list. If it doesn’t, move on. If you cannot find it, you can always do a special pick-up order on the day you absolutely need it.
4. If you know where the item is but you do not see it in its usual spot (they are out, in another area, etc…), get the cheapest alternative and do not think about it. That way, you don’t spend time determining the tastiest or second best option. Just get by for the week.
5. Once you’ve gotten all your food, zip down to the non-food area and snatch what you need quickly. Your food is still getting warm. This does mean that you typically do not experiment with your products; you stick to the things you know and enjoy.
6. Once you have everything, find the fastest check-out line or self check-out. Get out of there as fast as possible. The only time that you shouldn’t be walking at a brisk pace in your shopping experience, is when you’re properly returning the cart. If possible, sanitize it so that it’s ready for another person to use immediately.
It’s amazing how with his method, I am in and out between 20 - 40 minutes compared to my mother’s 90 - 120 minutes store trips (she does not walk fast, and goes through every aisle to make sure she gets whatever she wants, and she does not care about wastefulness or budget). With his method, I typically spend $50 per week on groceries instead of $98 per week when I did my mother’s method. Which is amazing, because his method is just about limiting time inside the store due to his fear of all the germs rather than saving money, but it literally cuts my grocery budget in half doing it his way. Lol
Using the frozen-ticking-timebomb technique is something I always use to curb my ADHD. No, you cannot look at ALL THE SHINY THINGS with icecream in your cart. Move, girl! Move!
@Sean Foley I buy a lot online now....like my paper products and non-refrigerated items. You can shop at walmart online and if you reach $35 which is pretty easy you get free delivery. That's less time in a store browsing for what you don't need. Less gas, time, etc. and competitive pricing.
Another tip is to eat before going to the store - shopping hungry also makes you spend more.
Yes, stay on the objective, but I've fallen short of that. Sometimes being too strict is no fun - but in then again, it really is nice to save money!
I work in a grocery store. I only shop by a list and prior to doing any shopping at all, I go online and check the prices at my workplace along with a couple of other stores within walking distance (not gonna waste gas). Then I re-write my list based on what is cheaper at each store. Then I shop. I don't look at anything beyond what is on my list because I already checked out the other brands online so any adjustments have already been made. I hate shopping so it is a quick-in-get-out event.
I can’t stand being in a store for more than 15 minutes. I start feeling really tired and start getting a headache. I think I’m the exact person stores don’t want
Slothster 0612 same my guy
My spider senses are tingling
don't worry, i'll make up for it
But stores want you tired, which'll make you not think straight.
I have just about everything I do on a schedule and planned out in advance, from how much time I spend on RUclips to time spent watching Netflix, to how long I play a game, and when it comes to shopping I plan out what I'll buy for dinner, lunch, get my weekend snacks, whatever soap I might need, etc. Anyway one time I was craving pie and even though it wasn't on my list I got it and it caused me to go .40 cents over my budget, and it made me feel really guilty, so now I make very sure never to go off list.
I work at Wal Mart as a cashier and the 2 questions i ask every customer are: "Did you find everything you were looking for?" "And how much extra?"
Nice. lol
I am
ENLIGHTENED
Is it mandatory?
as you see why people are so rude to you... they all feel trick.... i on the other hand... only get them if it 30% off.... or not touching that thing...
What's "And how much extra?"
As someone Who Works at A Grocery Store: I'm 95% certain we "Don't" have Food Scenting Machines... but I can't Really Deny Everything else {But as someone who Used to Spray down the Veggies on the Wet wall before Closing, I was only ever told it keep them Fresh overnight... Guess I drank the Kool-aid}
~One Tactic my Store's Company uses{that I personally Hate} is the "MUST Buy #" Sale. Basically, In order to Get An Item for a "Cheaper Price", you ABSOLUTELY Need to buy Multiple of them{Or at least a certain Threshold}. As Someone who Shops for Just myself, It makes me steer clear of those Items all together, but I've seen Customers Who are Shopping for their Families Buy in Mass; thinking they'll use it all {I AM NOT BUYING 3 Bottles of Ranch for a Salad I only ever get Every so often, errr}
~Another One I see people Fall all the time for is the "X for $X" deals. If an item is "10 for $10" or "2 for $5": I often see customers who will Buy that Exact First number, Even when they say they Don't need that Many. Most of these Deals Aren't even "MUST Buy #" deals!!!; if you were to buy 1 "10 for $10", then It's just a $1, or 1 "2 for $5" is just $2.50...
