When shopping for Christmas gifts this season, you want to get in and get out. If you’ve not decided what you’ll buy, you may need to browse, but you’re opening yourself up to some of the many traps that shopping malls set so you spend more. Here are some of the traps that you need to look out for and be aware of before you go shopping.
Putting Bathrooms at Either End
Have you ever noticed just how hard it is to find the restrooms? This is the trick of the shopping malls. They’re designed so you have to pass all the shops just to get to one, so are usually placed at either side of them. There’s no way around this but know the trap to avoid spending money in the shops that you pass.
Wide Aisles for More Shopping
The aisles tend to be much wider, especially when you’re going between the stores. This isn’t to help large groups of people. It is to make you want to spend more. By making the aisles wide, there are more shops and those smaller stalls in the middle. You see something that you want to buy and are more likely to spend your money.
Making It Hard to Find Stores
You’ve found some of the clothes shops but have you noticed that the others are on the other side? Sometimes they’re tucked away in corners, surrounded by perfume shops, jewellery stores and tech places. Again, it’s designed to make you spend while you look around for the missing stores. Pick up a map, find where you want to go and head straight to it, so you don’t spend all your money in other areas.
Watch Out for the Food Courts
Grabbing a spot of lunch while you’re shopping could be worthwhile and there is so much choice now; however, watch out for the trap. The food is getting better because research shows that you’re more likely to spend more elsewhere. This benefits the malls and separate stores, but not your wallet. Don’t be pulled into spending more time somewhere than you need to be.
Strategically Placed Food Stalls
Another trick is to place a coffee shop or small food stall in the middle of the shopping mall. After walking half way, you could be thirsty or feel a little peckish, even if you’re not really that hungry. They’re designed to make you want to spend much more. When you walk past them, think about the last time you ate and whether you really do need to spend more money.
Their Location
You’ve already spent a while getting there and then trying to find parking, you’re going to make sure you get everything you need, right? That’s why the shopping malls have been built so far out and the companies are using it to their advantage. Don’t spend money just for the sake of it. You can find something in your local stores and you may even find online beneficial.