Aldi has plenty of great stuff on offer, but if you ask most people why they shop there, the number one reason will almost definitely be the prices. The merchandise at Aldi is generally cheaper than at other supermarket chains, and is often on display with a no-frills presentation. The chain's commitment to low prices has paid off. In the U.S., it now has more than 2,000 stores in 36 states.
But like any retail outlet, Aldi's goal is to make money. To do that, they have lots of different ways to entice customers to buy another item or two. Here are some sneaky ways Aldi tricks you into spending more money.
But like any retail outlet, Aldi's goal is to make money. To do that, they have lots of different ways to entice customers to buy another item or two. Here are some sneaky ways Aldi tricks you into spending more money.
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LifestyleTranscript
00:00Aldi is bare-bones and no-frills, but would you believe they have a few tricks to get
00:04customers to spend more money? You might not have noticed what they do to encourage customers
00:09to buy more. Keep watching for what you may have fallen for.
00:13One incredibly clever trick Aldi uses to encourage customers to spend more is by making it as
00:18low-risk as possible to do so. The company has a generous return policy, dubbed the Aldi
00:23twice-as-nice guarantee, that promises customers who are not totally satisfied with the product
00:27can bring it back to the store, along with the receipt, and get a full refund as well
00:31as a replacement product. Overall, the policy encourages shoppers to try new things and
00:36maybe buy more products because you have nothing to lose. If you don't love something, you
00:40can get double your money back. It's worth noting that there are a few products that
00:44are not covered by the twice-as-nice guarantee, including alcohol, but the store will usually
00:48give either a replacement or a refund.
00:52One of the most blatant ways Aldi tempts shoppers to spend more money is through its weekly
00:56rotating selection of specialized products. The products range from all kinds of household
01:01items to premium food items to quirky seasonal items. These special buys, or Aldi finds in
01:06the U.S., are limited-time and limited-quantity products. The inventory changes every week,
01:12and once an item is sold out, it's gone. And some items literally fly off the shelves within
01:17seconds. These rotating weekly specials help create a sense of urgency and encourage shoppers
01:22to buy now so as not to miss out on a potential deal. Some shoppers just can't resist the
01:27impulse.
01:28It's a freaking adventure.
01:29You only went in for bread.
01:31Bread?
01:32For those who really can't say no to a bargain, you might want to avoid Aldi stores right
01:36after a holiday. According to grocery bloggers, Aldi offers some pretty steep clearance discounts
01:41after major holidays like Valentine's Day, Halloween, Christmas, and Easter. And when
01:46we say steep, we mean it. Markdowns can be anywhere from 50 to 75 percent off, and the
01:51discounts apply to both food and non-food items. This trick really targets those shoppers
01:56who can't help but stock up during a sale, although it's worth pointing out that these
02:00shoppers who end up spending more on clearance items may end up getting the best deals in
02:04the long run.
02:05Smart shopping experts advise that the days and weeks right after a holiday are the best
02:09time to stock up on gear and decor for next year's festivities. It makes sense, considering
02:13that stores are looking to get rid of all their leftover stock and prepare for a new
02:17round of inventory.
02:20Aldi now offers shoppers the option to have their groceries delivered via Instacart in
02:24more than 95 percent of its stores. However, this convenient service can wind up costing
02:28shoppers more money. Sure, there's the Instacart delivery fee, which customers have come to
02:33expect. On top of that, Aldi says that some products may be more expensive when purchasing
02:37them on Instacart versus in-store. Aldi doesn't say much about why this is the case, other
02:41than to cover the cost of personal shopping from order to order.
02:45While it makes sense you'll be paying to have someone do your shopping for you, you might
02:49find it worth it not to have to go out in public.
02:52I love this sunscreen, and I love this sunscreen. But I do not love the living.
02:59Still, you might also end up spending extra money on bags when ordering delivery. Aldi
03:05does not waive those bag fees even for Instacart couriers, and you could have that cost passed
03:10on to you depending on where you are. According to shoppers who have used the service, Instacart
03:14notes on its website that,
03:16"...a bag fee may be added to your final total if required by law or the retailer.
03:20The fee will be visible on your receipt after delivery."
03:24Speaking of shopping bags, Aldi inevitably ends up making more money off customers every
03:28day because of its well-known shopping bag policy. The company encourages shoppers to
03:32bring their own bags when shopping because it's more environmentally friendly and helps
03:36cut down on waste, as well as cutting down on costs for the store.
03:40But at the same time, Aldi also makes it really easy and convenient for customers to buy shopping
03:44bags right there at the register. The company offers plastic, paper, and more durable, reusable
03:49bags ranging in price. Whether you forgot to grab your shopping bags for a last-minute
03:53grocery run or you just can't be bothered to lug your cart full of stuff home unbagged,
03:58Aldi has got you covered for a price.
04:01Another way Aldi gets shoppers to spend a little more in the store is by only offering
04:05certain items in bulk quantities. Some of Aldi's goods, including a lot of their fruits
04:10and vegetables, are sold in bulk packaging. That means if you want to pick up some apples
04:14or oranges for the week, you might not be able to buy just one or two of each. You have
04:18to buy a whole bag of them. Depending on what you need, that could add some extra costs.
04:22Items like potatoes and onions specifically only come in two- or five-pound bags, which
04:27is a lot. Do you really use more than one or two onions in a week?
04:31Most of us know what it's like to browse the grocery store aisles on a weekly shopping
04:35run and end up coming home with a few extra items that caught our eye. Aldi capitalizes
04:39on this tendency with a strategic store design that helps to maximize your shopping experience
04:44while encouraging you to browse every aisle, hopefully finding more products to buy along
04:48the way.
04:49When you walk into most grocery stores, one of the first things you see is the produce
04:53section. At most Aldi stores, you'll instead find pantry items in the front, with produce
04:58stocked at the back, along with bread. Aldi says the reason for their layout is to help
05:02customers keep delicate items on top so that they won't get damaged by sturdier items in
05:08But it also means that you'll have to make your way through the whole store even if you
05:11only need to pick up some apples and a loaf of bread.
05:14Stores also tend to put the Aldi Finds section in the center of the stores. Aldi reportedly
05:19says this helps improve customer flow to avoid crowds. Less crowding makes it easier to browse
05:23the towering displays of limited-time specialty items while also having to make your way through
05:28the other aisles, all in the hopes of making some seriously happy and slightly less rich
05:32customers.