And Don't get me Even Started on the "Buy X get Y FREE" Sales...{but getting 5 6packs of soda for $10.50 gets me every time...}
IF MatPat Wants to make Part 2 of this Theory, There Are PLENTY of Directions he could go with it... Here are just a Few
dDeckon you’re a grocery store employee, not an employee at the Disney parks
@@mostar1219 yeah Disney has fresh baked bread smell sent all over.
Only buy in bulk non-perishables.
wow what is wrong w your capitalization
You have talked too much, aren't you afraid from the people up there?
There's more to it than just what you mentioned here. Some stores also have special discounts which require buying items on a designated list, like Dillon's with their 'buy 5' deals, and these items tend to be random things that are spread throughout the store in places that take more walking, in order to make you notice more stuff along the way that you otherwise might ignore.
It's very deliberate that in the checkout where you often have to wait in line, you'll be seeing smaller packages of food which cost more compared to the actual amount of food in them, getting some people to overspend on those tiny chip bags rather than full-size ones which are more economically sound for the customer.
Then there's the deli section some stores have, which is often great-tasting food, but the price is closer to fast-food restaurants than typical grocery prices even on pre-made options. You're meant to smell the delicious things over there, taking more time to buy some of it, and possibly even going there first because the smell distracts you, ensuring they sell you that stuff. These sections vary in placement depending on the store, but they're usually near meat, the bakery, or both, and both sections have their own ways to get your money. Bakeries will display donuts and sometimes pre-packaged baked snacks that a lot of people will buy, while meat sections tend to have big, chilled bins of expensive meat in the open, attracting more attention to what the store profits more from.
If those things aren't enough, you also have the tiny restaurants actually placed inside stores. Sometimes this will be something like a Subway in a Walmart, in which case it might be some kind of rental deal where the store is just subletting space or something, but Hy-Vee actually has it's own burger restaurants now, and sells it's signature sauce in the appropriate section. I checked once just to get an idea as to how the prices go, and those Wahlburgers are way more expensive than most burger places, at least at the time I saw them. They may have adjusted that since then.
This video is missing one of the most classic tried and true tactics: the “one cent under.” $2.99 is going to look cheaper and better than $3.19, and my own grocery store does one better by doing $2.98 to look like an even better deal than a competitor store.
Dude my store had a sale on boxes of canned soup the other day it was atrocious, the threw up a big sale sign marking the product from 2.99 down to 2.98
@@Evan-pz2ns LMAO
This tactic is employed by EVERY retail industry: grocery, clothing, appliances, GAS
My store does it a little differently. The regular price is something like $5.19, and then they put it on sale for like $2.99 or $3.99; so it looks like it's almost half off when it's not really at all.
There are 2 price stategies here: odd-even price and price anchoring.
Imagine how stupid matpat looked doing that first person shopping bit, just some dude with a camera up to his face quietly making gestures with his hands
Hahgagaha
I W H E E Z E D
I was literally picturing that the whole time!
This is in the name of science
Can I just say, I love how Matpat's hand is permanently attached to his jaw. Even as he grabs things and opens doors and drawers. Just, never change.
Mhmmm
WELL je is a ping from 10 years ago sooo yea
One of the best ways I save money at a grocery store is verifying the price I’m supposed to be charged with the price I actually am charged. Almost every trip there will be an item mismarked. Never in my favor.
