Food Theory: You've Been SCAMMED...and Never Knew It! (Supermarket Secrets)
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- čas přidán 22. 07. 2020
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Grocery shopping is something everyone has to do. We all need to eat! Yet, I'm sure you wish that you could save some money on your trip. Oh, there are store card and coupons telling you how to save, but what if I told you that you are STILL being scammed? That's right Food Theorist, the supermarket is hacking your brain to make you spend more without you ever realizing it! How does it happen and is there a way to resist? Let's find out!
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#Supermarket #GroceryStore #FoodTheory #Scam #Trick #LifeHack #Food #Shopping #Matpat #GameTheory #FilmTheory
Credits:
Writers: Matthew Patrick, Alaina Rook, and Luke Barats
Editor :Dan "Cybert" Seibert
Assistant Editor: AlyssaBeCrazy
Sound Editor: Yosi Berman - Jak na to + styl
I’m immune to the psychological manipulation of grocery stores because I have a little thing called an utter lack of money
So awesome...
That would do it!
Same here
and i have no money
same here
Here's a tip from someone who used to be a cashier: If you don't want something by the time you get up to the checkout just give it to the cashier. It happens all the time.
Honestly. It's better than just dropping it EVERYWHERE
Right as a big lazy but thrifty family, my parents have unknowingly taught me just that, plus I feel bad leaving items I don't want randomly scattered in places they don't belong
@@ybfriendlystrawberry i only do it at the end of the trip and i never put it any frozen/ needed to be cold products anywhere other then where their meant to be at
As a previous cashier, I can attest to this exact thing. If you don't want an item, JUST GIVE IT TO THEM!!!!!!!! YOU PROBABLY DON'T EVEN NEED IT, EITHER!!!!!!!!
I just run back an put them back
My suggestion to avoid being manipulated by grocery stores:
1. Write a physical list
2. Write down the cost of each item
3. Add the total together
4. At the bottom, write down your bank account balance, write down the math problem, subtracting the total cost of your groceries.
5. Every time you think "I'll just get a quick snack", look at what your account balance will be after you finish shopping, think about other costs you need to deal with later (such as gas). This will remind you that you're broke and can't afford to buy extra stuff.
OR
Just write "Don't let them deceive you. Stay on Track. Remember: You're broke." on the list in bright red pen. The bright, alerting color will make that writing seem very important and will set off wake up alarms in your brain.
I do both of these on a regular basis when I don't feel like spending extra money, so I know they work. For me, at least.
I do the same thing lol and if I wanna get some snacks I write a specific budget to spend on snacks instead of just grabbing everything that looks good and being like "oops 😬" at the checkout 😂 also, always shop with a calculator
That's a very good idea
Game changer , thanks.❤
thanks!(: you can also wear headphones and listen to up-beat music because faster music, faster walking.
@joyjoystar9033 I find music from sister act movies a nice flow and uplifting lyrics , give it a try :)
As a QUALIFIED MARKETING PROFESSIONAL and Business Studies GCSE A grade owner, I can confirm that all this stuff is encouraged in these Courses! We learn about these tactics in both Business Studies and Marketing. You can get entire *dedicated* qualifications in supermarket design and tactics. Thank you for shining light on this for people, to help them in this cost of living crisis!!!
Here's two hacks:
1. "Mom, can we-" "No"
2. Use cash and limit your spending money (i. e. List cost approximately 30$? Only carry 35$-45$ in your wallet)
True
Absolutely, I actively try to avoid using Apple Pay cause it gives em a bigger price limit
My hack, go after you have lunch or dinner so u go full af, when I see snacks, my stomach is like.. nope
So bring my dead mother, and leave myself in a bad situation if an emergency happens - got it!
Legit great tip and good joke! Next time though put the mom example second.
"I'm buying one thing"
"We bought a zoo"
This hits WAY too hard.
*”Hey, honey! We bought a zoo!”* *bruh*
My family and I once went into Poundland, a store where everything is only a pound each, to buy one thing...we spent £23
@@preciousinfinity Lol most stuff costs 2 or £5 now
@@LILProductions "sarcasm intensifies"
Her: Are you kidding me right now?
I'd like to add something that's not always noticeable: Pinkish lighting is used in the central area of the produce section where the tomatoes are displayed to make them look riper. Take them to the lights by the lettuces/greens where the whiter light is, to see their true ripeness.
Same with meat.
My daughter who grew up with me teaching all the saving tricks was amazed that her college girlfriend didn't know any of them. The girl was raised upper middle class and had never been in charge of a budget before. Even the most basic things like not looking at the price on the shelf but the cost per amount. Like reading the labels on name brand and generic otc meds, and the money it can save you. She glad to learn it!
I’m (15) thankful that my grandmother has been teaching me good, one time she took me to dollar tree and gave me $20 and told me to but whatever I wanted and left the decision up to me and I ended up getting things that I actually needed (Bobby pins, toothpaste) and some things I wanted that were also a need(mascara, eyeshadow,and nail files) but not an immediate need. I have a mom, but I feel like my grandmother has taught me a little better by giving me full choice and a budget and I ended up with things I needed and then extra money because I didn’t spend it all at once.
POV: You’re a Schizophrenic and the voice in your head sounds like the guy who does those FNAF theories
This is the best comment on this channel so far
I love this.
