by Gabrielle on March 1, 2010
It’s the one you drool over. A study published in the Journal of Consumer Research reveals that not only are shoppers more likely to purchase more products when we’re attracted to the salesperson, we’re also willing to pay more for the items! The reason? We subconsciously rate products as being higher in quality when the person selling them to us is good-looking.
[photo: atp_tyreseus]
by Gabrielle on February 26, 2010
According to a recent study, while an impressive 71% of men are now doing at least some of the grocery shopping, they’re not necessarily getting better at it. For instance, if they can’t find a certain item, they generally won’t look for substitutes. They tend to get overwhelmed when faced with a lot of choices. And they’re about as likely to ask for help finding products as they are to ask for directions. To make it easier for your mate, hand him a grocery list with lots of details—such as the size, brand and flavor you want, and even where the items are in the store. And be sure to include alternatives in case the product you want isn’t on the shelf.
[photo: Ollie Crafoord]
by Gabrielle on February 24, 2010
You don’t have to travel far for great discounts. Offeretti.com rounds up all the sales and promotions from stores, restaurants, salons and other businesses right in your own neighborhood, then pinpoints them on a map so you can easily find them.
by Gabrielle on February 22, 2010
You are if you wander aimlessly through a store, randomly pick up products and appear distracted. This sends the message “I’m an impulse shopper” to salespeople, who then [more…]
by Gabrielle on February 19, 2010
Find that you’re less active during the colder months when blustery weather makes it hard to bike, hike, garden, swim and do all your usual outdoor exercises? Then, you’re also missing out on the great benefits from being active—such as a stronger heart, more energy, a smaller waistline, a brighter mood and less stress. Luckily, there are lots of easy, inexpensive ways to make indoor workouts just as enjoyable as outdoor ones:
* Relive your childhood with a hula hoop. They’re not just for kids anymore. Adult-sized versions are slightly heavier to give you an easy workout that tones your hips and tummy. [more…]
by Gabrielle on February 18, 2010
New research shows that grocery stores are using some pretty sly tactics to get you to bulk up your bill. To avoid falling for them…
1. Skip the suggested add-on. According to a new study, we tend to buy complementary products that are placed next to each other on the shelves—such as blueberries and whipped cream, chips and salsa, soda and pretzels and ice cream and chocolate syrup. Yet, when we pass by the same products in different aisles, we don’t put them in our cart, reports the Journal of Marketing. [more…]
by Gabrielle on February 15, 2010
Got trapped by a long cell phone contract that you now want to escape? You’re not alone. “Phone companies lure you into long contracts by offering big discounts on cell phones, and then they make it as difficult [more…]
by Gabrielle on February 11, 2010
If you think you’re going to get a lot of use out of a new gadget—like a waffle maker, cappuccino machine, exercise bike or navigation system—think again! A recent study in the journal Social Influence shows that [more…]
by Gabrielle on February 10, 2010
Before you hand over your hard-earned cash for a used car, find out if the car is legally allowed to be sold first. The National Insurance Crime Bureau offers a free theft and crime report, which reveals whether the car has been reported stolen and unrecovered or has previously been declared a total loss. To get your report instantly, simply enter the car’s VIN here.
[photo: Hugo90]
by Gabrielle on February 9, 2010
Before you go shopping, enjoy a handful of M&Ms, a few Hershey’s kisses or a couple of pieces of your favorite chocolate bar. Turns out, chocolate can help prevent you from falling for snazzy marketing displays or sales [more…]
by Gabrielle on February 8, 2010
Type in the title of your favorite film at momupl.com and free full versions of publicly available songs from the movie’s soundtrack will pop up that you can listen to right now. The tracks are kind of hit-and-miss: some are high-quality, others not so much. But, if you’re curious about what a soundtrack sounds like before you buy it or you’ve just got a yen for a particular song you fell in love with (for instance, Christmas is All Around by Bill Nighy from Love Actually), it’s a good first stop.
[photo: TedsBlog]