Store Fronting: How Marketing Makes Saving Money So Hard

And by “tricked,” this isn’t a scam by any means, but you were leaned on to the point that a product or advertiser is so persuasive in how they are pushing something that you convince yourself that saying “no” isn’t even an option.

Welcome to marketing and advertising at its finest, and buying what you don’t need isn’t anything new to most people.

Now, let’s get one thing straight: this isn’t a knock against retailers or manufacturers that work hard and diligently to make, promote and sell. That process should be respected and appreciated on a variety of levels, driven mostly by retail being the driving force behind the economy more often than not.

That said, stores still work incredibly hard to try to get you to buy, even if you don’t have any inclination or want to do so at this very moment.

Buying online really is the hardest to resist for two reasons: free shipping offers and being able to buy from home in what can easily be described as the epitome of convenience. Free shipping typically comes with an asterisk in that you have to spend more to earn it. So if your end game is to buy a $20 purse, for example, but free shipping can be attained with a $50 order, how many times do you decide to spend $30 more dollars to avoid a $5 shipping charge. In the end, you’re still $25 over your intended price point.

Ordering online also can lead to a lot of debt, since your credit card is saved more often than not, so clicking and ordering is so simple that you do it almost out of habit.

Even if you’re in an actual store, you still have very skilled and keen salespersons who are working not only to sell you a product but also extended warranties and other add-ons that cost money but are made to seem as though you can’t function without those, either. The famous last line uttered by most in the retail game centers on “today only” or “only a few left in stock” as a means to usher in that sense of urgency.

It sounds easy to say, but you should just avoid buying out of habit or without a need in mind. That’s easier said than done given how hard retailers work to gain business. While that is admirable, it shouldn’t be what drives how yo spend your money.