A Psychologist’s Tips for Avoiding Overconsumption This Black Friday
Nov 27, 2024
auto_awesome
Cathrine Jansson-Boyd, a consumer psychology professor at Anglia Ruskin University, shares insights on avoiding overconsumption during the Black Friday frenzy. She discusses the psychological triggers behind impulse buying and explores how marketing tactics exploit consumer emotions. With strategies to combat FOMO and practical tips to budget wisely, Cathrine emphasizes the importance of mindful shopping. List-making and price monitoring can transform your shopping experience from chaotic to strategic, preventing buyer's remorse this holiday season.
Understanding psychological triggers and marketing tactics can help consumers resist overconsumption and make more informed shopping decisions during Black Friday.
Establishing a pre-planned shopping list and monitoring prices can reduce impulsive buying, leading to healthier and more sustainable spending habits.
Deep dives
The Psychology Behind Black Friday Sales
Shopping during Black Friday is heavily influenced by psychological triggers, particularly the excitement generated by perceived bargains. When consumers encounter sales, they experience an adrenaline rush linked to the pleasure centers of the brain, making them more likely to act impulsively. This excitement is often exacerbated by fear of missing out (FOMO), driving shoppers to make purchases without fully considering their decisions. The combination of emotional highs and marketing tactics can lead to regret after the purchase, which is common among shoppers who feel caught up in the frenzy.
Marketing Tactics and Consumer Behavior
Retailers employ various strategies to capture consumer attention and leverage psychological hooks, such as emphasizing limited-time offers and scarcity. Phrases like 'only a few items left' or '24-hour sale' tap into consumers' fears of missing out, often leading to rushed decisions in high-pressure environments. This frenzy is palpable in physical stores during Black Friday, where the competitive atmosphere can escalate to extreme behaviors, such as fights over products. As consumers become more aware of these tactics, they tend to be more skeptical but still find themselves compelled by repeated promotional messages.
Strategies for Smart and Sustainable Shopping
To combat impulsive buying during sales events, experts recommend establishing a shopping list ahead of time and sticking to it rigorously. Consumers should monitor prices before the sale to ensure they are genuinely getting a good deal and avoid succumbing to emotional triggers. Taking breaks before making a purchase can also help to reduce the adrenaline rush, allowing for clearer decision-making and minimizing the likelihood of regret. Ultimately, smart shopping revolves around self-awareness and resisting the pressure of marketing tactics, allowing for more financially sustainable choices.
Black Friday sales have gone from one-day in-person shopping bonanzas to a multiday deals extravaganza. It’s tempting to give in to the seasonal pressures to shop, but knowing the tricks companies use to make sales so appealing can help us avoid overconsumption. Cathrine Jansson-Boyd, a professor of consumer psychology at Anglia Ruskin University in England, explains how to spot marketing ploys and shop sustainably.
E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover!
Discover something new every day: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter.
Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Kelso Harper, Madison Goldberg and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was hosted by Rachel Feltman. Our show is edited by Fonda Mwangi with fact-checking by Shayna Posses and Aaron Shattuck. The theme music was composed by Dominic Smith.