Free Book Fridays – Why We Buy: The Science of Shopping

5 Comments on "Free Book Fridays – Why We Buy: The Science of Shopping"

1. Amber says:

   9/10/2007 at 10:28 am

   I know there is a subcurrent of media that starts to attract us long before we’re presented with the option to make a purchase. Sometimes I’ll think I’m the first one to discover a new style or product, only to realize the next month that everyone else has bought it too.

   I get annoyed at the holiday marketing that begins months before the actual holiday. My lifestyle is already too fast, thank you.

   I do feel like the grocery stores are a marketing conspiracy and I shop accordingly. The latest advertising trend is bonus offers like 10 for $4, which are tricky because while it sounds like a good deal, you won’t know for sure unless you actually (gasp) do the math. Why can’t a store stop these gimmicks and simply earn consumer trust for having fair prices? Does such a thing still exist? Have we all become too jaded?

   It also frustrates me to see how much of a grocery store is dedicated to packaged marketing, and how small the produce selection is in comparison.

   And then I embark on soul-searching because – dang-it – I’m a designer in the marketing industry. Then I take comfort in the fact that I try to design for products and services I believe in.

   Reply
2. nate says:

   9/10/2007 at 10:44 am

   Well said Amber. Knowing why we buy is definitely part of seeing through all that marketing cruft. Those kinds of questions you asked are definitely some of the things that make me shudder.

   I hate the fact that perception management (via marketing or any other method) is necessary. I wish it were more about the truth and less about the perception of truth. But, if that were the case, we’d all have superman’s eyes.

   Unfortunately, it’s a game we all play, whether we want to or not. We may hate it, but we still play it. We consume. We buy things. We sometimes sell things. We sometimes make things.

   It’s a big game, that’s for sure.

   Reply
3. Aaron says:

   9/10/2007 at 11:08 am

   Congrats on getting the book Amber. I got last weeks and am hoping to read it during my trip to New York.

   Reply
4. Amber says:

   9/11/2007 at 9:43 am

   Hooray! I love winning stuff. Maybe Paco will write another book called Why We Blog.

   Reply
5. srdjan says:

   9/16/2008 at 10:16 am

   is there any chance that i can dowload this book from the internet???

   Reply