Pop-ups? In real life?!

Do you ever feel like you’ve got a target painted to your chest? You should. In fact, you should feel like the Predator is lurking with his nifty tri-laser targeting system homing in on you and his thermals enabled to determine the exact location of your wallet at a distance.

Ok, that example might be rather extreme, but it still applies. You might think that the internet is the only place that you’ll be assaulted by advertising and marketing without asking, but that’s not always the case. From your local coffee shop offering you CD’s when you stop in for a cup of joe to that telemarketer with a filing cabinet full of offers to pitch you before they let you off the phone. We’ve all been exposed to what I consider the “real-life pop-up”.

You walk into the music store for a CD, you reach the counter, and a flurry of CD wallets, cleaning kits, $5 down pre-sales and anything the store’s head office might think you want to suddenly “Pop-up” before your very eyes.

It’s called “up-selling”, the definition, bundling every possible item into the purchase to ensure the highest possible ticket for every sale. I used to get terse with the cashier over this, but the reality is, in most cases, the employee could be fired for not pestering you about these arbitrary items.

“Not up-selling is like letting money walk out the door!” Is even part of some business owners mantra.

Right!

God forbid customers walk out of the store with some money left to do things like pay bills or buy groceries. Remember when companies were grateful to get your business without taking you for everything you own?

There is good news, however. The only tactic that you need to combat this form of manipulation is awareness…sometimes a clever salesperson can up-sell you hundreds of dollars in merchandise and you’ll never know it…I know this because I’ve done it. And believe me, it adds up fast.

When you go out, know what you need. This might sound simple, but it’s incredible how easily a fast-talking salesperson can make you lose your inhibitions. Ask yourself “Do I really need it?”

Most of the time, you’ll find if it’s not what you came for, you won’t miss it when you get home.

Not to say all salespeople and retail associates are evil denizens of “The Man”. Some are genuinely excited by a new product or service and want to share it with you. And you should listen. Not all sales tactics are deceitful manipulation. You could actually save money

But it’s better you learn to be aware of which ones are and avoid these real-life “Pop-ups” and just “close them” before they start and save yourself some time and money in the process.

What about you? Can you think of a time that you experienced a “Real Life Pop-Up” and “clicked?” Let us know your story in the comments.