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20/03/2025

Author: Marija Radenović

What is impulse shopping?

Many of us have experienced going to a store to buy a product to buy one item, only to leave with a cart full of unplanned purchases. Or when you suddenly felt the urge to buy shoes you didn’t even realise you needed until they “called” you from the rack.

These scenarios are typical examples of impulse shopping, which can lead to spending money on unnecessary items and financial difficulties in the long run.

Impulse shopping is a spontaneous and unplanned behaviour based on current emotions or external factors. The lack of reflection, comparison of alternatives and realistic assessment of needs makes impulse shopping a financially risky endeavour, potentially leading to irrational spending and financial problems.

Psychological and external factors of impulse shopping

Emotions play a significant role in impulse shopping - many people make purchases to enhance their mood, comfort themselves in moments of stress or reward themselves for achievements. In addition to emotional triggers, external factors like discounts, advertisements or recommendations from friends can encourage impulse shopping. The desire for impulse shopping can also be the need for social approval and the desire to follow current trends.

While impulse shopping is not a new phenomenon, it has become increasingly prevalent with the rise of modern society, characterised by fast production, easy product access and strategically designed marketing strategies. Developing technology and innovations in various sectors brings numerous benefits and challenges regarding rational spending. Online shopping and algorithms that track customers’ interests, searches and behaviour create personalised ads designed to make them spend more than they intended. In the social network era, influencers affect customer behaviour and have become essential to companies’ marketing strategies. Perceiving them as “ordinary” people with whom they can communicate directly, customers often trust them more than traditional advertisements. Constant exposure to tempting offers, such as “half price only today”, “buy two, get the third free”, or “buy in instalments without interest”, is almost impossible to ignore. Hence, customers decide to buy the advertised product very quickly.

Is impulsive shopping always bad?

Occasional unplanned purchases that stay within the budget are not dangerous. Buying something that makes us happy has a positive effect on mood, which contributes to the quality of everyday life. The problem arises when impulse purchases become frequent and become a habit. The situation is particularly alarming when the budget is exceeded due to reckless purchases, so they are financed from loans, which can lead to long-term consequences - from financial stress to debts that make it difficult to achieve important financial goals.

How to avoid impulse buying?

To avoid such situations and regain control of our finances, here are some strategies to help us prevent unnecessary expenses. Based on research and monitoring of consumer patterns, experts in financial behaviour and consumer habits provide various tips to help avoid the pitfalls of impulse shopping.

Some of these tips are:

• Set a budget – Determine how much money you can spend on unplanned monthly purchases in advance and stick to the set limit.

• Think before you buy – When you want to buy something, wait 24 hours before you decide.

• Make a shopping list and stick to it – Before going to the store or shopping online, prepare a list of items you need and strictly stick to it.

• Track your spending – Record your spending to spot over-purchasing patterns.

• Limit exposure to ads and commercials – Block ads, turn off notifications from online stores and stop following content that encourages you to spend.

• Set long-term goals – When you have a clear goal – whether it is saving for a trip, a property or an investment – it is easier to resist unplanned expenses. Remember that any impulsive expenditure can delay the realisation of your financial plans.

To conclude

Impulsive shopping is not just a matter of weak will – it combines psychological factors and sophisticated marketing tricks. Along with the application of clarified strategies, the awareness of one’s spending habits and small changes in the approach to spending can significantly reduce unplanned expenses, contribute to our long-term financial security and enable the achievement of larger goals.