It's not stupid, it's deliberate. I had a friend who did consulting work (in a different area) with a large grocery chain, and they deliberately change the layout so you're spending more time in the store, looking at things, because chances are that you'll buy more. If the store becomes a little too crowded, they'll just change the music to hurry you along.
Exactly. There’s nothing - almost nothing maybe - in larger stores or chains that is not designed to make you buy things. Even the way through, Ikea is obviously god emperor there but other follow closely.
At first, when Ikea finally came to where I live, I thought that was a cool way to keep traffic flowing and the stress level low. $600 later, after only planning to buy a couple pillows, I realized why the stores are layed out like that.
On the one hand I imagine they've done some kinda analysis on how number go up, on the other it's hard for me to imagine that the money you spend on paying your employees is better directed towards making everyone frustrated rather than just keeping the store a clean and pleasant place to be in
A few years ago my local grocery store removed the scale on the bulk coffee section. So now I can't weigh it and see how much I want to buy. Sign says it's now weighed at the register for my convenience. Who the fuck is that convenient for? Anyway even though it's been years I still bitch to every manager I see every freaking week.
I'm really sick of companies making changes that are clearly negative, and claiming it's a good thing, like in your example. Somehow they've all come to the conclusion that if they just say it's a good thing people will believe it.
That's what managers are for tho. Yeah, don't bitch to the cashier, they have no say, managers tho? (Competent) managers can influence corporate to a degree, especially with tiny things like a scale.
I live 5 minutes from a shitty one. I appreciate the convenience. I wish they paid their employees more.
Oh and it's in a "bad" neighborhood. So they pay a fat tall guy to stand there with a gun on his hip. Goddamned hilarious.
I loved going to markets in Costa Rica. Not only is everything cheap and fresh, but there are multiple cops with shotguns and AKs. I would definitely steal from my local Kroger first.
You just reminded me how my local Co-op downsized (basically walled off the back half of the store) and they did rearrange everything to accommodate that. They used to sell electronics and all sorts of things and suddenly they had none of that and a whole bunch of products also vanished. I'll grant you that it didn't change much before or after that though.
But then I'm talking about the company known as Co-op here in the UK, who are excessively fond of charging no less than 10% more than other supermarkets for the same products, then close their stores in confusion when people shop elsewhere, so maybe this is a different thing altogether. They started out as a co-operative, but they stripped all that back and they're just another, expensive, mini-mart chain now.
It works really well! I remember the last 27 places the bread was, so whenever I go in for a loaf of bread I come out with 28 items in total because I have to have at least one of everything from all the places the bread used to be! Makes for some really interesting changes to my meals too!!1!