Your job at the register is to watch the prices as they are rung up. Not to bag, not to chat, not to rummage through your purse.
"I'm buying one thing"
"We bought a zoo"
This hits WAY too hard.
*”Hey, honey! We bought a zoo!”* *bruh*
My family and I once went into Poundland, a store where everything is only a pound each, to buy one thing...we spent £23
@@preciousinfinity Lol most stuff costs 2 or £5 now
@@LILProductions "sarcasm intensifies"
Her: Are you kidding me right now?
“A labyrinth of sounds and smells, misdirection and misfortune”
‘’Although for one of you the darkest isle of Frosted Flakes has opened to swallow you whole, so don’t keep the store waiting, old friend.”
Itz Sapphire that made me laugh harder then it should have.
You have all been called here, but not by the items on your grocery list.
“A labyrinth with no exit, a maze with no prize.”
Companies when you look at the go gurts on the shelf and want a second box, "You played right into our hands. Did you really think that this box just fell out of the sky for you? No, this was another purchase, for us"
When I was a poor college student, I went by "I can only buy what I can carry." I ditched the cart and the basket. It was awkward to have an armful of all the things, but I wasn't able to pick up Oreos or whatever. Also, before I went to check out, I'd ask myself, "Do I really need this?" to those splurge items. Usually, I was able to say "no" and put them down. Then I got in line.
One of the perks of not being a poor college student is not having to worry about my grocery bill any more. I mostly buy whatever I want now, but I'm also a more responsible adult, so..... still putting splurge items back on the shelf. Good habit to have, I guess.
I have to go to the grocery store by bike and my dorm is three floors up without an elevator. Works like a charm
that's genius
take a basket. I had sushi get knocked out of my arm and was sad since they didn't have that specific roll ready so had to get a different one.
Growing up as a foreign student, living on a constant budget for over 5 years… I can confirm I've developed some degree of immunity to these tactics.
My trips to the grocery have grown to be a get in - get the list done with the minimum spending - pay & get out.
Of course I've done some impulsive grabs but those are rare and mostly come after realizing I’ve saved enough money or knowing I've had some spare money to do so
He knew everybody that watched game theory as a kid have finally grown up, so he switched his content to something more relatable
I'm sure game theory has adults that watch it.
Which makes adults delete apps
@@mr.dolphin_muzzle Same (11-14)
@@elcat2577 I still watch it
@@mr.dolphin_muzzle uh I If u are under the age of 13 PLEASE do NOT disclose your age online
There can be some creepy ppl here
When my parents go shopping, they will often use me and my sister to squeeze out of the lines and return any things that we got on impulse.
Just tell the cashier you don't want those items. Most places have people that return those items back to the shelves. They get paid to do that.
S ame
Oh yeah that happens a lot
@@fasddfadfgasdgs it's nicer to remove it urself if it's a lot or a common occurrence
Same
So you’re telling me:
-Make a concise list
-Wear a pair of headphones
-Keep your head down (literally)
Yes
Also, buy healthy food last, be quick, and try not to get lost.
The headphones one for me has done wonders. Wal-Mart has this thing (don't know if it's a rule or really strong guideline) that if you make eye contact you need to ask if they need help finding something. The headphones negates this as they think you are talking on the phone (good time to catch up on a podcast honestly so you can nod as you understand things like you're getting one very long lecturing at).
Few other things you can add:
--Have backup items for important things (if they are out of GoGurt, what can you get instead?)
--If they have an online app you can order from, use it to check stock as you make your list (can alter your list before you even step into the store)
--Use a spreadsheet app on your phone. You can keep track of costs, taxes to be applied, how much remains in your budget, and keep a record of what you bought each visit and the costs (helps when making your new list).
So you're telling me this isn't how you've always shopped?
@@BackgroundSpace my first job was Walmart grocery. That was almost 20 years ago, but I can tell you that back then the training videos stressed being polite, approachable and providing good customer service. Managers even handed out pins to employees they saw being helpful. Collecting four pins got a prize like a $50 gift card.
