11 Everyday Things Designed to Make You Spend More
Everyday items and services are cleverly designed with subtle tricks to make you spend more, from irresistible sales to sneaky subscriptions, making it harder to resist the temptation of your wallet’s slow leak.
- Alyana Aguja
- 4 min read
From the supermarket shelves to the shopping baskets online, mundane products are carefully crafted to get you to spend more. Sneaky charges, irresistible upgrades, and subtle psychological pricing all work hand in hand to quietly nudge your purchasing habits without your even realizing it. By knowing these tactics, you can regain command of your purchasing power and be an wiser consumer in a world that’s full of sneaky money traps.
1. Grocery Store Layouts
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Grocery stores are carefully laid out to compel you to impulse shop. Best-selling products are usually kept in the rear to force you to pass by other desirable goods, such as snacks and beverages. Sales racks strategically located at the entrance or checkout further entice you to spend on goods you had not intended to.
2. Online Shopping Cart Abandonment Emails
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Online stores send you a reminder email if you leave things in your cart, usually with a discount to prompt you to finish the transaction. It is a call to action that puts you on the spot, reminding you of the “limited time offer.” It’s a smart move to return reluctant buyers back into the fold.
3. Subscription Models
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Platforms such as Netflix, Spotify, and Amazon Prime survive on the subscription business model, with regular payments easily forgotten. Such subscriptions become “set-it-and-forget-it,” so that users are not aware of the charges until they reach a substantial amount. Automatic renewal is made convenient, and it becomes more difficult for consumers to opt out, generating revenue for companies.
4. Small Print in Contracts
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Most products and services, from mobile phone plans to gym memberships, have hidden charges or long-term commitments in the fine print. If you do not read the terms completely, you can unwittingly enroll in automatic renewals or extra fees. This strategy exploits people’s propensity for skipping details in favor of convenience.
5. Coffee Shop “Up-sell” Culture
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Coffee shop chains such as Starbucks excel at making you pay more through customizations. A basic coffee can become a pricey latte or frappuccino after a few syrups, whipped cream, or flavor shots are added. These small additions are so enticing that you pay 10 times as much in the end.
6. Frequent Flyer Miles & Loyalty Programs
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Airlines and hotels employ loyalty schemes to induce repeated expenditure. Points build up as you spend, so you feel that you’re getting a “deal” or a “reward” even though the overall price is greater. You might take more flights or stay in certain hotels just to continue piling up miles or points for possible rewards.
7. Limited-Time Sales
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“Flash sales” or “today-only discounts” are a massive impulse-buy motivator. Amazon and Best Buy are among the retailers that utilize these promotions to make customers feel like they have to buy now or risk losing out. The prospect of saving money on something you weren’t going to purchase is too tempting to resist.
8. Upgrade Options in Restaurants
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Fast-food restaurants and casual dining establishments often offer an “upgrade” on meals, such as adding fries or a larger drink for a dollar more. This small price difference can be enough to make you spend extra without even knowing it. These upsells add up over time to a much higher total bill.
9. Psychological Pricing
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The placement of $9.99 rather than $10 is a classic pricing technique that takes advantage of customers’ sense of price. The idea is that a price slightly below a round figure seems much cheaper, even though the difference is merely one cent. Most retailers use this trick to make products seem more affordable and get people to spend more.
10. Seasonal Marketing and Holidays
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When stores introduce limited-edition products or holiday-themed products around holidays such as Christmas or Valentine’s Day, they bring on emotional buying. You’re not buying a product; you’re buying a memory, an experience, or a sense of celebration. The fear of being left behind on special seasonal offers can cause you to overspend beyond your means.
11. The “Free Trial” Trap
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Free trials for streaming services, software, or even gym memberships usually require credit card information in advance. After the trial period is over, the service automatically turns into a paid subscription, counting on you forgetting to cancel. Most consumers end up paying for a service they no longer use because the initial “free” offer was so appealing.