TwoSteps
Contributor
Been to IKEA?
Our local has a food kiosk after the furniture checkout. So you buy your furniture and while the wife is having a pee you get tempted by cinnamon rolls, sugar free biscuits and meatballs.
We were there returning an item but I wanted some cinnamon rolls.
I was behind a couple at the till who had a small selection of treats (and some meatballs). They looked well off. Well dressed, well presented etc. Like they knew a thing or two about the world.
They wanted to buy a freezer-bag for their meatballs. It cost 40p (£0.40).
The checkout attendant totalled their shopping and then the magic happened.
"Your shopping comes to £18 - but did you know if you spend over £25 you can get the freezer bag for free!"
"How about some sugar free biscuits?"
Without hesitation the couple proceeded to add some biscuits, some cinnamon rolls and some more meatballs, almost frantically trying to get to the magic number of a £25 spend so they could qualify for the free 40p bag.
They did it!
They got the free bag!
And over £7 worth of stuff they didn't even need.
The sell was subtle and presented in a genuine caring way so the couple believed the attendant really wanted them to get their free bag.
It was a thing of beauty.
How did this happen?
Why did the IKEA attendant even go for the up-sell? Was he on commission? Did he know what he was doing or did he just really want them to have the bag? Or was he a very well trained minion?
What is it about people at the checkout of IKEA (or anywhere else for that matter) that the brain (fatigued from shopping) disengages and functions on auto-pilot until (hopefully) the key goes into the car ignition.
Shopping/Deciding what to buy can be a bit stressful. After the rigmarole of it all, when it's over, and you've made the commitment the brain can finally relax & switch off. This is when they get you with the extras. Be it meatballs and cinnamon rolls or extra cup-holders and the 'sports pack' for a new car - So beware! Be alert!
It's not safe until you're back home with the door safely shut and you finally relax, put the TV on and fire up the laptop.....
Our local has a food kiosk after the furniture checkout. So you buy your furniture and while the wife is having a pee you get tempted by cinnamon rolls, sugar free biscuits and meatballs.
We were there returning an item but I wanted some cinnamon rolls.
I was behind a couple at the till who had a small selection of treats (and some meatballs). They looked well off. Well dressed, well presented etc. Like they knew a thing or two about the world.
They wanted to buy a freezer-bag for their meatballs. It cost 40p (£0.40).
The checkout attendant totalled their shopping and then the magic happened.
"Your shopping comes to £18 - but did you know if you spend over £25 you can get the freezer bag for free!"
"How about some sugar free biscuits?"
Without hesitation the couple proceeded to add some biscuits, some cinnamon rolls and some more meatballs, almost frantically trying to get to the magic number of a £25 spend so they could qualify for the free 40p bag.
They did it!
They got the free bag!
And over £7 worth of stuff they didn't even need.
The sell was subtle and presented in a genuine caring way so the couple believed the attendant really wanted them to get their free bag.
It was a thing of beauty.
How did this happen?
Why did the IKEA attendant even go for the up-sell? Was he on commission? Did he know what he was doing or did he just really want them to have the bag? Or was he a very well trained minion?
What is it about people at the checkout of IKEA (or anywhere else for that matter) that the brain (fatigued from shopping) disengages and functions on auto-pilot until (hopefully) the key goes into the car ignition.
Shopping/Deciding what to buy can be a bit stressful. After the rigmarole of it all, when it's over, and you've made the commitment the brain can finally relax & switch off. This is when they get you with the extras. Be it meatballs and cinnamon rolls or extra cup-holders and the 'sports pack' for a new car - So beware! Be alert!
It's not safe until you're back home with the door safely shut and you finally relax, put the TV on and fire up the laptop.....
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