[walledstance]

> “Anyone here have any anecdotes where you had that same experience?”

I actively engage with strangers in public. I do so in ways that match our current activities. What this looks like: Last week I was grocery shopping in the freezer section. The place I pick up tortellinis from had moved them, so me and another person were searching through the freezer cabinets. After a fruitless moment I asked them what they were looking for in the hopes during their search they had spotted the tortellinis’ new location. They mentioned they were also on a hunt for tortellini. I mentioned to them in passing that when a store moves something a note or something similar would be helpful to tell shoppers the new location for the item. We then continued talking about shopping experiences at other places, and some how wound up talking about our favorite dishes. In the end my new shopping acquaintance found the tortellinis and asked me how many bags I wanted.

Most experiences occur in shared events, such as standing in line for something, waiting after for an order to be fulfilled, or simply overhearing a conversation in a shopping center and commenting about my experience on what they mentioned. All these interactions, from my recent memory, have been positive.

I like speaking to strangers. I feel uplifted and I depart conversations feeling like I participated in something societal. At the base, speaking to strangers has also taught me a crap load of stuff too. Examples: how to hang a nearly squirrel proof bird feeder, how to cook lamb better, how to wire a lamp, where good restaurants are, how to put a post in the ground more securely but with less concrete, etc.

And, yes, I like humanity more because I talk to strangers. I see my appreciation for others happen when I become angry at people. I find myself asking “well they’re doing this for a reason, I just haven’t asked them their reason, yet.”

[krisoft]

Very good points on the benefits of talking to strangers. :)

A total aside on the tortellini pointer idea:

> when a store moves something a note or something similar would be helpful to tell shoppers the new location for the item

This is a complete misunderstanding of why the stores move items. :)

https://bettermarketing.pub/the-secret-brilliant-and-questio...

"Supermarkets relocate their products around the store to make sure their customers get lost. As they struggle to find what they came in to buy, customers can’t help it but scan the freshly-redesigned shelves. That’s when the marketing magic happens.

[...]

That’s how you end up with three additional products you didn’t even think about before stepping in the shop. Your active search for pasta made you notice other merchandise and buy some of it.

In short, rearranging the store makes you spend more money — enough money for supermarkets to invest in this technique on a regular basis."

If they would want you to not get lost looking for tortellinis they could just leave them where they were. Heck there could be a tacit understanding between every shop to use the same schema and then you could just go in, grab and get out.

It would just result them earning less money. That is why they don't do it.

[wincy]

I’m glad I’ve started using online pickup. The only annoying thing is sometimes they give me a marketing goodie bag with various food stuff samples (usually high calorie almost candy snacks like some new granola bar) in it. I used to open it but now I throw it in the garbage without looking. I didn’t consent to them trying to get me to eat more stuff I don’t need.

[tboughen]

Maybe. I’d like to see the research that says this effect is greater than the impact of consumers switching elsewhere in frustration. Especially in the current age of increasing availability of online grocery shopping.

[dinvlad]

It seems there would be a trade-off with folks going faster through checkouts, but I guess that benefit only extends to busy stores.

[samstave]

I really like your post,

I am extremely adept at talking to strangers, and I think its fn great to be able to chat-up a stranger and get to know them. it builds humanity and CO-munity.

I learn so much from others and I have a profound skill for just meeting a random and then being able to relate to them. most people are really surprised at my breadth of knowledge - and the thing is my breadth of knowledge is DUE to the fact that I chat so many people up to know them.

I thrive off talking to randoms.

EDIT: im lucky that I also have a good street smarts and I know what strangers to avoid