[Anonymous]

YourLifeChoices ran an article recently outlining how you could save thousands by not remaining loyal to your local supermarket. But familiarity is often king.

However … just when you have the layout nailed and even know where to find sago and maple syrup, there’s a re-sort and it’s back to square one.

Okay, so I’m guessing it’s to make us go looking for a product and probably chance on something else we didn’t know we need. But I hate it!

I would also like a touch screen where I can search for a product – just as you do when you want to locate a particular store at a shopping centre.

A recent article from an insider says supermarkets relocate their products around the store to make sure their customers “get lost”. “As they struggle to find what they came in to buy, customers can’t help it but scan the freshly redesigned shelves. That’s when the marketing magic happens.

 “Okay, pasta… pasta… pa… Oh, it used to be here – they must’ve moved it.

“Wait, is that … almond milk? Could be a nice change for morning coffee.

“Wow… I didn’t know they had rice dumplings? Irene says they’re tasty – let’s try’em.”

And on and on.

In short, rearranging the store is proven to make you spend more money – enough for supermarkets to switch things around on a regular basis.

What’s your pet gripe when it comes to supermarket shopping? Does moving them around infuriate you?

[Sue Ridge]

But wait, there’s more. The music being piped through the audio system is carefully chosen to make the shopper feel comfortable so they want to take their time. When closing time approaches the music is sped up which makes shoppers move a bit faster. The staples such as milk and bread are always at the rear of the store so the shopper passes other items to get there and back. The high priced items are eye level with the generic brands down low. Suppliers pay a premium to have their products at the end of rows to increase sales. It’s called MARKETING and it’s what retailers do to increase sales and stay in business. Make a list of what you need and stick to the list and you’ll not be tempted with sales tricks.

[Tood]

Carefully chosen music?! not in the sueprmarkets I go to, usual is ashrieking raucous bimbo, unable to even hear the words, so annoying I can’t wait to get out, especially bad in Woolies

[Pacahawi]

Hate the music & noise? Try Quiet Hour!

During Quiet Hour, customers will notice the following changes in participating Coles supermarkets:

Store lighting will be reduced.

Coles Radio will be turned down.

Register and scanner volumes will be reduced to the lowest level.

No trolley collections.

Roll cages will be removed from the shop floor.

No PA announcements will be made except in the case of emergencies.

Additional team members will be available to support customers.

 

[Tood]

Souds good!

[ronloby]

We use a smaller supermarket and they have their isles set out and do not change them. If I am looking for flour or frozen food they are always in the sane isles all the time. Also, there is little noise and no traffic jams in the isles.

[Froggie]

*aisles. Isles are small islands.

[Horace Cope]

And here’s the definition of pedant, Froggie, a person who is excessively concerned with minor details and rules or with displaying academic learning.  Or should we call you Karen?

[Froggie]

Horace – my helping ronloby is not pedantry.

You can’t determine from my comment that I am “excessively concerned with minor details and rules”.

And Karen? “Karen is a pejorative term for a white woman perceived as entitled or demanding beyond the scope of what is normal”

So no, I am no Karen either. 

[Horace Cope]

 

Sorry, Froggie, helping someone with a spelling error should be done quietly, not in a room full of people, all of whom are a part of the conversation. And yes, I’m aware that I’ve done the same but that is intentional.

 

[Jeff]

 

I thought Froggie’s post was helpful and Horace Cope’s response was uncalled for.

 

[Viking]

I think the store reorganisation backfires because if I can’t find articles where I expect them to be and I have to search for several products I’m more likely to leave the supermarket without items I intended to buy.

My pet hate in Woollies is the minute text size of the names  and country of origin of fish on the labels which then have to be read through a frosted up glass counter. Why display fish in a glass case when we can’t distinguish what we are looking at?

[HOLA]

I asked one of the girls working in Coles, why are the products being moved about the store ,and she said it was because it  stops thieves walking in and taking goods they were familiar with being in the same spot. I have now learned to look at the end of the aisles to see hanging on hooks lists where the groceries I am interested in. can be found.  

[HOLA]

I asked one of the girls working in Coles, why are the products being moved about the store ,and she said it was because it  stops thieves walking in and taking goods they were familiar with being in the same spot. I have now learned to look at the end of the aisles to see hanging on hooks lists where the groceries I am interested in. can be found.  

[roy]

Froggie. I agree with you. I would be happy if somebody pointed out my silly spelling mistakes to me and would not be offended unlike Horace Cope it seems.

[Froggie]

Thanks Roy.

[Froggie]

Thanks Roy.

[roy]

My pleasure Froggie.

[Lucca]

Anyone for desert?

[Tood]

Looks  like the Oz version of stodge, much prefer the French style vanilla slice

[Lucca]

yep Tood I’m with you but a little bit of stodge in the dessert never hurt anybody lol

[Couldabeen]

Every day teams of workers dash from supermarket to supermarket to rearrange the stock on the shelves.  They have been given their orders for the day.  It costs money to have items shelved at just below the level of our eyes so that they naturally come into our zone of view.  The rights to this placement is keenly fought over and sold off every day.

Your favourite breakfast brand is suddenly at either ankle height or out of reach and another brand is right in front of you?  Yes, the competitor has outbid your brand for a preferred shelf location.  It happens to many products up and down the aisles.  A friend of mine does this work as a casual.  She may have to visit four or five different supermarkets in a day and in total shift several hundred items.  Hair care products are a good example.  A new shampoo will be “displacing” a previous product, so she has to clear the shelf of all of the old brand, place the new one there and either shuffle two or three others until all are placed back in their designated spot.

All brands have to pay the supermarket for pride of place in the shelves.  In the breakfast cereals, compare how much “frontage” the various brands have.  Lots of front from brand K is thanks to them paying more than brand S (or others).  Chilled dairy products such as yoghurts and milk also play this game.  They are paying for width as well as height.  If there is no spare space in that product type, a competitors products may not be placed in that store.  Or pay even more.

There is a name for this that I can never remember as it sounds made up but both a friend of mine and the wife of a friend of mine have been employed in this process over the past decade or so.  So when you see a lady in Coles wearing a “Visitor” tag and surrounded by products on her trolley, that’s what she is doing.  No, she cannot tell you where to find your missing target as quite often she will be a stranger in that store more than you.

[Suze]

Couldabeen

Thanks for that very interesting information.

[RnR]

Thanks Couldabeen, very interesting.

Thankfully, my local Woolies doesn’t have too many major changes … but I do see those “Product Placement Visitors” on a regular basis, tough job at times I imagine.

[aussiecuz]

Apart from playing “which aisle have they moved it to” the other extremely annoying thing they do is heavily promote a product and then without warning IT IS GONE!!!!????

[Author]

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