Apparently, there’s a science to the way we shop. Consumer Research has been digging into what we’re purchasing and how much we like to talk about our shopping sprees. Surprisingly, we don’t like to boast about our own purchases, which can be considered a good thing since we’re staying humble. But what are some things that this study found about our shopping habits that need serious improvement.
The first habit is called “binge shopping” and is pretty similar to binge drinking. No matter what socioeconomic level, consumers seem to get a “high” when making one purchase, so they’re more likely to make multiple purchases in rapid succession. Even for things we don’t need, there’s a risk of binge shopping. Every socioeconomic class has this problem, and its why we don’t talk about our latest purchases. There’s a lot of guilt associated with the aftermath, not because we regret the purchases, but because we fear the financial insecurity that is to come from overspending on amenities. This “financial constraint” makes us feel as though we cannot purchase items we want due to a lack of money. However, when you’re feeling rebellious or risky, you may want to defy that feeling and go on a binge for all the things you’ve always wanted.
The second habit is actually related to binge drinking, and it’s called “drunk binge shopping.” From 2017 to 2018, customers have doubled the amount of purchases they have made while heavily intoxicated. An estimated $30 billion is spent by adults in the U.S. on drunk purchases due to their lack of restraint while in an altered state. It may just seem to irresistible in the moment to pass up the deal, but it’s sure to be a regrettable decision in the morning when you wake up to a drained bank account.
Habits take days to form but weeks to break, so make sure you aren’t partaking in these two shopping habits, and if you are, start trying to break them now.
