Why Appearance is Actually Everything

You're walking into the store, a typical day of grocery shopping. What's the first thing you notice? Do you notice the clean isles? The easy to reach shelves? Do you take a moment to think about how easily organized the store is, how welcoming everything is from the colors to the smell?

If your answer is: yes, then you are not alone! In fact, everybody, whether they know it or not, relies heavily on their senses when shopping.

Think about this:

 Would you shop at a store with dimmed light? Crowded shelves? What about at a store with pealing paint on the walls?

Do you even realize how much control markets have over you?

Chapeter 8 of Stuffed and Starved by Raj Patel gives its readers a good look at just how much care a store (like walmart) takes to attract, and control, its customers.

First, let's talk about the mood of the market. Stores in the market create environments that make customers feel welcome. They keep the lights bright and  floors clean because one bad visit really can drive away customers.AND, since stores are always competing, they have to be in tip top shape!

Even the organization of the store is important. They need to provide their customers with huge signs and large isles so that they can make their way with relative ease. They want their customers shopping experience to be easy and stress free.

Temperature is another important factor in a store. By controlling the temperature, stores can basically decide how long they want customers to shop. Would you stay long in a cold store in the dead of winter? Would you shop longer in a cool store in the hot summer?

By controlling lighting the store can draw your eyes to certain products. Look even further and you will see that even the color of the lights are chosen carefully. They want their products to look as appealing as possible.

The whole idea of markets trying to controls consumers through the mentioned tactics is known as the science of  "atmospherics" . Basically, that means the markets we shop in are using our own senses to increase their own profit. It seems a little ridiculous but its a fact that we as people are highly sensitive to our surroundings. The markets know that if they want happy shoppers, they have to play on our senses.

So Next time you take a trip to the grocery store, take a moment to observe your surroundings. Use your senses and see how purposeful everything is. What catches your attention?Why? Look around and see just why appearances are actually everything.