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Money Talks News: Silly sales tactics

Whenever you shop, whether it's for food, clothing or just about anything else, odds are good you often spend more than you meant to.

Money Talks News - Whenever you shop, whether it's for food, clothing or just about anything else, odds are good you often spend more than you meant to.

Don't be too hard on yourself. Blame the sneaky sales tactics just about every retailer uses. The reason why the use those tactics is because they work online and in stores.

One example is free shipping offers. Many online companies offer free shipping if you spend more than a said amount, say $50. Then you end up spending your hard-earned money on an item you did not really want just because you did not want to pay the shipping.

Grocery stores are infamous for their sales tactics. Think of the number of things they put at eye level or the gauntlet of impulse buys at the checkout stand. And many of you have probably seen the 10 for $10 discounts.

Coupons are another trick retailers use to get you to buy higher-priced items you don't really want. The same goes with sales because shoppers want to believe they are getting a deal when sometimes they are not.

Retailers love to use the word "free" to get you to buy stuff you don't need. For example, what is the purpose of a buy one get one free if you only need one of that item. Otherwise, wouldn't it be better to buy one at half off.

Then there's the Reward Program. Most every chain has one from hotels and restaurants to just about every store in the mall. Those programs make you a loyal shopper, steer you to their products and then record your shopping habits.

All of these sales tactics may seem silly, but they work and have worked for several years. But there are ways to defend yourself like having a budget, making a list and using only cash when you shop.

For more information on sales tactics and how to fight back, head to Money Talks News and search "shopping."

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