I recently read an article about shopping (on Medscape.com) and the psychology of consumption that I think is very relevant to life in our modern world. The article was an interview with consumer psychologist Kit Yarrow, PhD., who talks about the neuropsychological influences of shopping. As the holiday season commences and shopping is a fact of life for many of us, I think the points she makes are important to keep in mind.
Dr. Yarrow specializes in the study of consumers and the psychology behind shopping, and she has published her findings in a recent book entitled “Decoding the Consumer Mind”. (Available here on Barnes & Noble).
One of the most important points Dr. Yarrow makes is this one:
The motivation for almost everything we buy has something to do with connecting with other human beings. Even when it comes to practical purchases, the particular brand or product we choose relates to our connections with other human beings.
She goes on to say that there has been a shift in our society towards loneliness, anxiety, societal anger and individualism… all emotions which are relieved in the shopping process. She says that as a society, we have more anxiety and less support from our community. This creates an environment of anxiety when we are shopping, and in that type of environment, we process information differently. People tend to start from a position of mistrust, and the vendor has to do more than ever before to win our loyalty and attention.
Dr. Yarrow goes on to say that we tend to use shopping as a way to calm our anxiety and prepare for events. As we shop, we visualize our future with the product we are shopping for and this is almost like an athlete who is visualizing to enhance his or her performance. She says that shopping is also a way to express creativity. When we shop online, it’s a way to take a break from our everyday world as well.
And then there is the hunt for bargains. Dr. Yarrow validates that there is a dopamine spike… a pleasurable experience… that comes from shopping and finding a bargain. That can account for the addictive quality that some people feel with shopping.
When asked about the Black Friday shopping phenomenon, she says there are some people that see shopping almost as a competitive sport and go out looking for the fabulous bargain. But most people, she says, are either using shopping as a way to connect with family (it’s a tradition to go shopping together), or if they are alone, it’s a way to get out and connect with other people.
Dr. Yarrow points out that in a Black Friday shopping situation, the stress and excitement put the shopper in a vulnerable position due to “the autonomic nervous system arousal that accompanies being in crowded, stressful places or experiencing a fear of missing out.” She always encourages people to wait 20 minutes before they buy something, allowing their brain to re-engage and their emotions to subside.
Vendors are wise in the ways of attraction and how the brain works these days. They use odors, music and symbolic clues to attract the buyer and get them to make a purchase. They know that people are more likely to buy something if they can touch it, or that people tend to buy things in the center of a display. They have lots of information at their disposal about the way the human brain and emotions work.
Consumers think they are immune to these tactics, but few people are. It is good to know that the color red symbolizes “Sale”, or that something set apart means it is “expensive and special”. Despite that, it is difficult to combat these strategies when you are shopping.
Dr. Yarrow also says that the availability of online shopping has changed some things. Consumers have a trust issue, and overly talkative or chatty sellers do not do well with buyers. Avoiding the influence of a salesperson is one of the reasons people shop online, in fact. Buyers want help when they want help, and not a moment earlier. Providing that help in a timely manner is a current struggle for retailers.
As for the differences between men and women, Dr. Yarrow says that in general, men procrastinate more and shop more impulsively. Younger men, who have grown up going to malls, tend to enjoy shopping more than older men. Men tend to respond more powerfully to messages such as “Number One” or “Most Popular”. She ends the article by quoting this anecdote:
Anyway, if you go to a mall a day or 2 before Christmas, it’s likely to be all men. I’m not stereotyping men when I say this. They’re the first to admit it: “I hate shopping, I’m not going until I have to.
I thought this interview interesting and her insights valuable for all of us as we approach the holidays. Perhaps knowing some of these things will help us all become more educated and careful consumers.