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What you've described doesn't sound like a value-add at all to me. In stores they can manipulate your senses to get you to make emotion-based purchases whether

What you've described doesn't sound like a value-add at all to me. In stores they can manipulate your senses to get you to make emotion-based purchases whether or not it makes economic sense or if you're going to actually get your money's worth out of the product. You only think it's better reading the manual on the way home and not waiting a few days because you're still riding that emotional high. I much prefer the Amazon approach where feasible, because that detachment helps you keep a more level head while purchasing, which reduces the expenditures on frivolities and you'll have more savings for more meaningful things later.

jjeaff 9y ago
>that detachment helps you keep a more level head while purchasing I kind of doubt that this is really the case in practice. There is detachment from the walk by impulse buys. But there is also detachment from the part where you spend your money. One click purchases are just too easy. And Amazon suggestions are getting better all the time at convincing you to buy more and more. Not to mention the discounts on auto delivered products. The store can only entice me when I decide to get in a car and drive there and walk in. Amazon is just a click or tap away from absolutely anywhere.
- agumonkey 9y ago
  And the deals on "plus" items. I spent a few hours once to find other items to buy in order to reach the required 25$ to get that first item rebate.. madness.
jimmaswell 9y ago
I wasn't actually enjoying that experience, I just thought I was? I don't see the big deal with a few impulse purchases as long as it's not hurting the family budget.
listenallyall 9y ago
Do you really think you're not being manipulated by Amazon? "Frequently bought together", fake reviews based on free samples in exchange for "honest opinions" (hah!), gold box deals with countdowns to artificial deadlines, "people also shopped for", add-on items, "recommendations for you", free shipping when you spend at least $X, discounts calculated from inflated retail prices, "your shopping history" going back 10+ years, daily email specials, curated product photos. And millions of A/B tests to optimize everything from the layout, colors, product recommendations, search results, and checkout process to make more people buy more stuff.
- skookumchuck 9y ago
  Stores optimize layout, colors, ambient music, the checkout process (ever see the rack of stuff right by the cash register?), too. They even pump fragrances into the store. There's enormous effort expended on this by stores - because it works.
agumonkey 9y ago
This is the experience IMO. Someone talked about this about old video games. Atari boxes were so pretty, yet the games had nothing to do with the box art (8 bit graphics can only get you so far). But the imagination bootstrap it gives made the game pleasurable. It's all fake anyway.. make believe. I feel this era is going way too much into sound/engineered decision making for mundane human life, and I say it's detrimental.

jjeaff 9y ago

>that detachment helps you keep a more level head while purchasing I kind of doubt that this is really the case in practice. There is detachment from the walk by impulse buys. But there is also detachment from the part where you spend your money. One click purchases are just too easy. And Amazon suggestions are getting better all the time at convincing you to buy more and more. Not to mention the discounts on auto delivered products. The store can only entice me when I decide to get in a car and drive there and walk in. Amazon is just a click or tap away from absolutely anywhere.

agumonkey 9y ago
And the deals on "plus" items. I spent a few hours once to find other items to buy in order to reach the required 25$ to get that first item rebate.. madness.

jimmaswell 9y ago

I wasn't actually enjoying that experience, I just thought I was? I don't see the big deal with a few impulse purchases as long as it's not hurting the family budget.

listenallyall 9y ago

Do you really think you're not being manipulated by Amazon? "Frequently bought together", fake reviews based on free samples in exchange for "honest opinions" (hah!), gold box deals with countdowns to artificial deadlines, "people also shopped for", add-on items, "recommendations for you", free shipping when you spend at least $X, discounts calculated from inflated retail prices, "your shopping history" going back 10+ years, daily email specials, curated product photos. And millions of A/B tests to optimize everything from the layout, colors, product recommendations, search results, and checkout process to make more people buy more stuff.

skookumchuck 9y ago
Stores optimize layout, colors, ambient music, the checkout process (ever see the rack of stuff right by the cash register?), too. They even pump fragrances into the store. There's enormous effort expended on this by stores - because it works.

agumonkey 9y ago

This is the experience IMO. Someone talked about this about old video games. Atari boxes were so pretty, yet the games had nothing to do with the box art (8 bit graphics can only get you so far). But the imagination bootstrap it gives made the game pleasurable. It's all fake anyway.. make believe. I feel this era is going way too much into sound/engineered decision making for mundane human life, and I say it's detrimental.