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Store checkout counter |
(Scroll down for video) Smartphones are effecting sales at many retail stores.
Sales of magazines fell 8.2 percent this year, while the sales chewing gum fell 5.5 percent, according press reports.
While waiting at checkout lines at supermarkets people tend to get bored and sometimes restless. In the past, the boredom led people to grab a magazine or a pack of gum, which the store strategically placed next to the checkout counter.
Today, people browse their smartphones instead. Companies and stores who relied on impulse buying are seeing a decrease in sales.
Companies and store owners are working to find a way to recapture the attention of consumers. Some products are moved to different locations to where people still focus on their shopping instead of their smartphones, while others send discount offers through text message.
While store owners are looking for ways to get your attention back, shoppers are actually saving money by refraining from impulse buying.