Employees SHOULD know their section. So if you are struggling to find something, please ask. For me at least, the minute or so I took to walk you to the item pulled me off a tedious tast like facing, back stock or worse, stocking milk.
Seriously milk sucks. The crates hold four gallons, are stacked 5 feet high, you're in a giant fridge, and you literally cant keep up during a rush.
So funny, the supermarkets in Germany are exactly like this too…funny to see how the psychology just works.
Ours are way smaller tho usually, the first time I was at a Target in Cali, I was like: WHERE IS THE STUFF I NEED?! THERE IS JUST SO SO MUCH STUFF! Super overwhelming.
haha yea it's a problem
Customer: I ain’t buying this
Store: ya like jazz
Customer: shut up and take my money
Underrated comment
🅱️
yas
Ever drunk Baileys from a shoe?
Nice likes
Also fun fact, some grocery stores also swap some item placements every 6 - 8 months to always keep it fresh and to always keep you lost, trying to look for your product making you inevitable see more useless products you weren't planning to buy seem appealing and adding them to your list
Yup. Kroger does this a lot. I used to work there as a stocker so yeah
That definitely can't be 100% true of ALL stores, I know for a fact our Costco has had the same layout literally for like a decade with a few tiny variations here or there, and maybe one or two large ones over that time, and our local Raley's literally has COBWEBS on the freaking aisle cards telling you what's in an aisle. Though that's definitely more of a net negative than a net positive >_>;
@@melonymutou Kroger and Walmart both do it. Walmart does it in a more covert way tho haha
Joke's on them! That Kroger will be losing my business to...the other Kroger down the street
This is literally my job LOL. I work in a grocery store, setting the modular. Basically, we kick out all the discontinued things to make way for the hot new items. We rearrange the items on the shelf, sometimes switching shelves or sections completely, sometimes even the shelves move to different hights. We have to follow a map that the company gives us to show us the new placements. Some sections get modded 3 or 4 times a year. Other's are just once a year but most are twice a year, a Spring reset and a Fall reset.
And it is time-consuming. checking expiration dates, cleaning dusty shelves, and setting the new price labels. Sometimes it seems like we JUST finished all the Spring resets when it's time to start the fall resets.
"don't use a cart if a basket will suffice" this assumes the store offers baskets at all, which is becoming increasingly uncommon
What a minute. They're taking away the baskets to make us use shopping carts to waste our money!
Is that why WalMart has like 6 baskets, and they're always gone when I get there?
hand's exist, i mean it works?
@@agentredacted8734 Was too expensive to use coins from table games to avoid using real coins?
@@FuneralParty-rsf I know I might get wooooshed here, but can you explain what that means?
I took an economics class in highschool (it was a required class) and they actually told us how to avoid spending a lot more than you have to or intend to.
They told us to not bring a card, but to instead keep the necessary cash and change in a paper envelope, and to write on the envelope how much money is in there, and what to spend it on.
Bringing a card can cause you to buy more than what you have money for, because of the credit system allowing you to purchase essentially as much as you want as long as you don't max it out.
And having the amount written on the envelope will avoid you losing track of if you can afford something at the store, and the list helps you stay on track.
In general, having the physical cash on you can be a good reminder to how much you can afford.
Rules to remember.
1. Never shop when hungry.
2. Make a list before you go.
3. Use the coupons for things that are on your list. Only on the list.
When I go to the store hungry, I tend to just grab one or two things before running home to eat
I also am usually in a rush because my baby is with me and doesn’t like to sit nicely... so I rush past the entrance with all the bakery and produce and straight to what I need. Not always intentional but my baby keeps me under my budget I guess!!
