My name is Alex and I have a confession to make. I, a retail industry veteran of over 40 years, have succumbed to the siren song of Aldi’s “aisle of shame”. Every Wednesday, I find myself irresistibly drawn to my local Aldi, eager to peruse the tantalizing treasures that await in that notorious center aisle.

Cleverly stocked with an ever-changing array of seasonally-relevant, heavily-discounted items, from garden gnomes to pet sweaters to power tools, this aisle is a masterstroke of retail strategy. Aldi’s trend spotters manage to serve up exactly what I didn’t even know I badly needed each week at prices I can’t resist.

Before I know it, my cart is filled with aisle of shame impulse buys, alongside the deeply discounted staples that lured me in originally. Milk, eggs, olive oil – got it. But also a patio set, new sneakers, and yes, a garden gnome.

I know I’m not alone in my gleeful Wednesday pilgrimages to the altar of Aldi. Millions of my fellow “Aisle of Shame” devotees will attest to the thrill. Aldi has us hooked, and I suspect, laughing all the way to the bank. Well played, Aldi, well played.

Aldi skillfully uses the center aisle to drive impulse purchases and store visits with its carefully curated, limited-time treasures. By tapping into shoppers’ love of a good deal and their fear of missing out, they’ve turned grocery shopping from a chore into a adventure.

Aldi is cleverly using behavioral psychology to boost their store visitations,even the savviest retail experts can fall under the spell of a well-executed merchandising strategy.

I am not alone.