YakShaving

I took this picture of the shelf (I guess that’s all you can really call it) while standing in the queue at Trader Joe’s. For the uninitiated, Trader Joe’s is a fabulous grocery store for people who want Whole Foods variety without the exorbitant price tag. sidenote: this is how I end up having spicy dried mango at my desk in case you wondered.

I don’t work for TJ’s, but I have started shopping there (going out of my way to walk there in the Chicago winter and carry my groceries back in several sustainable cloth sacks, I might add).

Being a downtown location, I assume most people shop in small quantities on a frequent basis. And, my dear watson, that must be why they have a teeny tiny shelf instead of the massive conveyor belt you’d see at most grocery stores (ahem, Jewel).

you: OK, sherlock. Great observation, what’s the insight?

I’m getting to it, relax. I don’t know about TJ’s other locations, but what kind of grocery store would make it harder for you to buy a greater quantity of stuff? That seems weird, but maybe it’s intentional. I’ve noticed that Trader Joe’s vegetables and fruits don’t last as long as Whole Foods or Jewel’s. Maybe, the store managers expect that people will come more frequently and buy fresh produce. Maybe they’re trying to change consumer behavior altogether. Eat less, but eat better and buy fresh food. Only at Trader Joe’s. Using design to change behaviors (as opposed to making products/services/experiences designed for a particular behavior) is interesting to me. Now, I wonder if this translates into more sales.

What other sorts of businesses might artificially temper or control the buying patterns of their consumers through such a signal? Hmm..

As a sidenote, because of the inconveniently small shelf, the blueberries spilled all over the floor as you see in the picture here. And no, I didn’t knock them off. I know I’m clumsy but not that clumsy. I’m sure it happens all the time. Not often enough to switch to conveyor belts though.