Do you find yourself frequently popping into H&M or Zara, leaving the store only to wonder why you just dropped a ton of dough on an impulse purchase?
New research reported by The Atlantic says that the brain derives pleasure in shopping for inexpensive things, causing shoppers to form an addictive and compulsory fast fashion habit.
The article cites a 2007 study, where researchers examined the brains of shoppers as they bought clothes. The brain’s pleasure center immediately lit up once shoppers came across a desirable item. When the item’s price was shown, the brain kicked into a cost-benefit analysis, where the medial prefrontal cortex weighed the purchase decision and the insula processed the pain of cost, determining “the immediate pleasure of acquisition and an equally immediate pain of paying.”
However, if a shopper found something on sale or determined that she found a bargain, the brain’s pleasure center was triggered once again encouraging the purchase.
“You see this a lot with clothing—it’s what’s called ‘transactional utility,'” says Tom Meyvis, a professor of marketing at NYU’s Stern School of Business and an expert in consumer psychology. “Part of the joy you get from shopping is not just that you bought something that you really like and you’re going to use, but also that you got a good deal.”
Sure, fast fashion is great for seasonal trends, a last-minute accessory for a party or clothing item you know has a weeklong maximum-wear. Though your brain may think it’s finding a bargain by snagging a handful of clothes and accessories for under $100, you have to decide if quantity offsets quality for the sake of both your closet and wallet.
