A recent study by Drexel University reveals some interesting ways retailers get us to spend.
Perhaps the most shocking is how the presence of crowds can tempt us to impulse shop.
Per Drexel: "A less crowded store means less time waiting and less exposure to the product choices of other shoppers; exposure to environmental cues, such as noise and crowding, decreases self-control, which implies that there is more unplanned buying in congested stores."
Clearly, it's hard to think straight when you're bombarded with noise and marketing messages, including signs and displays, which the study found to be quite effective. And when everyone around you is shopping like mad, it's hard to rationalize that you're making the right decision—or not missing out. As YM contributor Eric Barker has noted, often all it takes to get us to spend is wanting what someone else has.
In fact, just seeing an attractive person touch an item can be enough to tempt us to buy it.