I went to Target for one thing and came out with 8 items I didn't need, and retail experts say I'm not alone

With no Dollar Spot to browse, I went directly to the section where I thought I'd find laundry detergent. It turned out to be only personal care items, but while I was there I picked up shampoo and conditioner, shaving cream, deodorant and Q-tips. It's good to stock up, and I was running low on everything but the deodorant.

"Everyday, basic items are best housed toward the rear of the store. You want shoppers to have to walk through promotional items to get there. The end features house the best deals, and because they are at the end of every aisle, you can't miss them," Bender said.

The Tide Pods were on sale, and sure enough, I found them conveniently placed on the end of the household supplies aisle. I had checked off the one item on my shopping list, but obviously I wasn't going to leave without scanning the other, more "fun" sections.

I made it through the shoes without adding anything to my cart. Less surprisingly, I then headed for the clothes. I didn't end up buying this shirt, which I kind of regret. But it shows just how much people love Target.

"We've talked about the Target Syndrome for years: You come in for one item but leave with a cart full of things you hadn't intended to buy," Bender said.

"Store layout, signing, and creative displays work together to encourage shoppers to buy things they didn’t realize they needed until they got there. Layouts are designed to move you easily throughout the store," Bender said.

This location had a huge clearance clothing section. I spent half an hour looking through the racks and headed to the dressing room with twice the amount of allowed items.

I ended up with four pieces I wanted to buy: two summer dresses, a cute top, and a casual tank top with the words "making pour decisions," with the first "I" shaped like a glass of wine. It was a little on-the-nose, given the circumstances.

More than an hour and a half after I got there, I checked out with nine items in my basket: the Tide Pods, four toiletry items, and four items of clothing. I've definitely left Target with more products that were far less practical in the past. All the same, my intended $11.99 purchase turned into a spending spree with a grand total of $94.