Impulse Buying

Impulse buying is a topic which @ssustainbly_ on Instagram discusses a lot. @Ssustainbly_ are an account which is focused on creating educational graphics surrounding the fashion industry.

I wanted to talk to you about Impulsive buying -the tendency of a customer to buy goods and services without planning in advance. When a customer takes such buying decisions at the spur of the moment, it is usually triggered by emotions and feelings.

We no longer buy for function, we buy for emotion.

We’re all guilty of going out for ‘just one thing’ , but then in the corner of your eye you’ll spot a perfectly ripe avocado!

During the current 2020/21 pandemic we find ourselves wanting to fill this emotional void even more. Resorting in a little online shop. We see online retailers such as boohoo and said profits quadruple, but with always associating boohoo to be more ‘clubbing’ outfits this shocks me!

We buy impulsively as it gives our brains a hit of dopamine, which is needed during a world undergoing such dreadful events. But surely we could take our hit with a more moral compass?

How to avoid impulse buying:

1. Question yourself- how badly do I need this? Is it a necessity, will it change my life?

2. Walk away and if you’re still thinking about it 48 hours later, it was probably supposed to be.

3. Do you already own something similar? Does it need an upgrade?

4. Is it an ethical purchase? Everything we buy should be done with a moral compass.

5. How has this company treated their employees during the lockdown?

6. Is the price too low? Yes crazy- but if something can be sold for peanuts, there’s obviously something very wrong in the manufacturing line.

7. Am I able to find this item second hand? There are lots of swap pages you can try. Or even Depop, eBay or your local charity shops.

How do you avoid impulse buying?

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