Lmao
Underatted lol
Lmao
2019: A Heist with Markiplier
2020: A Grocery Run with Matpat
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I need this
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Thank you for liking Matpat, keep on making amazing content for us to enjoy 👍
A nice strategy would be writing down the price of the items you often buy, then add up the items on your shopping list and only bring that specific amount in cash so you can't spend more than what you planned
I keep all the till slips for at least 6 months. When I go back in the file, it's amazing just to see how much inflation and SHRINKFLATION are eating up the money every week.
Good luck with that when prices go up might need to buy items on sale and not all the items you wanted.
@@hydrolitoBad luck when prices go down 😂
@@nishant54Do you not know how 'good luck' is used? Its used to say that its an unlikely thing to happen, but that you wish the person well... 'bad luck' signifies that you don't want the person to succeed
@@GameyCat Nope good luck means you could do it. Bad luck means you couldn't.
this whole time I thought my anxiety induced rush to get in and out of any store was a bad thing! Thanks Mat Pat, feeling better about my life 😭
Customer: I ain’t buying this
Store: ya like jazz
Customer: shut up and take my money
Underrated comment
🅱️
yas
Ever drunk Baileys from a shoe?
Nice likes
Rule 1 of the grocery store: Never shop when you’re hungry
Rule 2: never go with hungry kids ( chips and candy aisles)
@@alexismartinez7943 Just better go without the kids if you can.
@@wojt7635 fun fact the more children oriented snacks are actually placed at lower shelves at (you guessed it) child eyesight height
@Obama Tales Official That's why I eat oatmeal before shopping. It's pretty heavy grain on the stomach and helps me avoid impulse buying.
Its a good thing we had these sandwiches before shopping
Some stores also relocate items somewhat throughout the store, even if still in the same aisle. Another way to keep you looking for what you need when you thought you knew where it was.
I find that practice most annoying.
It happens the day after I have determined where everything is located.
Exactly!
As a personal shopper for a major grocery store chain, I find it ridiculous and completely unnecessary for THE SAME EXACT item to be located in THREE different places within the store!
When a customer asks me for fish fry I gotta tell them to check 3 different places because my store
over complicates what could otherwise be a quick trip for just the basics.
This is a foolish trick. It has a negative effect. It wastes a shoppers time. Shopping time is limited. When you’re in a hurry because you have to pick up the kids at school. A parent might not even have time to buy what they need.
If I can't find some item that I normally buy because they have moved the item, I quickly sense what they have done, and then refuse to buy it.
I may just be the weird one here, but I look up the exact aisle that the stuff I want to buy is on the store's website and make a beeline for those specific items -- no searching or wandering. I think I've impulse purchased exactly once in the last year (it was a whole wheat sourdough that I don't always find) and never spend more than ~30 minutes at the store.
Supermarket: tries to make you spend more.
Introverts: "I don't have such weakness!".
Introverts: “I get my groceries delivered to my home!”.
@@ImmaSpam__________________Can and if i cant do that i go in and out, no eye contact, no stopping to "look around" no nothing!!!
@@enchu7838 "And I also spend a lot more time looking for what I need because I don't want to ask an employee."
@@kevinboros7427 "and spend more time staring at the ground then at anything else"
I put on headphones, head low looking at my list getting the stuff I want and running back home.
Higher items are eye level
Short people: I cannot be stopped.
That's where the second highest prices are.
It's great until it's a spice on the very top in a small container and.. someone has taken the first ones in the row. REEEEE!
You should also shop using the price per ounce instead of the total price...
Tall people: Oh, it's on the other lane
is it possible to learn such power?
Took me 10 years and watching this video to realize Decision fatigue was a thing. I've been dealing with it at work when hauling massive loads of tasks non-stop in a fast manner for half a hour usually. Thank you for the insight!
For what it's worth, decision fatigue probably _isn't_ a thing. It was found in one study a long time ago, but replication studies have _failed_ to confirm the results. Basically, decision fatigue has fallen to the replication crisis in psychology.
Matpat made a good point about the shelf stacking. Being a nightshift stocker. I was specifically told to make the higher price items higher up. Compared to the cheaper options for customers. I always tell my family to look lower for items.
"The ones that they want you to buy are at eye level"
Short people : Why are these items so cheap?
lol as a short person, I've beaten the system.
Tall people: why are all of the good things on the floor.
These are the short jokes we need
The one perk about being short 👌🏼😂
Omg I declare you the winner of the comment section
I'm surprised you didn't mention my favourite trick: The size of floor tiles! Smaller floor tiles give the illusion of going faster. As you notice the clicking of the trolley wheels becoming faster, you slow down instinctively, which means you stay in the store longer, which means you buy more!
Oh, is THAT why the stores I've visited over my lifetime have changed their floor tiles like that???? Holy crap THAT ONE I never realized. Though I still bee-line through the store, I HATE shopping and being out and about, so literally none of this applies to me anyway, but still, that's fascinating.
this is devious! I've noticed uneven tiles, and items in odd places so you look through more. But the tile trick is pure evil!
Lol
Huh, I've never been in a grocery store that had raised tiles at all, they're all smooth and flush.
@@amymason156 it's not raised tiles, it's smaller tiles, so the gaps between them are more often, so it feels like you're going faster when the trolley clacks as you move forward
That's also the reason why grocery stores put the food you most need in the outer edges of the store- the dairy and eggs, the bread (but not rice), the veggies, the meats, all the other aisles are often things you don't need.
