Shopper Story

Some days ago I got into a funny situation. I went to a mall to buy a new pair of jeans, and came home with… a set of china for 6 persons. Sitting in a quiet living-room, absently running my fingers over light white cups I questioned myself: “How such thing could happen?”

Mall hypnosis: how to escape
So, how it happens
Entering a mall you sink into its elated atmosphere of “every day holiday”. Your eyes eagerly eat beautiful shop-windows, meet posters “BEST DISCOUNTS ONLY TODAY” on every step. Pleasant music is on the air. Helpful sales girls and boys courteously smile to you. And you already don’t remember that you wanted to buy jeans only. At that moment you feel that these shoes are just exactly those you looked for, that blouse is charming, and this set of china is that you really need. Really need! Touching wonderful white china, feeling weightless cups in your hands, counting innerly money in your purse, you realize that you most probably run out of the sum. But you are charmed, and a spy thought sneaks into your head: “Maybe jeans will wait for some other time…” And here you are – doubting and thinking. Seeing this, a sales girl bursts into trills like a nightingale. She praises to the skies the good’s quality, informs you that discount is valid for today only, give you a hint that there are not many of such sets are left, and so on, and so forth… This makes you fear that the wonderful set of china in your hands (which you already feel belongs to you) will go to someone else. And you feel: “I’ll be a fool if not buy now. Jeans can be bought any day, for example in a week…” Finally you take out your purse, pay, take your purchase and completely happy go home.

Coming back to reality
So, I’m at home, unpacking my purchase. Shopper’s mood dissolves, and I start doubting: “Was it the right thing to do? Was there such a need to buy a set of china? Jeans – that what I really needed!” Now I don’t see bright beautiful shop-windows, I don’t hear music, I don’t hear sweet voiced sales girl, and mall hypnosis melts like a fog under the morning sun. And I realize: “What a stupid I am!”

Art of selling
Selling today is really an art. Most of professional sales girls and boys are good psychologists. All of them completed courses and trainings, so called “how to force a customer to buy whatever you sell”. Many companies and shops use music and aromas to influence customer’s sense of smell and hearing. Scientists proved that special rhythm and basil aroma suppresses human’s will. Pleasant qualm music brings relaxation. The right design of a shop-window catches customer’s eye. And they succeeded – here is the customer who is ready to buy everything he/she will be offered!

How to escape
How to safe time searching over mall’s shops for goods you need? How to safe money and not to buy everything your eyes fall on? At last, how not to be disappointed coming back home with “a set of china” instead of “needed jeans”?
• First: Make a list of goods you need to buy. Write it on a sheet of paper and have in hand when entering a mall. It will remind you about the purpose of your coming here. By the way, it’s a good idea to write on the sheet the sum of money you are ready to spend.
• Second: Entering a mall, do not wander from one shop to another. Go directly to the shops that sell the goods you need. Ask a consultant for help and describe in details what you want: model, color, size, approximate price, etc.
• Third: If you bought the thing you wanted, go home, directly.
The result is – you have what you really wanted, you spent the money you intended to spend, and you didn’t waste half of the day in a mall!

But if you really enjoy shopping, if you can afford not to bother about money, forget all what you read above. Just go shopping! And good luck!