Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/488902
COURTESYPHOTO El Camino 4-H will hold its Annual Spaghetti Dinner and Silent Auction 5- 8p.m. Friday, April 3at Gerber School. Tickets are $5presale from any member or at the door. Enjoy a night out with family and friends, to support the El Camino 4-H club, For more information, call Marsha at 781-3392. ELCAMINO TipstoOutsmartRe- tailers' Clever Tricks I blame my suspi- cious na- ture on my neighbor- hood gro- cery store. The store used to be a logically arranged market with bright lights and clean floors — a basic, friendly, func- tional place to shop. Then the bulldozers morphed it into a big fancy super- market complete with mood lighting and cushy chairs. I have nothing against beautiful spaces and modern conveniences, but I'm no fool. I knew all of this effort was to one end: to get me to spend more of my hard-earned money. Take the "Three for $6!" special of the week. Why not just say $2 each and drop the exclamation mark? I muttered to my- self as I placed one jar of spaghetti sauce in the cart. Before I could wheel away I had my answer: I saw several customers du- tifully place three jars in their carts. Not two, not four, but three jars. That response was no accident. In fact, that's a simple example of how re- tailers use tricks to per- suade consumers to buy more. Retailers hire ex- perts like Paco Underhill, author of "Why We Buy," and his company, Enviro- sell, to follow thousands of shoppers a year in per- son and on video, observ- ing their every move. Us- ing this information, the stores find ways to get people to shop longer, spend more and return often. Underhill and his crew are so good at what they do, they can tell re- tailers what will entice people to enter the store, which way they'll look once they're inside and more. How important is con- sumer persuasion to the marketplace? "If we went into stores only when we needed to buy something," says Under- hill, "and if once there we bought only what we needed, the economy would collapse. Boom." No one wants the econ- omy to get any worse, but we don't want to over- spend, either. So our de- fense as consumers is to educate ourselves. Here are 12 ways you can out- smart those tricky retail- ers. Beautiful Ambience. Retailers know that as much as 70 percent of all purchases are un- planned! They want you to linger as long as pos- sible, so they create an atmosphere that's in- viting to the store's tar- get audience. The music, the lighting, the displays are all designed to pull us in. Outsmart it: Don't browse. Just get in, get what you need and leave. True needs are not dis- covered while standing in a store aisle. Colored Walls. Stores use certain colors ac- cording to the audience they're trying to reach: Younger people tend to like bold colors; older people prefer softer hues. "Universally, a soft shade of blue creates a sense of calm, which makes peo- ple want to stay longer," says Underhill. Outsmart it: Take note of a store's colors. Just being aware of them helps you take control. Easy Access. Research shows that if you touch something, you're more likely to buy it. That's why products like stuffed animals and candy are placed within easy reach of children at the gro- cery checkout. Outsmart it: Hands off. Don't touch the merchandise even to look at the price tag un- less it's something you've planned to buy. Spacious Shopping Carts. A cart frees you to touch more things. "Stores that offer baskets or carts sell more than ones that don't," says Un- derhill. "And when stores increase the size of the baskets, they often find that shoppers purchase more items." Outsmart it! Forget the cart. Or at least opt for the small- est one. Shrinking Products. This one often goes un- noticed. A "3-pound" can of coffee is now 28 ounces but still costs the same amount. And how about that "half-gallon" of ice cream that's now 1.5 quarts? Though it's not limited to food products, this trick is prevalent in supermarkets. Outsmart it: Know your weights and measures as well as your prices. If the item has shrunk, try a differ- ent brand or wait for a sale. Milk in the Back. This trick is as old as they come, yet it will get you every time if you're not mentally prepared. This forces you to go through the store, exposing you to all kinds of other items that might grab your at- tention. Outsmart it! Make a beeline for what you want and leave. Or bring only enough cash for what you need. Clever Wording. Stores count on the fact that most people assume words like "Special!" or "Hot Deal!" mean the same as "On Sale!" Don't believe it. Outsmart it! Keep track of the regu- lar prices of the items you buy most often; you'll know right away if it's re- ally a sale. EVERYDAY CHEAPSKATE Tipstooutsmartretailers'clevertricks Mary Hunt The theme of this se- mester's Great Debate Fri- day will be "Controver- sies in Technology," with topics to include Internet neutrality, cyber bullying, 3D printing and other is- sues. The twice-yearly event is a collaboration between Chico State University, Butte College and the city of Chico to create civil dis- course with civility, reason, respect and rhetorical argu- ment. The event is free and be- gins at 9 a.m. in the City Council Chambers at 421 Main St., and will run all day. The debate culminates with a main event at 6:30 p.m. that will focus on po- lice body cameras. A daylong civic expo will be held in City Plaza, where students and community partners will present tech- nology-related projects. CHICO Great Debate Friday will focus on 'Controversies in Technology' Shasta College Humanities Through Film Class April 10th at the State Theatre Games,Displays,RotaryJail, Western Music in the Evening by The Coyotes, Robberies! Old Fashioned fun! CHILDREN'S MATINEE Doors open at 1:30 p.m. Film starts at 2:00 p.m. Fievel Goes West Directed by Steven Spielberg Children 12 and under $1.00 EVENING SCREENING Doors open at 6:00 p.m. Film starts at 7:30 p.m. Quigley Down Under Adults $5.00 TheCelebrationofLifefor SharonP.Alford will be April 4, 2015 • 11:30 am Veterans Memorial Hall 735 Oak St., Red Bluff CA. 96080 Please call Ronan 707-580-8184 cell or 707-425-2312 home to RSVP ronanlentz@yahoo.com ronanlentz on FB LIFESTYLES » redbluffdailynews.com Wednesday, April 1, 2015 » MORE AT FACEBOOK.COM/RBDAILYNEWS AND TWITTER.COM/REDBLUFFNEWS A5