As a Publix employee, I can confirm the shopping cart thing. We are trained to always ensure there are always enough carts because we want our customers to be able to purchase as much as they want
I notice that they tend to have only the larger carts now. They used to have 2 cart sizes.
I typically use a basket anyway.
For a moment I was like "the cheaper items are always in my eyeline and expensive products are slightly higher" and then I remembered I'm short lol
It has its perks.
Same but also oof
It doses but some con too
Lmao I’m 5 ft
@@Wawagirl17
I feel that
Here’s a simple way to not fall into these tactics: be broke. You can’t get what you want if you don’t have money.
(I hate doing the whole edit thing because it simply ruins the joke. Cause this was a joke. The logical thing to do is to bring the exact amount of cash you need as well as tax money, aka coins. Many of you guys suggested this and it’s true. If you really need advice to say money, then pay attention to the video. Now, please ignore this and continue with my dark joke)
you are forced to only buy the cheapest of things and lesser things XD
I mean, if you only take with you the money you plan on using and nothing else, it's a great method
This is very useful, but also sad
you joke but it really is not a bad idea to just take the amount you want to spend and leave the card and other cash at home.
@@ryanclemons1 yes very true
So funny, the supermarkets in Germany are exactly like this too…funny to see how the psychology just works.
Ours are way smaller tho usually, the first time I was at a Target in Cali, I was like: WHERE IS THE STUFF I NEED?! THERE IS JUST SO SO MUCH STUFF! Super overwhelming.
Growing up as a foreign student, living on a constant budget for over 5 years… I can confirm I've developed some degree of immunity to these tactics.
My trips to the grocery have grown to be a get in - get the list done with the minimum spending - pay & get out.
Of course I've done some impulsive grabs but those are rare and mostly come after realizing I’ve saved enough money or knowing I've had some spare money to do so
“Fatigue buying usually happens at the 40 minute mark”
My dad two minutes after walking in: mmmm *C H I P*
*me
C
H
I
P
C
H
I
Imagine how strange it would be to see a guy with a camera on him while he's walking like a zombie while making gestures at an imaginary audience
There are people that twitch stream their daily lives.
Hey man leave my hobbies out of this
He wouldn't be out of place in Walmart
# 501 😁
That's just a typical day at Walmart. Though without the cameras, just a bunch of walking zombies making weird hand gestures and mouth noises.
Hahaha yep, my tactic has always been to go full, with a list and budget, eyes on the lower shelves (I work for a food company I absolutely know rental space on shelves is costly) and "generic brands" and one more thing - people forget the discount section (dented and ALMOST expired or out of season). I also bring my calculator to factor price per once things like that and wifi access so I can check prices against online and other stores (yes, I am ABSOLUTELY fun at parties)
Being homebound due to disability, I shop online and it's delivered. However, I've noticed Instacart has their own ways of getting you to purchase more. First, as you start, they have pictures of items you have purchased before and of course ask if you want to repeat that purchase. When you put in a product to search, they often show you not only that item, but related items in hopes you make the purchase. When you check out - not yet you don't - they bring up a page that asks if you are sure your done shopping and they display products you have purchased before and those related to items you have and they think you might like. This way they hope to get you to purchase more.
Imagine how stupid matpat looked doing that first person shopping bit, just some dude with a camera up to his face quietly making gestures with his hands
Hahgagaha
I W H E E Z E D
I was literally picturing that the whole time!
This is in the name of science
This channel has got to be one of the most “one of these is not like the other” things I’ve ever seen and I’m all for it
I'm with you there
Me too!
The nostalgia of being his first few subscribers
@@alaiaomanu6318 did you just....... I don't even........
Matt pat will you remember me when this channel hits 1 million subs?
One of the best ways I save money at a grocery store is verifying the price I’m supposed to be charged with the price I actually am charged. Almost every trip there will be an item mismarked. Never in my favor.
Your job at the register is to watch the prices as they are rung up. Not to bag, not to chat, not to rummage through your purse.
There's more to it than just what you mentioned here. Some stores also have special discounts which require buying items on a designated list, like Dillon's with their 'buy 5' deals, and these items tend to be random things that are spread throughout the store in places that take more walking, in order to make you notice more stuff along the way that you otherwise might ignore.
It's very deliberate that in the checkout where you often have to wait in line, you'll be seeing smaller packages of food which cost more compared to the actual amount of food in them, getting some people to overspend on those tiny chip bags rather than full-size ones which are more economically sound for the customer.
Then there's the deli section some stores have, which is often great-tasting food, but the price is closer to fast-food restaurants than typical grocery prices even on pre-made options. You're meant to smell the delicious things over there, taking more time to buy some of it, and possibly even going there first because the smell distracts you, ensuring they sell you that stuff. These sections vary in placement depending on the store, but they're usually near meat, the bakery, or both, and both sections have their own ways to get your money. Bakeries will display donuts and sometimes pre-packaged baked snacks that a lot of people will buy, while meat sections tend to have big, chilled bins of expensive meat in the open, attracting more attention to what the store profits more from.
