We’ve all been there: finding ourselves hypnotised by the shiny, flashing gif saying ‘SALE’ like a moth being drawn to the lampshade.
Maybe its payday, a quiet moment at work or, to put it plainly, you’re just a little bit bored.
Before you know it, you’ll find yourself spending hundreds of pounds on a winter coat despite it being the middle of spring, a too-good-to-be-true dress from SHEIN, or an item two sizes too small that you tell yourself you’ll grow into.
Sadly, they’ll soon be sentenced to the back of the wardrobe purgatory, or maybe wrapped up as you promise yourself you’ll definitely return it, even though everyone knows there’s nothing more embarrassing than taking a parcel to the post office.
Buyer’s remorse is often associated with bigger purchases, like a house or a car, but as online shopping continues to dominate the UK, with 86.7% of internet users projected to shop online in 2022, buyer’s remorse is becoming all the more common.
In a new poll commissioned by discount site Slickdeals, 74% of people found that they experienced buyer’s remorse when purchasing an item online.
Over a third of the 2,000 respondent felt buyer’s remorse because the item was less valuable than expected (39%), they found they didn’t use it as frequently as expected (34%), and they felt they spent too much money in the first place (32%).
Nearly half of these respondents blamed their growing pile of unwanted items — which, according to the survey, ranged from poor-fitting clothing, knockoff designer shoes or dodgy electronics — on good advertising, while over 40% of other respondents blamed an item’s cheap pricing and its good availability (such as coming in a colour they liked).
But others admitted that their impulse-buying wasn’t just down to good marketing or practical reasons. Nearly six out of 10 people admitted that they bought an item online they later regretted while drunk.
According to the study, 73% of people now own up to 15 items they dislike as a result of impulsive online purchases. However, only 39% of these people end up returning the item — with 40% preferring to ‘re-gift’ it to someone else and 45% of people simply hiding the item in a place where they know they’ll never have to look at it again. Out of sight, out of mind, right?
How can I avoid buyer’s remorse when online shopping?
Although an impulsive shopping habit might seem hard to curb, it is by no means impossible. Here’s some ways to make your online shopping more mindful.
Delete, delete, delete
One good method to steer yourself away from impulsive shopping is by removing the things that enable you.
So, unsubscribe from all those marketing emails with attractive deals in the subject line, block those websites that you find yourself ‘just looking’ on all too often, unfollow those big brands on social media, and delete your card information from your browser.
This way, online shopping will become more of an active process where you’re seeking out a specific item you want as opposed to responding to an attractive marketing campaign or pop-up. If making payments isn’t as easy as a click of a button, that gives you more time to reflect and think about whether you really want this purchase.
Set yourself a weekly or monthly ‘budget’ specifically for online shopping
Having a dedicated budget ‘helps people from a psychological perspective to make smarter decisions,’ Trae Bodge, smart shopping expert at TrueTrae.com, told HerMoney.
A budget not only allows yourself that little bit of freedom to treat yourself (because why deprive yourself of that fun completely?), but also helps you to keep things under control and, according to some experts, make you more mindful about how you spend your money.
In terms of how you organise your budget, you can use bank accounts, budgeting apps, physical cash, or pre-load a certain amount on gift-cards to your favourite shops.
Go away from the site, then come back a little later
If you see an item you really want, try to take some space before you finalize your purchase.
You can sleep on it, take an afternoon, or even just an hour away from the item in question in order to give yourself some time to think about whether this item is too good to be true, is something you’ll actually use, and is within your budget.
Every online purchase is a contract after all, and shouldn’t be taken lightly!
Check the small print before finalising your purchase
‘The convenience of buying almost anything from the comfort of home is hard to beat, but there are some mistakes to avoid,’ Louie Patterson, personal finance manager at Slickdeals, said in a statement. ‘Always check the shipping cost, return policies and fees before ordering.’
Return policies are especially important when purchasing items online, because you can’t tell in-person whether an item will meet your expectations. So, before you buy that new outfit, make sure you know what your return options are!
Beware of scammers
In the age of Depop, its not uncommon for people to scour charity shops for a £3 dress and then selling it for £300 as an ‘exclusive, vintage, item.’ And we’ve all heard the horror stories of the Primark Beauty and the Beast wallet being sold on eBay for three times its in-store price.
So, Patterson recommends that you ‘beware of hard-to-find items being sold online for more than MSRP [manufacturer suggested retail price].’
‘Some sellers take advantage of temporary scarcity by increasing prices for the duration of the shortage,’ he said in a statement.
Seek help if you think you have a problem
While ‘shopping addiction’ or being a ‘shopaholic’ is often trivialised and not taken as seriously as addictions like gambling, compulsive overspending can be indicative of a number of mental health issues, or be used by some as a coping mechanism for something difficult going on in their life.
According to the Priory Group, 8-16% of the UK population have compulsive buying disorder (CBD), or oniomania.
So, if you find your shopping habit spiralling out of control: causing debt, relationship issues, or getting in the way of your everyday life, please contact your GP to get support.
If you want more tips and tricks on saving money, as well as chat about cash and alerts on deals and discounts, join our Facebook Group, Money Pot.
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Get in touch by emailing [email protected].
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MORE : Items from the Primark x Greggs range are selling on eBay for more than three times their original price
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