Last week, Evans on Marketing looked at Shopper Online-Offline Psychology: Inside the Minds of Shoppers. Today, we consider this question. Are Americans shopaholics? For a lot of people, the answer may be yes. Let’s see.

 

An Infographic Look: Are Americans Shopaholics?

Thanks to Josh Wardini for authoring this section of today’s post.

“You think ‘shop till you drop’ is just a metaphor? Well, in the capitalist wonder that is the USA, that is how at least 18 million adults roll daily. While we all have indulged in a bit of compulsive purchase, these shopaholics take it to a new level. Welcome to the life of an American shopaholic. The high someone gets from a great buy is real.Shopping causes dopamine, the chemical to thank for your pleasure sensations, to surge through your brain. This creates an instant high fort those addicted to shopping. Retail therapy is a favorite of those going through a rough patch in life.”

“We’ve got a variety of underlying motivations. For some image shoppers, how much you spend defines your status. While codependent shoppers shop to gain love, approval, and acceptance. It’s gotten even worse with the spread of online shopping. And the ability to compare prices and find great deals on the Internet.”

“Compulsive shoppers shop as a form of coping mechanism. Perhaps that is an inner void that seems impossible to fill without the latest merchandise that’s taking the world by storm. Or some childhood deprivation that is hard to block out. Needless to say, the world of aggressive marketing which promises to ‘fix’ us does not make the plight of these shoppers any better.”

“Women everywhere have to live with the stereotype of being shopaholics. Yet, American statistics tell a different story. Men and women, in this part of the world, seem to be on equal footing when it comes to struggling with a shopping addiction, with the average age for both genders being between 18-30. Hardly anyone is exempt from the shopping bug. Even wealthy celebrities sometimes find themselves biting more than they can chew.”

 
The infographic below from Shopping.fm sheds some light.