Black Friday is famous for its deep discounts on electronics and toys. In recent years, grocery stores have tried to get in on the action. They will release their own Black Friday ads. These are filled with deals on holiday foods and pantry staples. However, a closer look at these promotions reveals that they are…
April Fools’ Day is a time for playful mischief. In the world of marketing, it is also a huge opportunity. Major brands will often spend a lot of time and money to create elaborate, fake products and announcements. These pranks are designed to get a laugh, to go viral, and to show a more human…
Couponing is a great way to save money. However, a clear line separates savvy shopping from criminal fraud. The use of fake or manipulated coupons is a form of theft that retailers and law enforcement take very seriously. In several high-profile cases, shoppers who crossed this line have faced felony charges and significant prison time.…
For most of us, a trip to the grocery store is a mundane chore. For a certain type of online “prankster,” however, it is a stage for their next viral video. These so-called pranks often involve creating a mess, harassing employees, and causing a major disruption for other shoppers. While the prankster may think their…
Your grocery store’s loyalty app is a great tool for clipping coupons and for getting personalized deals. It is also a powerful surveillance tool. The app is designed to collect a huge amount of data about every single purchase you make. While the store uses this data for its own marketing, that is not where…
A grocery delivery driver is more than just a courier. They are your personal shopper. Their choices in the aisle directly affect the quality of the food you receive. While we all hope for a good shopper, there is a set of professional standards that every great driver follows. These are the things that a…
The online grocery platforms from Amazon, which include Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods, are powered by a very sophisticated artificial intelligence system. This AI is not just there to process your order. It is also constantly analyzing the contents of your cart to identify certain patterns and to send you targeted messages. In some cases,…
Retailers are now using a powerful and invisible form of in-store surveillance. They are using artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze the video feeds from their overhead security cameras. One of the key metrics that this AI is trained to track is your “dwell time.” This is the amount of time you spend paused in a…
The days leading up to Halloween are a whirlwind of last-minute preparations. This results in a frantic rush at the grocery store. While the candy aisle is the main event, a few other key items are in extremely high demand. These products are essential for classic Halloween traditions. They sell out with surprising speed. If…
You are cleaning out your wallet, and you find a great coupon that you forgot to use. The only problem is that it expired yesterday. Most people would throw that coupon in the trash, assuming that it is now a worthless piece of paper. However, in many cases, that is not true. A surprising number…
Buying in bulk can be a great way to save money on your grocery bill. However, it can also be a major source of waste. If you buy a huge quantity of a product that you cannot use before it expires or goes bad, you are not saving money; you are literally throwing it away.…
The in-store bakery at a grocery store is a place of wonderful convenience. It is also a place of massive markups. You are paying a huge premium for the labor and the convenience of a pre-made baked good. While some complex pastries are best left to the professionals, a huge number of classic, simple treats…
You are trying to make a healthy choice at the grocery store, so you reach for a product with a “healthy” sounding label. However, many of these claims are clever marketing tricks. They are designed to create a “health halo” around a product that is secretly loaded with a huge amount of sodium. Manufacturers will…
The frozen food aisle can be your best friend when it is time to plan your meals for the week. A well-stocked freezer is the secret to creating quick, easy, and affordable dinners. The key is to look for versatile, multi-purpose ingredients that can be used as the base for a variety of different dishes.…
The weekly grocery store flyer is supposed to be a guide to the best deals of the week. However, in many cases, it is a masterclass in deceptive marketing. Retailers have developed a number of clever tricks to make it seem like every single item in their ad is on a deep discount. In reality,…
A grocery store is a carefully engineered sensory environment. Retailers know that your five senses are a direct pathway to your wallet. They use a variety of subtle “sensory marketing” tricks that are designed to influence your mood and your purchasing decisions on a subconscious level. These tricks are a powerful and often invisible way…