Shop 'Til You Drop - from Mental_Floss enewsletter

With all the hubbub over mental_floss’ free shipping, we figured we’d give you some free shopping facts to go along with it. Enjoy!

:: Americans walk the way they drive – on the right. You’ll notice that most malls and airports are designed so that gift shops and clothing stores are on the right side as you enter, and food courts are on the left. Studies have shown that shoppers will cross the line of pedestrian traffic to eat, but not to browse or make an impulse buy.

:: Rowland Hussey Macy opened his first store on the corner of 14th and Sixth in New York City in 1858. He introduced several new practices that revolutionized the retail industry, including a “same price for every customer” (no haggling) policy, listing his final prices in newspaper advertisements. In December 1870, Macy’s became the first store to host an in-house appearance by a special guest would go on to play an important part in retail sales: Santa Claus.

:: Men look up when browsing, women look down. Retailers know that men don’t comparison shop as much as women do, so they’ll stock their higher-priced brand name products on the upper shelves, and the less expensive store-brands at eye-level. Men are notorious impulse buyers, and men shopping with their children are even more so. They are more inclined to toss an item Junior has plucked off a shelf into the basket rather than start an argument and risk a tantrum.

:: James Cash Penney originally called his chain of retail stores The Golden Rule as a nod to both his devout upbringing (his father was a minister) and his overall philosophy of life. Penney emphasized customer service above all else. He made a point of remembering the names of his regular customers, as well as their sizes and style preferences. When World War I broke out, he paid those J.C. Penney employees who left the company to serve in the armed forces or the Red Cross a monthly salary while they were gone.