Most people are familiar with the experience of buying unnecessary items on impulse, perhaps tempted by a "limited offer" display in a supermarket or lured by a salesperson's persuasive pitch. Savvy businesses employ a variety of marketing techniques that are designed to stimulate desires latent in the consumer's unconscious mind. Oricom, an advertising agency, recently issued a report explaining such marketing mechanisms which are based on neuroscientific research.

According to the report, distributors use science to calculate even where to display their goods. For example, target items are often placed on the right-hand side of a store entrance because people tend to unconsciously move and look toward the right. Similarly, items placed around 150 to 170-cm from the floor, the most reachable range for most consumers, are likely to be high-profit products.

Color is also an important tool for marketers. Items marked with red price tags make people feel those are cheaper because red is an eye-catching color. Shoppers should also be aware of certain phrases such as "limited edition," "buy one get one free," or "imited offer" as these are highly effective in stimulating impulse buying.

There is a good reason why stores play slow music -- businesses have found that it can slow the pace at which shoppers walk, thereby prolonging their stay in the store and maximizing sales.

"There are countless numbers of marketing strategies that seek to lure consumers into buying things without thinking," said Heo Woong, head of Oricom. "Consumers should be aware of such strategies so that they can spend their money wisely."