Online businesses nowadays always seem to know what we want and how to drive us toward their shopping carts, even when we are just on Facebook or browsing online. That pair of shoes you looked at last week pops up in the corner of your screen like a stealth shopping mousetrap.
Targeted and sponsored online ads are trying to capitalize on is a concept that scientists call "cue-reactivity," or excitement from shopping cues. In order to get us to press the buy button, businesses first must grab our attention and then make us interested enough to click on it. This momentum depends both on how excited we get when we see the item and also whether it can cause a craving, an irresistible desire to purchase.
Both of these concepts -- cue-reactivity and cravings -- come from the field of behavioral addiction, which includes problems like gambling and cybersex addiction. Shopping addiction has many names -- pathological buying, compulsive buying, buying addiction, and oniomania. An estimated 5 to 8 percent of Americans are thought to suffer from shopping addiction.
A new study in the journal PLoS One examines the parallels between online shopping and addiction. Scientists are still trying to figure out where to categorize online pathological shopping and whether it's more similar to impulse control disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorders, or addiction.
The study found three key factors that made people especially vulnerable to an online shopping addiction:
- People who like to buy anonymously and avoid social interaction
The anonymity and privacy of online shopping can also make the potential for a shopping addiction worse. People with pathological shopping tend to feel shame and regret about their purchases and want to hide their habit, and shopping online keeps it a secret.
- People who enjoy a wide variety and constant availability of items
It's no surprise that online shopping cultivates satisfaction in people who like a ton of variety. Plus, online stores never "close." This can lead to more cravings for shopping.
- People who like to get instant gratification
People who feed off immediate gratification are drawn to online shopping, where purchases are only one click away. This quick accessibility leads to a more positive sense of satisfaction, feeding into the cycle of craving and instant reward.
But if you're thinking, "Wait, I like all those features of online shopping!" (and the popularity of Amazon suggests that many of us do), it doesn't necessarily mean you have an online shopping problem.
How is pathological online buying different from the average shopper? People with pathological buying feel preoccupied with shopping and feel like they have no control over it, even if it leads to severe work or relationship problems, or financial bankruptcy.
Here are 10 signs of a compulsive online shopper to watch out for:
- I feel like I can't stop online shopping even if I wanted to and/or have tried to stop without being able to.
- Online shopping has hurt my relationships, work, or financial situation.
- My partner, family members, or friends are concerned about my online shopping. I end up in arguments with them over it.
- I think about online shopping all the time.
- I get grumpy or upset if I can't shop online.
- Online shopping is the only thing that helps me relax or feel better.
- I hide things that I buy because I'm afraid other people will think it's unreasonable or a waste of money.
- I often feel guilty after I go online shopping.
- I spend less time doing other things that I enjoy because of online shopping.
- I often buy things that I don't need or much more than I planned, even when I can't afford it.
If you're concerned that you might have a problem, tests for shopping addiction include the Compulsive Buying Scale or the Bergen Shopping Addiction Scale.
Pathological buying can also be associated with or a sign of other psychological issues, like anxiety, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, hoarding, or mania. Treating the underlying issue can help improve the buying behavior if it stems from another disorder. For pathological buying itself, cognitive behavioral therapy with a mental health professional has been shown to be helpful.