Madison Selcho
·2 min read
Do you ever wonder why you come out of Target with more than just the toothpaste and laundry detergent you went in for?
Target has been a longtime household name for its addictive shopping experience, but there are a few secrets to the store’s almost supernatural ability to get you to spend more money.
The key is through the layout and planning of its stores, according to Business Insider.
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What is the ‘Target Effect’?
NBC News reported that the phenomenon known as the “Target Effect” includes everything from the way the store is lit up to the layout of the items the store is selling.
“The lighting, the bright colors ... it brightens your affect and you tend to have a pretty good time so it’s conducive to buying,” licensed clinical psychologist Kevin Chapman said.
Beyond the bright lights and color scheme, Target’s clever marketing reportedly creates “a treasure hunt-like shopping experience” within its stores, in order “to keep customers coming back.”
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How Target gets you to spend more money?
Reader’s Digest reported that throughout the store, there are often nonessential items located in close proximity to items that are necessary and the most popular items.
“They give you the impression that you’re getting a deal,” Chapman said. “Because it has a 9 on the end of it it appears to be on sale.”
Chapman further asked, “So how could you pass it up?”
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Are there people immune to the ‘Target Effect’?
Refinery29 reported that there are many people who can’t resist the “Target Effect.”
“We can’t remember the last time we left without spending $100,” Target fans Jen Coleman and Laura Wiertzema wrote. “Especially if we take our kids with us. ... It’s almost like Target knows we won’t feel bad adding some cute dishes or a dollar spot item for $2.99. You leave feeling happy because you got some new bowls or a new pair of shoes and you didn’t break the bank. It’s instant gratification.”
Some people who aren’t affected by Target’s allure may be experiencing a lack of need for retail therapy.
“People who aren’t affected, I would consider to be much more emotionally regulated,” Chapman said. “They’re not engaging in retail therapy — which is just code for shopping as an emotional behavior to provide relief from strong emotions.”
