Ever been lost in an IKEA store? It's not your fault - turns out the store was actually designed like a maze. Why? Elementary, my dear Watson: it's so you shop more!
The home furnishing chain’s mazy layouts are a psychological weapon to part shoppers from their cash, an expert in store design claims. The theory is that while following a zig-zag trail between displays of minimalist Swedish furniture, a disorientated Ikea customer feels compelled to pick up a few extra impulse purchases.
According to Alan Penn, director of the Virtual Reality Centre for the Built Environment at University College London, Ikea's strategy is similar to that of out-of-town retail parks - keep customers inside for as long as they can.
'In Ikea's case, you have to follow a set path past what is effectively their catalogue in physical form, with furniture placed in different settings which is meant to show you how adaptable it is,' he said. 'By the time you get to the warehouse where you can actually buy the stool or whatever's caught your eye, you're so impressed by how cheap it is that you end up getting it.'
Comments (30)
That's an oldie.
Unrelated to SnowyDeath 2010, I'd like to submit Neatonauts for the nickname. It has a better ring to it, imho.
Being a teacher I've been off the whole week, so getting to work was never a worry for me. While the shoveling has gotten pretty old, it's actually been kind of nice to be able to stay home and catch up on some things around the house. And we've finally met some of our neighbors, since we just moved into our house 5 months ago.
The snow has taken down 2 metal porch awnings so far in this block. 2 more are set to go any time.
My job keeps calling me to come in and clean snow off cars at the auto auction. I'm not dumb, I really don't want to be covered in snow all day and then come home with pneumonia. It's not like it's a full time job or anything.
I'm sick of snow, know anywhere warm I can move to?
I'm actually looking forward to going to work tomorrow, it'll be relaxing.
I am not sure why this one gets all the media attention. Maybe because it hit DC as well when that it usually the southern limit of the big storms.
Anyway, good to see all the other Baltimoroneatonauts on her, Hey!
Did I say a foot of snow? In Texas?
Yes, here in Grand Prairie, TX (DFW) there is about 10 inches of snow on the ground and it's not supposed to stop falling (according to the clueless weathermen) for another five hours. I think it's wonderful and reminds me of my childhood winters, but everyone else down here is going nuts. And it's the great stuff that sticks together well for snowmen, too!
That's pretty sad.
I live in Oswego County, it you look at that satellite view, gander that lake fully in the frame, about center on the left, that's Lake Ontario, we live at the eastern (right) end of it. Oh, I should mention we get 180 inches a year. A. Year. 180. This is due to the lake effect snow machine, look that up if you don't know, but it can easily produce snow into the feet measured range in no time, a day, or less.
Everyone whining about snow don't know jack until you live in this area where your wimpy laughably nothing "blizzard" wouldn't even dent the daily grind. Heck, 6" wouldn't close school in these parts, neither would 12", you'll always find food on the store shelves, what you got is just another day up here.
Oh, and just north of me is Tug Hill, the snowiest place east of the Rockies, they get as much as 400" a year, and no, nobody panics, nobody freaks out, school, business, life goes on. Honestly all of us up here are laughing at the central east coast for being a bunch of pansies. Buck up people, you don't even know what snow is.