Shopping: Is it better to be impulsive, or frugal?

The Duration of Time Between An Impulse Buy and Talking Yourself Out Of It
Please note that this entire post is meant to be a joke, a satire, and most importantly for fun. Do not take this seriously.

We have all experienced this phenomenon when out shopping.  We come across something that just happens to catch our eyes. We know in the deep recesses of our minds that wanting such item is wrong and probably not practical whatsoever, yet... a part of us, the impulsive part of our brain yearns to purchase it.

I'm here to explore the time between the initial impulsive want of an item up until the time when the logical side of our brain takes over and gives us many reasons not to buy said item, in a sense, 'talking ourselves out of it.'

I have a theory that there are various stages in which we develop different thought processes that guide our actions.  Let's go through them now:


Stage 1: The Impulsive Want

This is where we first see the item in question that we want, love, and need to have! It could be anything, but for the purposes of this investigation let's say it's a hoodie (yes I'm using my own experience here!). The hoodie in question is from a nice store, has a well known brand name, and even a sports logo on it (ooh!). Right away this becomes attractive, but why?

Are these things truly status symbols that attract our attention to these objects over other, more common and plain clothes? Most of us would like to believe that we aren't conforming brand obsessed members of society, but sadly, it seems that this can sometimes be a factor. I'm pretty immune to brand names and such and don't really care to show off designer labels or anything. However, anyone can fall into this marketing ploy that the media uses to make us feel special.

Stage 2: Reasons We Give Ourselves For Needing to Buy The Item (A.K.A - Justification)

Various questions usually arise when we enter this stage. We have seen the item, it appeals to us, and now we need to explain to ourselves why it would be necessary to own such item.  I look at the hoodie and think a couple of things:
Will this make me feel a) pretty b) special c) better than how I am right now? Check!
How will other people view me? Answer: With total envy! They'll wish they had this hoodie!

These are just a few examples of the feelings that might get processed through our brain at this stage. Most of them involve quite conceited thoughts and superficial outcomes and expectations, nevertheless, we are still blinded beyond reason and set upon our goal of purchasing this item.

Interestingly, some people stop at this stage and never make it to the final stage which we'll cover shortly.  These people will have taken their purchase to the checkout, happy as a clam. There is also an 86% chance that on their way to the checkout they will find another item that is NECESSARY to their well-being. This may not be entirely true, but to the impulsive buyer, it is.


Stage 3: Emergence of Logic

This is a stage that many of us are familiar with although we may not always pinpoint exactly when it begins in our thought process.  At this point, our logical, more practical side starts to take over and considers something called Consequences. Oh no!

We begin to ask ourself meaningful questiong like the following:
Do I really like this?
Will this really make me happy for a long term?
Will I use this?

and the big one... DO I NEED THIS?
Need. This single word can be a gamechanger in the world of shopping.  If we didn't consider if we truly needed everything we saw whilst shopping our houses would probably be stocked full of useless junk. The population would be overrun with hoarders!


Stage 4: The Period in Which We Ponder Whether or Not to Purchase the Item

At this point, the majority of us would hang the hoodie back on the rack, possibly after even going so far as to try the item in question on... multiple times. We walk away, looking at other things throughout the store, but really, we're not focused on anything else. In our minds, we are still pondering whether or not to go back and get that hoodie.

If we are shopping with another person, we may use this period to question the other's opinion about the necessity of the item. This puts the fellow shopper in a difficult position. They have the power to sway us either way.

The crucial component that leads to our final purchase may sound something like this:
"Well, you know you won't find it again." OR "They won't have it in your size if you come back"

They also might bring up the issue of the item's price. "Is it worth it?"


Stage 5: The Decision

Here is where we go one of two ways.

1) We purchase the item.
This most likely leads to happiness, but later might bring up feelings of regret. If the feelings of regret exceed the feelings of happiness, we might even return the item.
There are also extra factors that are taken into consideration before purchase like:

• the proper size of the item and whether or not shrinkage will occur
• if more than one color scheme is available, which one will look the best (this can be dangerous because if we can't make up our minds here, we might purchase two, in different colors!)
• discounts, deals, sales, and coupons

But these topics are too in depth to discuss here. They require even more analysis that I cannot possibly go into right now.

2) We put the item back.
This is a sad outcome for most of us to endure. We put the item back on the rack, concluding that our needs do not exceed our want. This usually occurs in the more frugal shoppers, and some might argue, wiser shoppers.

The logical, practical side of our brain has won, yet our heart yearns to possess the item. This will pass, but for quite a while, we might reminisce about the item, possibly bringing it up in casual conversation with others.


The Importance of Understanding Your Shopping Habits:By reading this guide, I hope you will take away some new insight as to shopping according to your needs vs. wants. Many of us are never in the right frame of mind as soon as we set our eyes upon something we desire. For the lucky ones, we have a friend with us that can talk us out of a horrible impulse buy, but for many solo shoppers, this is a recurring problem.

Just remember, think it through, be practical, but don't always talk yourself out of buying things you really want. Everyone can splurge now and then (the key words here being now and then)!
Shop in moderation and you'll be fine.

And especially don't forget to- Ooh, is that on sale??

Stephanie, WWT