If those things aren't enough, you also have the tiny restaurants actually placed inside stores. Sometimes this will be something like a Subway in a Walmart, in which case it might be some kind of rental deal where the store is just subletting space or something, but Hy-Vee actually has it's own burger restaurants now, and sells it's signature sauce in the appropriate section. I checked once just to get an idea as to how the prices go, and those Wahlburgers are way more expensive than most burger places, at least at the time I saw them. They may have adjusted that since then.
As one who was in the grocery buissness for over 3 years, this is all true.
lmao
Thats cool! ( But now i have been wondering about how certain Family can get tricked easily than others! It would probably be because how they were raised! If you buy things when your brain is low/Tired from decisions or even with all the tricks you buy special things because you havent had them in a long time/ You went out for a certain Holiday or event! )
I am the stock photo of the guy smiling that MatPat has been using since 2012
Theory confirmed
Indeed!
So that’s why it took my dad 6 years to come back with the milk
Dark, but funny.
A sad laugh came out😂
Wait your dad came back
I feel bad for laughing
F
Fun! Thanks for taking us shopping with you.
How about a similar video on on-line grocery shopping?
I just got finished watching this video and your absolutely right!! I cant tell you how many times Ive gone into the store for just a few things and realized I spent more then I intended to!! And that check out line bit, thats the most anxiety inducing thing in the world!!
Is nobody else talking about how confused people must have been when seeing a random guy with a GoPro on his forehead waving his hands all over the place and waddling aggressively through the store, making sharp turns?
no
Lokear
Lamo
Lololololol...!
hahaha I was thinking the same, althought I think it is on his chest
as someone who works in a walmart, nope.
@@Tailzy26 can confirm, have worked at a walmart before.
Me: Food theory? That sounds dumb
1.5 hours later
Me: I didn’t know I needed this until now
Mat pat: Yes... just like the stores.
Same
Same sTeP pOtaTO
same
GaH aRe YaLl BoTs BeCaUsE i CaNt TeLl
@@cumresearcher9308 step tato. God purge us all
I work in a grocery store. I only shop by a list and prior to doing any shopping at all, I go online and check the prices at my workplace along with a couple of other stores within walking distance (not gonna waste gas). Then I re-write my list based on what is cheaper at each store. Then I shop. I don't look at anything beyond what is on my list because I already checked out the other brands online so any adjustments have already been made. I hate shopping so it is a quick-in-get-out event.
Counterpoint for the location of the dairy section: dairy requires heavy refrigeration, and a large refrigerator to hold backstock. Storage is typically at the back of the store, because that's where trucks drop off pallets of product. So logically, dairy storage will be at the back of the store, too.
Now it's possible for a store to have a refrigerated section in the middle or at the front of the store away from backstock storage (some stores do this), but it's much more efficient to combine the dairy section and the storage area. This reduces energy costs (because you have 1 refrigeration section instead of 2), reduces the amount of time dairy products are exposed to non-refrigerated environments, and allows workers to restock without having to step on the sales floor.
Keeping dairy at the back of the store is less a trick and more the result of logical placement of refrigeration to maximize floor space.
This is basically the only upside of anxiety. The horror of being around other humans is enough of a speed booster to get me in and out of a supermarket in around 10 minutes.
The Most Dangerous Noodle y e s
If I need one thing.. I get one thing because I want to go home!
I hate when the cashier says something and I didn’t hear what they said, makes me wanna just say “nope” and walk away
Actually sometimes I have anxiety when they say anything at all. Oh boy, one cashier didn’t believe I had twins (something I said during casual cashier talk) and kept pushing me to tell her the truth, it was so awkward, like what would be the purpose of lying in that scenario??? Like I’m going to lie to a cashier about having kids lmao no
why would you be bothered by random people doing their own thing in a grocery store wtf
@@Flashdog97 There is no "why". For people with social anxiety disorder, everyday social interactions cause irrational anxiety, fear, self-consciousness and embarrassment.
So you’re telling me:
-Make a concise list
-Wear a pair of headphones
-Keep your head down (literally)
Yes
Also, buy healthy food last, be quick, and try not to get lost.
The headphones one for me has done wonders. Wal-Mart has this thing (don't know if it's a rule or really strong guideline) that if you make eye contact you need to ask if they need help finding something. The headphones negates this as they think you are talking on the phone (good time to catch up on a podcast honestly so you can nod as you understand things like you're getting one very long lecturing at).
Few other things you can add:
--Have backup items for important things (if they are out of GoGurt, what can you get instead?)
--If they have an online app you can order from, use it to check stock as you make your list (can alter your list before you even step into the store)
--Use a spreadsheet app on your phone. You can keep track of costs, taxes to be applied, how much remains in your budget, and keep a record of what you bought each visit and the costs (helps when making your new list).
So you're telling me this isn't how you've always shopped?
@@BackgroundSpace my first job was Walmart grocery. That was almost 20 years ago, but I can tell you that back then the training videos stressed being polite, approachable and providing good customer service. Managers even handed out pins to employees they saw being helpful. Collecting four pins got a prize like a $50 gift card.
Employees SHOULD know their section. So if you are struggling to find something, please ask. For me at least, the minute or so I took to walk you to the item pulled me off a tedious tast like facing, back stock or worse, stocking milk.
Seriously milk sucks. The crates hold four gallons, are stacked 5 feet high, you're in a giant fridge, and you literally cant keep up during a rush.
I love "discovering" products I have not heard about before in the grocery.