For my weekly grocery shopping, I have my list but I also open my phone calculator and tally my total myself to make sure I keep it under my limit. If I do keep it under my limit I reward myself with something from the impulse checkout lane!! So they are getting $2 extra out of me but ON MY TERMS 😂
Once I spend my limit on groceries for the week I can’t go back.
Also, practice makes perfect!!
im on a diet and i bought 5 dollars worth of treats that i could freeze in the freezer for cheat days
list:
EVERYTHING AT THE ENTIRE STORE.
4. Don't use coupons to make decisions of what you need. The existence of them promote you to buy where the need wasn't even once there.
Game Theory: Some of these imaginary characters may be secretly evil, or something.
Food Theory: Here's how to save $100 a month.
Even though the Kool-Aid episode fits the Game Theory definition.
"Expensive items are closer to the top at eye level" well good thing I'm short and the cheap stuff is my eye level
Pog
Same here
Well I am 6’8” so....
@@imafaux7424 you'll be spending £500 pounds and your only 5 minutes in
@@imafaux7424 you'll be delegated the task of looking for missing children
One and ONLY simple thing you can do to beat the grocery stores? START FROM THE RIGHT SIDE. Yes, 85% of peoples shop from left to right! So left is wrong, BE RIGHT, NOTHING LEFT! Great video!
Forgot the simple tactic of making the price of everything end in 99 cents. Customers subconsciously think a single penny makes things cheaper than it actually is.
I always have to correct anyone who rounds down when talking about prices to me so I don't fall in that whole. 6.59 is $7 not six.
Yeaaah!!
@@kyab2815 I have a google sheets program that I use for my shopping list. I make my list and then the row of cells next to it is for the price, and I have a formula in that row of cells that adds every number in it and multiplies that by 1.1 to show me what my sales tax will be (U.S. , TN). Our sales tax is actually 9.xxx something but it's closer to 10 percent so I just overestimate a bit. I used to spend more than I meant every trip, hasn't happened since I started doing this.
@@robertcunningham1695 I think I need to do this.
Robert Cunningham 9.25% exactly my fellow Volunteer. But imma use your idea with the spreadsheet :3
MatPat: We bought a zoo!
Steph: Did you get the diet coke?
MatPat:
Dang it.
@Pink Pusheen Lover And once again forgets the coke in the process.
As if matpat would forget diet coke
And now he’s got to go back
This comment is stupid matpat would by all the Diet Coke in the store
One tip I haven't seen or heard anyone mention: shop the store backwards. There is nothing stopping you, but you follow the maze how they set it up... And just going backwards can reverse quite a few of these psychological land mines...
Also the best trick that's probably mentioned a few times in the comments already: Precalculate the price of the stuff on your shopping list. Add only a small amount of money on top for that "just-in-case"(aka 30% to 50% off stuff because it's best before date is approaching), if any at all. And voila, all(most if you added money on top) those tricks won't faze you.
But yah, reverse sounds great too.
Another trick is to precalculate the price of what you need and keep cash on instead of your credit cards with a margin of 20 or so dollars
@@soya59 20 seems way too generous, could buy a load of unneeded things from that. But yeah, basically what I commented here too, lol.
Just forgot to mention to keep your cards at home.
Grocery stores absolutely plan for some customers to "shop backwards". Plenty of pitfalls there too.
As for cash -- being extra strict means the decision anxiety is even higher. I'm sure you'll do fine for a two or three trips. That next trip though, you'll reach for a little extra because you don't want a repeat of the (now obvious) anxiety produced by the previous trip.
Keep doing it long enough. You'll find yourself right back at the cart size you so wanted to avoid.
@@codeman99-dev nah it's incredibly easy to avoid once you know. I never buy anything that isn't on my list anymore, haven't for years.
As somebody who currently works in a grocery store, yes Matt is absolutely correct. The grocery store is designed psychologically to make you buy things that you don’t need.
