March 21, 2006

What does your shopping list look like?

At the beginning of the school year, I subscribed to The Economist in an attempt to become more knowledgable. Admittingly, I have only read the articles that have anything to do with retail and science & technology. So in last week's issue I came across an interesting article called Signs of the times.

The abridged version is that retailers now put flat panel displays which show a constantly rotating series of advertisements, mixed with news and entertainment in "high traffic" parts of the shops. Marketers are loving this way of advertising because according to the Point of Purchase Advertising International, an independent trade association, more than 70% of purchasing decisions are made in shops. Most people, after all, write "beer" or "shampoo" on their shopping lists, rather than specifying particular brands.

I found this interesting because well, I have never even thought about the psychology of shopping lists before. For me if I'm listing out beauty products, I always specify which brand and if necessary, which product. For example, in my most recent shopping list, I wrote "Head & Shoulder shampoo", and in one of last summer's said "Lancome Hypnose". I can't seem to buy beauty products without doing crazy research and thinking beforehand, which is probably why I always know exactly which products I want before venturing shops.

One of my friends tells me that she writes down the product type she's planning to buy, such as "shampoo", and usually knows which brand she's planning to buy in mind. So I'm curious, what do you put on your shopping lists?

16 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

it depends on the size of the purchase. if i'm spending a lot of ££ on something, i'll know the brand, line, name and RRP. if it's just weekly shopping, i'll write 'champagne, caviar, shower gel'. etc.

3/21/2006 10:23 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm not very loyal with brands at all, I just say 'shampoo' and then go to see what there is - which brand is on offer, what's new etc.

3/22/2006 2:25 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I am brand specific.

3/22/2006 6:05 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I never make shopping lists, only rarely in a grocery store, but never never when I'm going to the mall or a specialty store unless I really think I'll forget about it.

3/22/2006 8:18 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I don't really do shopping lists... which is probably why I always forget stuff. I would probably be really susceptable to the in store adverts.

3/22/2006 9:09 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

i agree with you, cuz when I usually write down stuff on my shopping list it's usually something specific i.e. with the brands or types but I guess these has got to do more to makeup or some kinda skin care or shampoo. But my grocery lists usually just comprises of things like biscuits, drinks, etc without any brands so I guess the article in The Economist shows a good efficient way to sell products through the medium of advertising.

3/22/2006 7:25 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

i definitely am loyal to the products i use. so i write dove shampoo and condition, zapzyt, etc. if i am trying something new i research it first, like you. i don't usually buy on in impulse, i've worked hard to break that habit!

3/23/2006 1:01 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

That is a clever way to get consumers to buy your products. I don't usually make any decisions about what brands I want until I am at the store. I am a writer for Beauty Secrets 101 and recently posted a blog about shampoo. I wonder how many people are loyal to a specific brand and know exactly what they want when they go to the store.

Sharon

3/23/2006 1:54 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I simply write the type of product I need but I am loyal to the products that work for me. So I see no need to write more than I already know in my head. I do get lured in by the offers, but only if they are on the products I want. Plus living in two different houses means I have two lots of everything as it is!
Im more an impulse buyer when it comes to clothes, trying things on is a bore I dont need.

3/26/2006 9:04 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

at thisfashion site i did find nice collections of clothes. Unfortunately it is not in English. but anyway - good brand - good for me.

3/26/2006 2:20 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I tend to not put brand names on my shopping list, but that is because I have been loyal to the same brands for long enough that I know which ones I will be buying (I can just put shampoo instead of Garnier Fructis Volumizing or whatever). Does this mean I'm in a rut?

3/28/2006 8:47 AM  
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Shopping is favorite hobby for some many people but also it is difficult also because of choosing the best products on best price.
For that some stores provide better solution of my problems such as DHgate Coupon Codes. I like to browse more stores like that.

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