My favorite unplanned purchase is an Oreo Cake (an official Oreo product the name of which I already have forgotten) which is hard to find in my country's groceries. I saw it once at Hi-Top more than a decade ago and never again.
Though I read it later, a book titled "The Hidden Persuaders" published in 1957, covered a whole lot of the tricks already used then.
They put the expensive products at eye level.
Me, a very short person: Haha, suckers, you lose!
I'm tall and whenever I'm going for the cheap stuff on the bottom level I keep thinking "Clever punks, you managed to disguise a work out on me. Better touch my toes while I'm here. Oh look a penny."
They use smell machines and smelling items to their advantage.
Me, having anosmia: "Your tricks won't work on me guys 😈"
(Even though what *would* work on me is the Pride-flag seen at the entrance 🤷♂️😇)
But luckily here in Germany grocery stores aren't aaaas big and psychology-optimised as they seem to be in the Americas, so win for us Germans I guess? 😹
*Me, really tall but has such bad posture so as to almost always look downwards at my feet(not that severe, but I look more down than normal)*
HAH-! My gamer background has bested you fiend-!
Lollll 😂 same
"Cha cha real smooth"
Counter Tactics -
1. Have earphones playing low fast paced music.
2. Go to the same stores often learn the layout so you can grab stuff quickly
3. Head to the back of the store first, and grab priority items.
4. Get produce last.
5. Double check before you enter the line to make sure you don’t want to put something back.
Thanks
Good tips. Thank you!
I always go with my music, know the mart in full and go with a list. I end my purchases in 30min tops.
i like to play loud metal while shopping
true chad.
3:55 my local grocery stores play the most loud irritating music in the universe 😂 and its not just *grocery* stores. i often wear earphones just to focus
We’re learning about marketing strategies in my marketing class and I immediately remembered this video. Tbh food theory has come in clutch for me on multiple occasions in that class
MatPat: We bought a zoo!
Steph: Did you get the diet coke?
MatPat:
Dang it.
@Pink Pusheen Lover And once again forgets the coke in the process.
As if matpat would forget diet coke
And now he’s got to go back
This comment is stupid matpat would by all the Diet Coke in the store
This whole channel feels like an advanced ploy to finally get sponsored by diet coke.
Diet
You've seen my end game.
@@miguelcae4627 thanks
The Food Theorists we’ve found your ploys
@@themariokid2310 you're welcome
Hi Food Theory team, you might not see this comment, but I would like to put it out there that this video helped me to get straight As across all my assignments for my ENTIRE module! I’m so thankful for all the work you all do and for helping me get that A! That's how well-researched these videos are!! I love what you are doing!!
I work as a cashier at a grocery store and you would not believe how many customers say they only meant to buy a few things and end up with a full cart/basket.
The basket is the worst because I always see them struggling to carry it to my register because the stuff is about to fall out.
“The expensive items are at eye level.”
My 4’5” older sister: *I am 4 parallel universes ahead of you.*
Its me, I am the older sister
You’re very short compared to your younger sibling? I’m 5’4”, if you want to know how tall I am in relation to my sister, who’s a year older than me.
Tall people: am i a joke to you?
That’s the point; Expensive items are placed high up so that they’re seen. If tall people can see the top, they’d see the most expensive items first, contrary to short people, who will see the less expensive items.
@@someonesgenericfish0 Tall people make more money than short people, so meh.
Me, in England: America's stores play jazz? Huh, ours play slightly-too-quiet semi-old pop music.
I work in a grocery store in Texas.
Have never heard slow jazz in the last 25 years of working.
It's always been pop music thats 10 to 20 years old.
Shoppers are usually mom's in their 30s to 40s . Hence the music is what they heard when they were younger...
Ours do too
Japan plays jingles about the health benefits of fish.
Chance the dog you’ve been working in a grocery store for 25 years?
@@AirahsELL Dammit I want that.
I took an economics class in highschool (it was a required class) and they actually told us how to avoid spending a lot more than you have to or intend to.
They told us to not bring a card, but to instead keep the necessary cash and change in a paper envelope, and to write on the envelope how much money is in there, and what to spend it on.
Bringing a card can cause you to buy more than what you have money for, because of the credit system allowing you to purchase essentially as much as you want as long as you don't max it out.
And having the amount written on the envelope will avoid you losing track of if you can afford something at the store, and the list helps you stay on track.
In general, having the physical cash on you can be a good reminder to how much you can afford.
The 'corner supermarket' [Big Name] sells everything 10% to 300% higher than the next town Wal*Mart. Also, those who pay attention can tell when a 'Sale' is looming as the prices go up 30%, so they can go on 'sale' at 25% off.
Game Theory: Some of these imaginary characters may be secretly evil, or something.
Food Theory: Here's how to save $100 a month.
Even though the Kool-Aid episode fits the Game Theory definition.
Solution:
Run into the store, ignore everything, get what you want, then make it to the checkout as quickly as possible.
That's basically my strategy. lol. It doesn't always work if I go to the store hungry or without a plan. Then I'm doomed.
What I do but not because of this but because I’m hungry asf
If I go for a specific item, that’s how I shop. I pretty much ignore everything else.
Going for the weekly trip: Dairy first (skirting the outside) then down and back on all the rows I need, then produce and checkout. I use a list.
