It’s bloody brilliant.

Uh.

I mean I hate it.

It’s one of my nemesis. Every time I head into a Target store, I give the $1 Spot a good hard stare. Show it who’s boss and all.

But seriously, when I first saw it awhile back, I was blown away at how effective the $1 Spot in Target was. It’s the ultimate “I don’t need it but it’s cheap so I’ll buy it” strategy.

If you pay attention to the Targets in your region, you’ll notice that the $1 Spot has a lot of depth behind it. At first glance it may look like just a messy pile of discounted items – but don’t let that deceive you.

The items scattered in the $1 Spot are organized mess. That is, they purposely made it look like that. It gives a neat “treasure hunt” effect to shopping. People will dig through the items, hoping to find a “bargain.”

“Hey look what I found!” exclaims one victim shopper.

“Oh wow, I can’t believe they have that for only $1!” says another.

And where’s the check-out aisle? Yup, right next to the $1 Spot.

As mentioned, upon closer inspection, you’ll also notice that each Target in your region may be carrying different items in the $1 section. Simple reason is to effectively gauge how well a certain type of product may sell in a particular area. They throw in a different product mix and see how well it’ll do in a particular week. Eventually, they’ll be able to dump the right products in the $1 Spot with the right quantity.

The products offered are carefully selected too. They’re generally those things that you don’t need at the moment, but might need later on in the future. Office supplies are a great example. Notebooks, pens, and pencils for $1? Don’t need them? Already have them? Who cares, they’re cheap, grab them now because you might need them later.

Never mind the fact that a pack of pens and pencils further down the aisle will be of comparable price (or cheaper).

Discounted price strategy may not be anything new, but among the things mentioned, the $1 Spot utilize atmospheric strategy too. It gives a lot of effect to the entire shopping experience. If you found something you need for such a low price, it might have made you feel a bit better. It might make you want to shop more. Even better, since its a dedicated, localized section, it doesn’t affect the rest of the store’s atmosphere. The bargain store feel should be in that section, and that section only.

Let’s not forget the placement. Where do you first see the $1 Spot? Right when you walk in. It’s the first thing you see when you enter, and the last thing you see when you leave.

Every time I go to Target with another person, I’ll hear “Ooh, the $1 Spot. Hold on, let me see if I can find something.”

Bloody brilliant, I tell ya.