Retail therapy, a real thing

You’ve probably heard that going shopping makes people feel better. Or maybe you’ve even felt it, thinking that it was something that only happens to you. But you are wrong. The idea that shopping makes people feel better – or that shopping helps reduce sadness or stress is real. This was demonstrated in a study published in the Journal of Psychology and Marketing where they found that 62 percent of shoppers had purchased something to cheer themselves up, while another 28 percent had purchased as a form of celebration.

It’s curious that something that feels so natural – like deciding to go shopping with your girl friends after a break up or a bad day – has a reason to be. But this is not the only study that confirms it. And, what is more interesting, this doesn’t only apply to women. A national survey conducted by TNS Global on behalf of Ebates.com found that more than half (51.8%) of Americans shop and spend money to improve their mood, including 63.9% of women and 39.8% of men.

So what does this mean for consumers? Understanding these shopping behaviors gives consumers the opportunity to take precautions whenever they feel like using “retail therapy”. For example, if you need that moment of “therapy”, shop for something that you needed before feeling sad or stressed – a replacement for that broken lamp, a pair of gloves for that skying trip that is coming up, or even the ingredients to bake a cake for your mom’s birthday. You get it, right? Just think about something that is for sure not going to be a regret when you start feeling better.