Alternative: Shortly after eating, using your shopping list as a guide, log into the app for your preferred local grocery store and order curbside / delivery. Skips every single one of the triggers because you're not dealing with store layout, you're searching directly for products and pricing, if you start to get fatigued you can save your list and return later. Even the "added cost" of delivery is offset by avoiding those tricks and also not spending gas to get there and back.
Solution: dont shop for 40 minutes.
Who even does that? People take showers for 20 minutes though so i guess the world is weird like that
the music thing is really interesting, because i usually either listen to my own music or put earplugs in when shopping because I find grocery shopping especially to be overwhelming. and since the music i listen to is either pop or r&b, and always fast-paced, i tend to grocery shop very quickly.
MAT! I just finished at the grocery store and I followed ALL of your tips, looked at the little labels, looked on bottom shelf’s, kept my time short there and boom! SAVED me so much money compared to last time
If you have enough money to not get broke when buying more than you wanted, another hack is this: Go shopping without a car. You will think twice about how many things you want to drag all the way back home :D
Alternative just have food delivered why bother prepping.
I can verify that this actually works. I no have car
Accurate. The cart we use is big but we shop every 2 weeks. We buy only what we need, though. Along with a dessert once and a while. At times my mom plans meals. So she buys 2 of the primary ingredients. Like meat, we freeze and frost some things for later.
What if they call an Uber?
@@cheesecheese6950 Doesn't count then
Matpat : They purposely make the aisles narrow so you can’t leave”
Parents who brought their child with them : *I don’t have such weaknesses*
Well, right. But because the lane at the end is packed with small, expensive sweets you have to argue with your child, because it wants that chocolate bar for 1$ so much, it throws a tantrum.
@@MoxxoM Easy solution "ok you can have that candy if you take this and put it back where we found it"
You still save a few bucks, the kid is happy and you're not completely spoiling them as they have to do something to earn the candy.
@@vgamesx1 Clever move. I like it. And you can teach your child responsibility too. Too often I see items put in the wrong shelf. Even refrigerated items like meat.
@@MoxxoM Child throws a tantrum? Well, it is your failure as parent then. Just ignore it. If ignoring not works, punish child later. If child doesn't understand verbal reasoning, it must afraid consequences. And it is not child abuse, it is teaching how it must be done. It is how life works: either follow law, or get physically punished (fine, jail, etc). You either do it properly, or suffer consequences later in life, your choice.
@@yaroslavpanych2067 Well thanks for the tip and I think the same way you do in this regard and I worked in a kindergarten so I can say it works. You should not give into a child's tantrum because this just creates entitled egoistic people. But it sounds like you think I do have children. Which I do not.
I just saw these behaviors in families when I go shopping.
And more frequent than not, grocery stores sometimes put "sale" tags on items that aren't actually lowered in prices... Always calculate if they are indeed discounted or remember their regular prices for the items you frequented.
I got started on free pick up at my store during Covid. It's great because I don't see any of the "sales", "bargains", or impulse items. I know what the cost is before I go and can adjust as needed to fit my budget. I know a lot of people want to get their own produce or dairy but it truly hasn't been a problem for us.
I work at Wal Mart as a cashier and the 2 questions i ask every customer are: "Did you find everything you were looking for?" "And how much extra?"
Nice. lol
I am
ENLIGHTENED
Is it mandatory?
as you see why people are so rude to you... they all feel trick.... i on the other hand... only get them if it 30% off.... or not touching that thing...
What's "And how much extra?"
“A labyrinth of sounds and smells, misdirection and misfortune”
‘’Although for one of you the darkest isle of Frosted Flakes has opened to swallow you whole, so don’t keep the store waiting, old friend.”
Itz Sapphire that made me laugh harder then it should have.
You have all been called here, but not by the items on your grocery list.
“A labyrinth with no exit, a maze with no prize.”
Companies when you look at the go gurts on the shelf and want a second box, "You played right into our hands. Did you really think that this box just fell out of the sky for you? No, this was another purchase, for us"
I've worked at a store and I noticed the shopping cart thing to be different. More often than not the people with a large cat had very few items whereas the people who got a smaller cart or basket usually had it absolutely FULL and overflowing by checkout and they'd always say the same thing, "I only came in for just a few things.", but usually the "deals" kept them there getting more...
After living in Japan, where shopping bags were not free every where, I got used to bringing my own shopping bag or backpack. I had to stop shopping when my bags became full. I couldn't just carry more cuz I had to navigate my bicycle as transportation. Its an interesting limit: buy what you can physically carry. When the bags are full, its time to go.
I can't believe you forgot to mention one of the most powerful tricks: constant store rearrangement. It feels like the store is rearranged every few times we go
After working at a grocery store for almost a year now, they do! Like EVERY MONTH! It never stops and I still have no clue where half the things we sell are because it's never the same 😂
my grocery stores have always stayed the same for years and years as I've moved around :o I'm sorry yours do that to you!
i work at a grocery store and i can attest that our layout changes about once a week. we're supposed to move the sale items to high density areas so they sell faster, and what's on sale generally changes every week. it sucks for customers and it sucks for us
Walmart is FAMOUS for that.
Ugh. Truth. I have NO idea why in the world they do that. ticks me off.
"Over 50% of purchases are unplanned"
Me who goes into grocery stores just to buy random crap I want: "No way!"
