Sneak things into customers’ shopping without being noticed!
It’s a long day, you and your colleagues need something to keep you going, so how about a bit of reverse shoplifting for a harmless laugh.
You can target the same customer for their whole shop, or spread the risk among multiple. But the goal remains the same - quietly give them an extra item or two and see how long it takes them to realise.
Start small:
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Try a gift card like an Amazon voucher. They’re always on the end of an aisle so your customer might just think they knocked it off on the way round.
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A bottle of water is always good. Very plausible to any customer that they picked that up and just forgot. Most people don’t hydrate enough.
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A Freddo. Everyone loves a Freddo. Who would be angry if they accidentally ended up with a Freddo?
From there build up to something more substantial:
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Box of tissues
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Can of soup
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Six pack of Wotsits
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Loaf of bread
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Random t-shirt
Then you’re on to the big hitters:
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Multi-pack of toilet rolls
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Watermelon
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Bag of cat litter
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Suitcase
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Paddling pool
Remember that the customer will not actually be forced to pay for anything they don’t want so if you did manage to get a TV in the trolley, they can always put it back.
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Do:
Go for size
Go for quantity
Go for obscure
Go for risky
Go for funny
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Don’t:
Include medicine
Include alcohol
Include nuts
Include raw chicken
Include a knife
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Basket abandoners will be the easiest prey. You know, the ones who leave their basket in the middle of an aisle or in front of a door and get angry if you move it even though if you left a box of something on the floor and they tripped over it there would be a lawsuit. Drop away as you walk past.
Mostly you will have to wait until the customer is distracted to make your move. Once you’ve got a few drops down, here are some more advanced challenges:
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The Drive-By
The customer has to be in motion with their trolley or basket
The Fully Loaded
Get everyone in the shop to have one of the same item at the same time
The Swap
Replace their beloved copy of Daily Mail with The Guardian (or vice versa)
The Rediscovery
They picked up a packet of soup, you gave them an extra, they wonder why they’ve got two soups and put one back, you put another soup in, they are convinced they put a soup back, you put three more in, they are very very confused
The Tiny Helper
If you can get past their Peppa Pig playing tablet, enlist the help of small child to give you a hand. Pass them a few items and listen to Look with your eyes not your hands.
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Remember, if you ever do get caught putting something in someone’s trolley and are challenged on it, just pretend you thought they were someone who just asked you for that item and you found it. Then simply take the item back and wander off looking for your lost customer. After all, who would be putting random items into people’s shopping? It’s not big and it’s not clever and it’s in no way funny.
Follow these tips and by the end of the day you and your workmates should have had a good laugh watching someone decanting their cart onto a convey belt and being confused when they unload a Disney princess birthday card, eight jars of Vaseline, and the latest Freida McFadden.