As a cashier, I have a PSA: *Do NOT feel ashamed to say "I don't want this/these item(s), it was an impulse buy."* We will take care of the items and respect you 1000% more as a person than if you just buy it or leave it at the end of our register/in the candy racks/etc. It isn't embarrassing to say you don't want it, we work there, we know *very* well how manipulative the layout is to your purchases.
Also, please don't ask if the register is open when we're standing outside it with our light on or say "just in time!" "Waiting for me?" I die a little more inside every time.
Girl yes!! The rage I feel when I find items just chucked on top of towels or hidden behind comforters, ESPECIALLY, when they’re perishable....Like all we do is walk up and down isles, at any given moment you can peek your head out and catch someone walking by. Just give it to us so we can make sure it gets where it needs to be.
I shared this with all my coworkers and they love it 😂
@@BunnieOfDestruction Ugh I've found nasty perishables hidden behind stuff on shelves. 😡 Like whyyy
I feel so close to you right now lol
Catch me walking straight to the back of the grocery store while crouched down to miss all the expensive items next time I’m grocery shopping.
Combat crawlin my way through the store
Remember to keep your eye on those cheap home brands while crawling through the mud
Your gonna look like your a video game character sneaking
Done that. I thought I'd need a wheelchair for the rest of my life
Need to level up that sneak skill somehow :/
POV: You’re a Schizophrenic and the voice in your head sounds like the guy who does those FNAF theories
This is the best comment on this channel so far
I love this.
Lmao
Underatted lol
Lmao
I always shop at the same place with someone else because of this ; they always have the groceries I need, the checkout lanes are fairly wide and my friend can always put the item back for me if I realized I put too many things in there 😊
Matpat: Get in take something fast and leave.
MrBeast: „No, no I don't think i will.”
Matpat: Get in take something fast and leave.
MrBeast: OK i will just buy everything in the store
Mr Beast: Ok. I’ll just buy the store
Mat: i bought a ZOO! :D
MrBeast is from north carolina
Jeff Davis we know😂
If you have enough money to not get broke when buying more than you wanted, another hack is this: Go shopping without a car. You will think twice about how many things you want to drag all the way back home :D
Alternative just have food delivered why bother prepping.
I can verify that this actually works. I no have car
Accurate. The cart we use is big but we shop every 2 weeks. We buy only what we need, though. Along with a dessert once and a while. At times my mom plans meals. So she buys 2 of the primary ingredients. Like meat, we freeze and frost some things for later.
What if they call an Uber?
@@cheesecheese6950 Doesn't count then
Supermarket: tries to make you spend more.
Introverts: "I don't have such weakness!".
Introverts: “I get my groceries delivered to my home!”.
@@ImmaSpam__________________Can and if i cant do that i go in and out, no eye contact, no stopping to "look around" no nothing!!!
@@enchu7838 "And I also spend a lot more time looking for what I need because I don't want to ask an employee."
@@kevinboros7427 "and spend more time staring at the ground then at anything else"
I put on headphones, head low looking at my list getting the stuff I want and running back home.
Hi Food Theory team, you might not see this comment, but I would like to put it out there that this video helped me to get straight As across all my assignments for my ENTIRE module! I’m so thankful for all the work you all do and for helping me get that A! That's how well-researched these videos are!! I love what you are doing!!
Disney World uses scent marketing too, all over the parks. A good trick to use when buying things from anywhere is to avoid even grabbing a basket if you know you can carry it in your arms. The way I shop is my wallet is in one hand and I only put things in the other arm, because if I'm only going in for one or two things I don't even need both my arma
Ironically enough, I buy less using the basket. Probably because I'm actually following a list when I grab a basket. I can easily spend up to 80 dollars by carrying things in my arms. Reason: I am incredibly stubborn.
Normal person: uses arms
This guy: *uses a whole army*
when i try 2 use my arms i end up filling my arms and needing a cart bc i am a puppet and i fall for every trap in the capitalist plot against humanity
I usually go on a budget, like, with an estimate of cash, so i literally can't spend more than what i need to
Fun fact The eyes on the cereal boxes Face down to make eye Contact with the kids
Solution:
Run into the store, ignore everything, get what you want, then make it to the checkout as quickly as possible.
