Quote Originally Posted by adrianh View Post
This is very true. I used to sell a lot on Bid or Buy. When a product is put onto BoB as a "Buy Now" (meaning you can get it whenever you want) people simply don't buy the product. Yet, if you put the same product on as an "Auction" with a very short time frame then it sells. Also, products put on with shorter Auction cut-offs are more likely to sell than items put on with long run times - I think it might be because when the customer sees the item as short-cut off they react immediately rhather than think they can go back later (and probably forget to do so)

As an aside: The stuff placed on the counter right at the till is known as "Koop en loop" in the industry..... those ultra expensive, mostly rubbish products that you grab and add to your purchase without thinking. My daughters and I found that some products cost twice as much as the equivalent product placed on a normal shelf. The "forced 20m sweetie isle" that we are herded through like cattle is a long drawn out "Koop en loop" trap!
Impulsive buying is encouraged by retailers. The display and placing of products is an art on its own and merchandisers fight to get the best position or eye level shelves. That is why the highest turnover items are always placed at the back of the store and the slow movers in front.