Supermarkets

Today, supermarkets are found in almost every large city in the world. But the first supermarket was opened only fifty years ago. It was opened in New York by a man named Michael Cullen.

A supermarket is different from other types of stores in several ways. In supermarkets, goods are placed on open shelves. The customers choose what they want and take them to the checkout counter. This means that fewer employees are required than in other stores.

The way products are displayed is another difference between supermarkets and many other types of stores. For example, in supermarkets, there is usually a display of small inexpensive items just in front of the checkout counter: candies, chocolate, magazines, cheap books and so on. Why are they there?

Most customers who go to a supermarket buy from a shopping list. They know exactly what they need to buy. They shop according to a plan. By the time he or she reaches the checkout counter, the customer is feeling pleased and relaxed because the task of shopping is finished. In this happy mood, the customer sees an attractive display of inexpensive goods that were not on her shopping list. Now she feels like buying something just for her own pleasure and enjoyment. Many customers buy from these displays of products near the checkout counter. And this is exactly what the owner of the supermarket hopes they will do.

Another important fact in helping a customer choose what to buy is where a product is placed on a shelf. A product that is placed at eye level on a shelf sells much better than one which is placed on a lower or higher shelf. A product which is easy to see sells best. Manufacturers pay a higher price to have their products placed at eye level on the shelves.

The comfort and convenience of shopping centers is another factor which makes them popular with customers. Large parking spaces are provided, and many supermarkets stay open very late at night.