Andrew
Consumer Watch with Cresencia Marjorie Chiremba
If you have the money to self-indulge, then why not?
We all want to feel good time and again.
For example, there isn’t anything wrong with treating yourself to an expensive hearty meal or buying yourself that trending nice pair of jeans as a way of boosting that much-needed self-confidence.
After my installment last week, a lot of people agreed that shopping can indeed melt away some sadness.
But wait … is it always the case that shopping can be satisfying?
Unfortunately, we do not always get that much-needed long-lasting satisfaction when we do an emotionally induced shopping.
The satisfaction is usually short-lived and can be followed by feelings of guilty or regret.
After all, not all life’s problems can be solved by spending money.
Needless shopping has some habit-forming elements that if not managed well can become addictive.
Shopping addicts are fond of shopping sprees that can blow up a fortune within minutes – all in the name of retail therapy.
Their shopping comprises of simple groceries, clothes, latest gadgets and cosmetics.
It can even stretch to high-value items like cars and houses.
Can one, therefore, really get some soothing from emotional shopping?
Research shows this is not always the case.
Imagine a throbbing hangover after a drinking binge: that is exactly how bad shopping therapy can be.
Different people use retail therapy for different reasons.
For some it is a coping mechanism, while for others it is used to relieve stressful situations.
The bliss and glamour associated with shopping can also cause headaches.
When one goes shopping, this can be uplifting, but the satisfaction soon dissipates once the experience is over.
Actually chances are they are likely to end up with more stress from splurging on products or services that they may not really have purchased in normal circumstances.
As humans, our lives go through many twists and turns, like deaths, relationship failures, job losses, among others.
Retail therapy can sometimes be used as a coping tool by some people.
Instead of the customer confronting the situation head-on, they might prefer to distract themselves through shopping therapy.
However, shopping just temporarily buries the troubling situation under a couple of receipts just for a while.
Nonetheless, the more they try to avoid confronting the situation, the more it will be problematic to deal with later.
It is like someone who gets retrenched, goes to the pub and spends all his money on beer.
In his mind drinking beer will drown his sorrows and make him feel better.
This is actually absurd. Shopping is expensive.
Most customers who seek healing through shopping usually end up as shopaholics.
Shopping has never been cheap; a lot is involved when one decides to do it and this includes money and emotions.
Some customers spend a fortune on products or services that they will use only for a limited time or never use at all.
This is because once something new or better is on the market they quickly move over to the new products and throw away the old.
The overenthusiasm of buying the latest trending goods and services may result in some customers plunging into debt.
Shopping at the slightest mood swing may have a negative effect on finances as customers end up going off budget, and this is common in cases where no extra income is available to supplement the unplanned shopping lifestyle.
Spending ridiculously should always be a big no for customers as this will always haunt them when their bank balances hit a negative.
Research has proved that retail therapy only works for those feeling sad, but it never works as a remedy for anger.
It is always a slippery slope that often results in overspending.
Customers also end up feeling anxious, guilty or even remorseful.
There is a likelihood that some customers end up with a compulsive shopping habit. This habit involves being unable to control their shopping, desire to always shop over time and buying things that are not needed.
Customers who exhibit such traits usually do not show others what they would have purchased and often lie about the money they would have spent.
Nonetheless, it is not shameful to do retail therapy after having a rough day, but it must be done in moderation.
Overall, you must know your financial limits and enjoy life.
Cresencia Marjorie Chiremba is a marketing enthusiast with a strong passion for customer service. For comments and suggestions, she can be reached on [email protected] or on 0712 979 461
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