That's basically my strategy. lol. It doesn't always work if I go to the store hungry or without a plan. Then I'm doomed.
What I do but not because of this but because I’m hungry asf
If I go for a specific item, that’s how I shop. I pretty much ignore everything else.
Going for the weekly trip: Dairy first (skirting the outside) then down and back on all the rows I need, then produce and checkout. I use a list.
Alternative: Shortly after eating, using your shopping list as a guide, log into the app for your preferred local grocery store and order curbside / delivery. Skips every single one of the triggers because you're not dealing with store layout, you're searching directly for products and pricing, if you start to get fatigued you can save your list and return later. Even the "added cost" of delivery is offset by avoiding those tricks and also not spending gas to get there and back.
Solution: dont shop for 40 minutes.
Who even does that? People take showers for 20 minutes though so i guess the world is weird like that
“Grocery lanes are purposefully narrow”.
MatPat doesn’t know when I realize I don’t need an item anymore, I shove everyone behind me out of my way.
Just give it to the cashier as a go back
Deadpool?
The fact that your pfp is deadpool is shockingly accurate, idk why---
Crystal Blade yeah, well, you’ve got a point.
I either pretend it wasn't mine and it was just there... or awkwardly hand it to the checkout person and tell them "no thanks"
I can't tell you how much this video has helped me, wallmart is really good with there manipulation.
Seriously, there tactics are so good even employees had a hard time finding a product i was asking about.
“You are now a statistic”
That hurt in a cosmetic level
What?
What?
What?
did three people say what and not get the pun? Do I only get it because I'm old enough to tell dad jokes even though I have no kids?
@@kagesong What?
me: *takes 15 minutes with my normal shopping*
the store: how dare, get back here
@SeanMichaelMPayno how
My mom: takes 5 hours with her shopping
Cuddlebug Games same
Random person: that dude looks stupid
Mat: *does random hand movements*
6:49
“Mommy what is that man doing”
@@dingodew9163 Don't look sweety.😣
I just got finished watching this video and your absolutely right!! I cant tell you how many times Ive gone into the store for just a few things and realized I spent more then I intended to!! And that check out line bit, thats the most anxiety inducing thing in the world!!
Does that mean that when taking longer multiple choice tests, questions answered after 40 minutes are more likely to be answered wrong?
Thats why I can't answer the last few questions in an exam
yes, actually, thats why its always advised to finish your exam as quickly as possible, and then to go back and check in the end after taking a deep breath to two
and thats also why you need to practice for months sometimes years to give competitive exams with your full energy and brain power, and why often longer tests really show your true ability for both retention, and test taking abilities
@@uwrongmerightjalbwaddaeng yes indeed
I'm just imagining the looks he got going to the store with all the recording equipment
Not to mention walking with his hands out like a zombie, and then standing at the entrance to shake his fist as he does a twirl for the trolleys.
And pushing his chest up against the cupcakes to the bodycam can see them clearly
So that’s why it took my dad 6 years to come back with the milk
Dark, but funny.
A sad laugh came out😂
Wait your dad came back
I feel bad for laughing
F
Fun! Thanks for taking us shopping with you.
How about a similar video on on-line grocery shopping?
most of those tactics don't work on me..
1. i wear my headphones
2. i hardly look up ( cuz anxiety, looking at people freaks me out)
3. i have a one-track mind and when i have it in my head I go for that thing and only that
4. i actually hate shopping so i try to get in and out
5. i almost always shop when i have something scheduled after so that i don't get stuck browsing
i guess it could really save you money to have a sad and lonely life and it's worse now cuz i moved across the US alone.... i am not okay.
hang in there buddy! hopefully you can find something fun and/or productive to do with your time and then that might help you meet like-minded people :)
wanna chat man?