@@callmesummon I'd never do that, except on very rare occasions. Maybe a once a year... decade... ever.
I don’t think I ever make a list
When i was growing up my mom taught me to always START our trip in the back of the store at the dairy section, then we'd work our way forward, ending with the produce section. I never understood why until i realized that it actually does work to save money. Especially if the freezer section is at the back of the store, because that puts you on a time limit to finish shopping sooner.
Lately a certain local grocery store hides the generic brands to try to force you to buy the more expensive brand name products.They do this several times a week.
I can’t stand being in a store for more than 15 minutes. I start feeling really tired and start getting a headache. I think I’m the exact person stores don’t want
Slothster 0612 same my guy
My spider senses are tingling
don't worry, i'll make up for it
But stores want you tired, which'll make you not think straight.
I have just about everything I do on a schedule and planned out in advance, from how much time I spend on CZcams to time spent watching Netflix, to how long I play a game, and when it comes to shopping I plan out what I'll buy for dinner, lunch, get my weekend snacks, whatever soap I might need, etc. Anyway one time I was craving pie and even though it wasn't on my list I got it and it caused me to go .40 cents over my budget, and it made me feel really guilty, so now I make very sure never to go off list.
I can only imagine him walking around in his local grocery store, hands held high and a camera headband strapped to his forehead. He probably looked ridiculous, but it’s all in the name of SCIENCE!
PSYCHOLOGICAL TRICKERY SCIENCE. But that would look really stupid
Maybe he wore a hat with a hole in it.
Looking at the perspective, I'm pretty sure he DIDN'T. That camera was strapped to his CHEST, which probably made it a lot less noticeable. So, he was just... walking around with his hands stretched out in front of him like Frankenstein's Monster, I guess? Which TOTALLY doesn't look ridiculous at all. :P
@@BlakeTheDrake i was thinking the same thing
In the name of SCIENCE !!
Something I've noticed in my grocery store is that the cheapest stuff is EITHER on the lowest shelf or the highest shelf, making them difficult to reach in two ways instead of just one. I am short. The high shelf-ones are the biggest problem.
🗣Leeroyyyy Jannnneekins""
😂I re-watched this like 4 times..
Thanks for this!!!
Knowledgeable an Hilariously Hilarious
Me, working in the food broker industry: He ain't wrong.
Christian Estevez me working as a retailer in a grociery store: he really is not.
Me getting dragged for 3 hours all over the place by my family: I mean I believe it
Same
Me, who has a family with multiple family members working in supermarkets, can say that he ain't wrong.
@@melanie9126 they show images of other kinds of food. They'll show you as many items as possible + everything that is on sale.
"Expensive items are closer to the top at eye level" well good thing I'm short and the cheap stuff is my eye level
Pog
Same here
Well I am 6’8” so....
@@imafaux7424 you'll be spending £500 pounds and your only 5 minutes in
@@imafaux7424 you'll be delegated the task of looking for missing children
I was a front end mgr when Winn Dixie got carts the size of a suburban. They literally had to remodel the lanes to give more space because it was such a tight squeeze.
I am a remodeling contractor when people what would it cost to add ….. I let them first know what it will cost if we come back later then tell them the cost while we are here. Most people typically add 20% on to the cost of the project, I’ve had very few stick to the original plan one guy took a 40k job and added another 40k. When paying he said he could have bought a new house for that price, I agreed but not with everything the extra 40k bought him. He paid and called a few years later for another remodel at a different house.
Ok solution:
Have list
Have headphones with fast hype music
Get in get out
look at your phone the whole time.
Use small basket or bag
Have mask.
Follow list.
Don’t let head wonder
Am I missing anything?
The headphones thing i will definitely do next time
brua if you accidently grabbed something you can just ask the cashier to return it
go to the back of the store first (or as far back as you need to go), and grab heavier items first - you’ll want to get out ASAP
Grab bottom items!
Sweet. I already do all of those things cause I don't really care about other things. Just get what I need, if I want something else later, I'll be back. Easy
Matpat: Get in take something fast and leave.
MrBeast: „No, no I don't think i will.”
Matpat: Get in take something fast and leave.
MrBeast: OK i will just buy everything in the store
Mr Beast: Ok. I’ll just buy the store
Mat: i bought a ZOO! :D
MrBeast is from north carolina
Jeff Davis we know😂
I find it interesting that people have such a hard time. I plan my meals for next week and write down the shopping list based on that. Then I look around the house to add other items (such as cleaning products and sauces) and sort the list based on the store path because I know where everything is. Finally, I go to the store and I'm out in 15 min only with the things I need.
12:20 So people don't just leave behind items they might not need when they're at the checkout? This is a really common thing here in Brazil, some places even have a basket where you can leave the things you won't end up buying
"Oh I just jog every once in a while"
"I do crossfit"
"I lift competitively"
"I DONT GET AFFECTED BY THE THE SUPER MARKETS SCAMS."
I job once a week I do CrossFit. Ameturs. What was that punk? AMETUERS
lol one time me and my mom went to a store to "buy a few cups" during a vacation because we forgot to bring cups. a few minutes later my mom buys a few more things then cups, so yeah. My mom fell for it. and me? I just bought a little lego set that was like.... 3$ I think
Tips from a teen who's been on too many shopping trips:
1. Listen to your own music. Picking something more upbeat (rock or pop) tends to create a more urgent atmosphere.
2. Make a list of desires while you shop. Writing them down will null your urge to buy the item in the moment.
3. With the list you have for necessities, put them in the order you will navigate the store through. Aka starting with the food at the entrance and working your way to the other end of the store.
