The Gruen Transfer

The Gruen Transfer refers to the psychological effect experienced by shoppers upon entering a retail environment, leading to increased impulse buying due to disorientation and distraction. This disorientation is intentional, designed to make shoppers lose track of time and space, potentially leading to increased impulse buying.

Victor Gruen, an Austrian architect known as the "father of the shopping mall," is often associated with this concept. He designed some of the first shopping malls in the mid-20th century, and the term "Gruen Transfer" was later coined to describe the psychological impact of entering these deliberately disorienting consumer spaces.