Click for candy: How online retailers boost impulse buys

NEW YORK (AP) — Supermarket layouts are carefully calibrated to tempt people into impulsive purchases, and now food makers are trying to adapt their strategies as people do more of their shopping online.

Part of the worry for companies is that shoppers won't get to see their products as they would at a store, where people often decide they want an item only after walking past it on shelves or in displays .

People who might be searching for dinner ideas could see promotions for recipes or preparation tips.

[...] if someone was shopping for chicken on Amazon Fresh, the company said a video for tacos recipes with its Old El Paso products might pop up in an area that suggests additional items.

The company said it was a way to test and learn about ways to expand sales online, with grocery shopping increasingly becoming about "meal inspiration."

Candy and cookie makers are trying to tap into people's impulsive tendencies online the same way they do in stores.

Offering the right packages helps ensure the product is purchased frequently, the company said, which turn helps it move up in the search rankings on sites.