How do you use your spare time? A lot of people worldwide use their free time online shopping. That’s because there are tons of great deals in online stores like Amazon, eBay, and Etsy, but are consumers too willing to buy unnecessary stuff simply because it’s low-priced? Is idle time a reasonable excuse for indulging in possibly low-quality items? Economists agree, too much free time may be a catalyst in this phenomenon that plagues society today.
How the Cost of Goods Affects People Psychologically
Two parts of the brain work together while consumers search for ideal bargains. The insula associates emotional pain to costs in a region of the brain known as the medial prefrontal cortex. Immediate pleasure and immediate pain of paying for products are weighed side by side in a process called hedonic competition.
Satisfaction is the name of the game that corporations play on unsuspecting consumers who experience a sudden urge to buy advertised products. It is, of course, accompanied by the sheer enjoyment of online shopping or, more specifically, the pleasure from the reward of a sweet deal. This process, considered as a transactional utility, is a powerful combination. Many buyers’ defenses are useless against the sheer quantity of ads targeting these receptors. Sensory overload proves to be effective in many cases.
However, there are times when you really need something and you are looking for the deal. Take prodeals from ExpertVoice, for example. People pay attention when athletes, professionals, celebrities, and experts recommend a specific product. You don’t have to be a famous celebrity to endorse a brand. It’s a chance for you, as an expert in your particular area, to help others find the products and services that people want while enjoying a discount on products and equipment you need.
Corporations Lack Originality
From a corporate perspective, many companies are infamous for copying luxury brands. The objective is clear. Mass marketing ads encourage consumers to buy products similar in style to upscale designers who they believe most consumers already show interest in buying. Cheaper priced designer products are a steal for consumers, furthering this agenda.
This affordability allows consumers to pay for stuff they don’t need, without having to worry too much about going broke after. If the price of the outfit dropped from $30 to $15, it’s much safer and more fun for consumers to be impulsive. They won’t second guess if it’s necessary or not, making it easier to close the deal.
Does Everything I Buy Need to Be New?
Today, people who want to shop wisely can ask themselves this question before every purchase. There are a myriad of reasons to justify this way of thinking. I’ll talk about this in the next section why browsing online is the best way to experience what thrift shopping has to offer.
If you enjoy online shopping and staying in on the weekend rather than visiting the flea market, there are hundreds of second-hand retailers on the web. There are classified sites and outlets of all types and sizes for used product buyers and sellers, including eBay, the traditional outlet for all forms of online shopping new and secondhand.
On Facebook, there are many pages for almost any community where people frequently sell second-hand goods for sale and also for free. Sometimes pick-ups and drop-offs can be done directly to save money and time on delivery options.
Why Consumers Need to Be Thrifty
With the amount we spend on new products, we are still helping the corporation whose quality and business practices aren’t very ethical. Low-quality products have to be bought over and over again. The continuous purchasing of brand new cheap goods greatly inconveniences consumers. It wastes money and supports the idea that manipulation is a profitable business model. Buying second-hand is the best way to combat this unfairness.
Buying second-hand helps conserve energy and the environment. It conserves any commodities used for the processing of goods: power, water, and other natural resources. But so many natural materials are limited or are only usable at high risk: oil production for the manufacture of plastics and fuels relies on massive environmental damage. Pesticides are used in large quantities in cotton harvesting and a large amount of water is used.
Ending a Dangerous Cycle
By employing deliberate purchasing choices, we will reduce our exposure to these important issues. The commodity produced, instead of the new product being imported, does not necessarily consume raw materials and energy. Buying secondhand saves natural resources. The conservation of land is also a safety factor for the environment.
How Secondhand Buying Prolongs the Life of the Product
In reality, the idea is quite simple. The longer items are used, the fewer times they are thrown away and bought again, and the fewer garbage piles develop. This is very important when it concerns products that are hazardous and which increase pollution, such as electronic devices or plastics.
Some are still iffy about buying used products. Keep in mind, innovation itself is a commodity in our society. The more people buy and support secondhand products, the more socially acceptable this affordable business model becomes.