Smitten Fashion

The average female shopper spends an astounding eight years in a retail store.   Retailers have a lot of sneaky tactics they use so that you’ll buy more.  Check out a few of their tricks below!

1. Slow Music
Below a 20 beat-per-minute rate makes you spend more time in the store – and spend more money.

2. Speed Bumps
Installed in the floor of stores, these make you slow down your speed, look around, and buy up to 6% more.  And here I thought I only had to worry about these when in my car!

3.  Counter Clock-wise Layout
Retail store design forcing you to walk counter-clockwise makes buyers spend up to $2 more per visit. 

4.  Altering Sizes
Vanity sizing in clothing stores – surprise! – suddenly you can fit that size you haven’t been able to wear since high school! 

5.  Influential Lighting
Filtering the light in the dressing room makes you look more suntanned and less likely to notice imperfections. 

6.  Shopping Cart Size
Increasing the size of the shopping carts – if the size is doubled you’ll spend 37% more. 

7.  Carts for Kids
Installing mini-shopping carts for your kids is a spending trick. Don’t be fooled – your kids make you spend up to 25% more. 

And the dirtiest trick of them all… (drum roll, please)

8. The Skinny Mirror
Mirror, mirror, on the wall… who’s the fairest of them all?  Many retailers use mirrors that have a slight bend to them, which makes you appear thinner!  If you look skinnier in a garment when trying it on, you are more likely to purchase it because it makes you ‘feel good’ about your image.