What Slowing Down and Target Have in Common
Hey friends! Happy Wednesday :)
You're probably wondering what slowing down and Target have in common, right? Well let me tell you that as a former bullseye employee in one of their stores, Target (as well as other retailers I'm sure) are quite clever in their approach to their shoppers and driving sales.
First, let's bring the focus to us as individuals. Take for example in the mornings when you get up does sometimes it seem like you're rushing around from one thing to the next - hitting the snooze, flying out of bed, rushing to put on your workout gear because you're running late to class, get to class and have to adjust your spinning bike in the dark because class started, rush out of class, get in your car, get home, hurry up shower, scarf breakfast down all in order to make your 9am call? Okay, so maybe your morning doesn't look exactly like this but maybe something very similar that ultimately you're rushing from one thing to the next and never really slowing down to take a moment to stop and be present.
THIS is where Target comes in.
Working at Target you learn some of the great tricks of working in retail, like...
"Why is the milk all the way at the backend of the store?" Because milk runs are a thing and if customers only have the intention to purchase milk retailers are going to place it in the back of the store making you walk past everything else in hopes you get distracted and buy more stuff.
"Why is important to "zone" shelf product?" (Note: zoning is when you pull forward all shelf product so that the shelf looks full) Because studies show that when the shelves are perceived to more full and easier to shop, it drives more sales.
Okay, NOW, my favorite one.....ever wonder why the Target Dollar Spot exists? And no, it isn't because they want to make more money, which indirectly happens because of the Dollar Spot, but it is much bigger than that.
The Target Dollar Spot is there to make you slow down. Yes, that is correct. It is to make you, the shopper who is in a hurry to slow down. Every retailer's goal is to make you spend more money. If you walk into their store with a plan of only purchasing 5 things (which let's be honest, there's always a $50 cover charge every time you walk into Target - haha, get it? ;) and you're in a hurry, they need to find a way to slow you down and voila - Target Dollar Spot.
They slow you down AND get you in the shopping mode. Shopping is a behavior. If you start putting more things in your cart, selecting more items, you are more likely to continue that behavior during your entire trip to the store, ultimately spending more money, walking out of their store and going "What the heck? Dang it! I did it again! How did that happen?"
Well, my friend. Slowing you down is how it happened.
Now, back to our individual daily lives. How do you find something that will get you to slow down in certain areas of your life?
First step is bringing into awareness what it is that you're doing. As odd as it may sound, take time to acknowledge what it is that you are doing in this very moment and then the next, and then the next.
It is kind of like eating or drinking. If I go to dinner at a Mexican restaurant and there are chips there I don't even think about what I'm doing, I just go for the chips and dive in. Only to regret it in the middle of my meal or post meal when I feel like I've got gut rut. Because I didn't think about what I was doing or didn't bring it into awareness.
Even slowing down your pace in which you walk. There are simple things you can do to slow yourself down.
I hope you enjoyed this post! And maybe even saved you a few dollars ;)