4. Get a cart. I know this completely contradicts Matpat's point, but it's better for the environment to use reusable bags. Plus, you can open them up in the cart fo items so you're organized before checkout.
Thank you.
Some stores offer smaller carts now but there are usually far less of them. Also if you ride a bike to the store you can't fit as much on it. This helps keep down impulse buys and doesn't pollute as well.
Many stores no longer provide baskets "because of covid", which is total BS on multiple levels. Baskets are no germier than shopping carts - less germy, in fact, since toddlers don't sit in them. It's all a conspiracy.
Joshua Griffin I know this is probably not what u meant but COVID-19 is not a conspiracy. Also I agree we should be allowed to use baskets and the shopping carts but have wipes for the handles. They do this with shopping carts but I think they should also do the same with baskets
I try to bring a reusable bag and fill it like a basket.
This was great! My son actually showed me this and he’s only 12… he totally gets it lol thanks for this reminder. I usually go in with a tight list but this truly truly has me on guard more now lol 😅… and you didn’t even go into the part of when you have to go in there with small kids that this all completely works on lol and they are yelling though the entire experience lol 😅
Funny you mention shopping carts getting bigger, because Petsmart and Stop and Shop both got smaller shopping carts over the years. Sure, Petsmart added a mini cart while Stop and Shop seems to have recently removed theirs, but point still stands, the main basket is actually smaller.
Also, I've seen it happen often enough. Even if the lanes were wider no one wants to leave the line, just give it to the cashier and tell them you don't want it any more. Or do as I see all the time, just leave it on any nearby shelf.
12:30 As someone who works at a store "going and putting something back?" NAH they are just gonna set it on the gum 90% of the time regardless of lines.
The long psychological fingers of the marketing decision has no power over the stubborn lazy shopper!
Just tell them not to ring it up. The cashier usually puts it in the cart next to them. If they give you attitude, which some do. Just nonchalantly say something like "Hope I got enough on my card. He-he." No one wants to go through that process of having to cancel (whatever its called) items and redo the payment again.
@@IAmBrandonTho Exactly, I always ask them not to ring it up or if someone is with me that person puts it back for me. I have no shame in not purchasing everything once at the checkout.
The highlight of my Walmart cashier days was the day I found enough different items to make a full meal in the area around my register. Frequently zoned during a 2 hour period and found salad makings, milk, pasta, vegetables, eggs, STEAK, cake mix, a pork roast, chips, and I forget what else.
When my parents go shopping, they will often use me and my sister to squeeze out of the lines and return any things that we got on impulse.
Just tell the cashier you don't want those items. Most places have people that return those items back to the shelves. They get paid to do that.
S ame
Oh yeah that happens a lot
@@fasddfadfgasdgs it's nicer to remove it urself if it's a lot or a common occurrence
Same
I’ve always had the issue of when I go to the store, even with a list, I buy things I don’t need. When the pandemic hit, I opted for curbside, since I found it unsafe to enter the store at the time cause it the local grocery stores were not controlling the amount of people coming in or whether customers wore masks or not. And what also found out REAL QUICK FOR MYSELF, if I had a list ready to go, I would sit down the previous day, put in my order and no extra shopping items were put in my cart, and it has been a game changer.
OMG!! I went to the grocery another day looking for one item that I wanted. But can’t find what I’m looking for. So I waited to go to a different store where I know where everything is but I got to that store they’ve been moved around too. I was so frustrated and tired running around looking for one item. I got mad and left the store. I told myself I can live with out it. Thank you for sharing your information. 🙏🙏🙏❤️❤️❤️
This video is missing one of the most classic tried and true tactics: the “one cent under.” $2.99 is going to look cheaper and better than $3.19, and my own grocery store does one better by doing $2.98 to look like an even better deal than a competitor store.
Dude my store had a sale on boxes of canned soup the other day it was atrocious, the threw up a big sale sign marking the product from 2.99 down to 2.98
@@Evan-pz2ns LMAO
This tactic is employed by EVERY retail industry: grocery, clothing, appliances, GAS
My store does it a little differently. The regular price is something like $5.19, and then they put it on sale for like $2.99 or $3.99; so it looks like it's almost half off when it's not really at all.
There are 2 price stategies here: odd-even price and price anchoring.
I love this break down. I work for a grocery store chain. As a result, I have taught myself to shop "backwards" I start at the back of the store. Then I'm in a hurry to get out so my dairy items don't get too warm. 🙃
F***ing... GENIUS 😊👍
Smart
I too have used this tactic! The results have been great! ^^
@@TheMediaMage A personal trick I do is to bring only enough amount of money based off old tickets for pricing, usually avoiding things that are volatile in price
@@TheMediaMage I was thinking the same thing while watching the video, can’t you just start from the back?
Standard trip to Walmart- going to get 1 item for $8.99, left spending $300, and you get home only to realize you forgot to get what you came for!!🤦♂️
MatPat of @FoodTheory, when you saw the seasonal cakes at the beginning, you saw squirrels (You started thinking about everything.). Another tactic, which goes along with store layout and product placement, that I noticed is when they rearrange the store.