I'm the same man, try to keep your chin up ok?
@@pumpkinspatch9614 i'm okay but thanks, you're sweet to offer
Parents weakness: Little kids + The Candy Isle.
Barneylovestheharp how is that a parents weakness it’s more like the little kids weakness is the candy isle most parents just say no
Don't forget the toy aisle
My younger self wishes my mom would get sweets but she’d limit the sweets for my sister and I when we were younger
I’m the kid haha
Responsible parents teach moderation by usually saying no to impulse treats.
That way when it is time to get candy it feels more special.
The best thing to say is we have _ at home, if it's even remotely sweet.
I can only imagine him walking around in his local grocery store, hands held high and a camera headband strapped to his forehead. He probably looked ridiculous, but it’s all in the name of SCIENCE!
PSYCHOLOGICAL TRICKERY SCIENCE. But that would look really stupid
Maybe he wore a hat with a hole in it.
Looking at the perspective, I'm pretty sure he DIDN'T. That camera was strapped to his CHEST, which probably made it a lot less noticeable. So, he was just... walking around with his hands stretched out in front of him like Frankenstein's Monster, I guess? Which TOTALLY doesn't look ridiculous at all. :P
@@BlakeTheDrake i was thinking the same thing
In the name of SCIENCE !!
It might also help to, when curating your list prior to your grocery trip, to jot down exactly how many of each item you plan to get. Just a little trick I learned as a grocery store cashier.
Matpat : They purposely make the aisles narrow so you can’t leave”
Parents who brought their child with them : *I don’t have such weaknesses*
Well, right. But because the lane at the end is packed with small, expensive sweets you have to argue with your child, because it wants that chocolate bar for 1$ so much, it throws a tantrum.
@@MoxxoM Easy solution "ok you can have that candy if you take this and put it back where we found it"
You still save a few bucks, the kid is happy and you're not completely spoiling them as they have to do something to earn the candy.
@@vgamesx1 Clever move. I like it. And you can teach your child responsibility too. Too often I see items put in the wrong shelf. Even refrigerated items like meat.
@@MoxxoM Child throws a tantrum? Well, it is your failure as parent then. Just ignore it. If ignoring not works, punish child later. If child doesn't understand verbal reasoning, it must afraid consequences. And it is not child abuse, it is teaching how it must be done. It is how life works: either follow law, or get physically punished (fine, jail, etc). You either do it properly, or suffer consequences later in life, your choice.
@@yaroslavpanych2067 Well thanks for the tip and I think the same way you do in this regard and I worked in a kindergarten so I can say it works. You should not give into a child's tantrum because this just creates entitled egoistic people. But it sounds like you think I do have children. Which I do not.
I just saw these behaviors in families when I go shopping.
Ha! That’s why you only bring a certain amount of money and everytime you want something you berate yourself until you feel like a waste to society and put it back. DO NOT feel weird by speeding through the aisles! DO NOT feel bad by telling the cashier that you don’t want the product anymore and give it to them! In fact use the fact that you only brought a 10 with you!
When you realized you only want to buy a single Snickers. End of shopping.
Me, working in the food broker industry: He ain't wrong.
Christian Estevez me working as a retailer in a grociery store: he really is not.
Me getting dragged for 3 hours all over the place by my family: I mean I believe it
Same
Me, who has a family with multiple family members working in supermarkets, can say that he ain't wrong.
@@melanie9126 they show images of other kinds of food. They'll show you as many items as possible + everything that is on sale.
dairy sections are closer to the walls because it's easier to work in fridges and stack them up right away, decision making fatigue is a secondary factor, if it is.
Then shouldn’t frozen section would be against a wall?
@@kenyonbissett3512 good point, not all stores can accommodate so many frozen walls in a convenient layout, so they're in the middle where easily accessible by staff.. it's closer to that door which leads inside/warehouse section. Chips & candies can be further away from that door. but then every store's different not everybody follow the same principles..