Retail Therapy
May 26th 2007 01:39
Paco Underhill in his book, Why We Buy: The Science of Shopping. Info about this book
Underhill is a unique researcher who, for almost 20 years, has used the tools of the anthropologist to study people in retail environments. "We use shopping as therapy, reward, bribery, pastime, as an excuse to get out of the house, as a way to troll for potential loved ones, as entertainment, as a form of education or even worship, as a way to kill time," he says. As Underhill's studies have made clear, shopping meets a variety of needs.
"I love to take my favorite catalogs, after they arrive in the mail, and curl up in bed for an hour or two before I go to sleep. I turn down pages with items I like on them, imagining what it would be like to own them," says one woman from Rochester, New York.
Shopping Lifts Spirits
Whatever the motivator, shopping, in contrast to buying, lifts our spirits. It makes us feel better about ourselves and our place in the universe. It is a form of therapy. It is good to occasionally reward or affirm yourself with a purchase. A classic example is the purchase of bath salts and perfumed oils, the ingredients of a personally pampering and perhaps luxurious spa experience. It takes some thought. It's affordable and there is an investment of time.
American psychologist Abraham Maslow has listed human motivation in the order of importance as physiological, safety, social, esteem and self-actualization needs. For instance, stocking the larder with groceries results in satisfaction about you as a provider. Clothes shopping can meet basic needs as well as carry a secondary value, such as creativity.
Beyond the basic needs shopping fulfills are a host of others that can be even more rewarding and self-affirming. The purchase of a book may carry with it a validation of your intellect. The acquisition of a painting can demonstrate your interest in the arts and, in addition, provide a demonstration of your unique taste. Buying a new camera may result in self-actualization, the affirmation of your inner world: "I am a creative person."
Shopping is also an activity that allows women to connect with one another. Underhill's studies show that when two women shop together, they invest more of their time in the actual process of shopping. It becomes a communal affair.
Here are his statistics from a study performed at a national housewares chain:
Time spent by a woman shopping with a female companion: 8 minutes, 15 seconds
By a woman shopping with children: 7 minutes, 19 seconds
By a woman shopping alone: 5 minutes, 2 seconds
By a woman shopping with a man: 4 minutes, 41 seconds.
Here is one of my favorite youtube videos regarding shopping therapy Link here
Underhill is a unique researcher who, for almost 20 years, has used the tools of the anthropologist to study people in retail environments. "We use shopping as therapy, reward, bribery, pastime, as an excuse to get out of the house, as a way to troll for potential loved ones, as entertainment, as a form of education or even worship, as a way to kill time," he says. As Underhill's studies have made clear, shopping meets a variety of needs.
"I love to take my favorite catalogs, after they arrive in the mail, and curl up in bed for an hour or two before I go to sleep. I turn down pages with items I like on them, imagining what it would be like to own them," says one woman from Rochester, New York.
Shopping Lifts Spirits
Whatever the motivator, shopping, in contrast to buying, lifts our spirits. It makes us feel better about ourselves and our place in the universe. It is a form of therapy. It is good to occasionally reward or affirm yourself with a purchase. A classic example is the purchase of bath salts and perfumed oils, the ingredients of a personally pampering and perhaps luxurious spa experience. It takes some thought. It's affordable and there is an investment of time.
American psychologist Abraham Maslow has listed human motivation in the order of importance as physiological, safety, social, esteem and self-actualization needs. For instance, stocking the larder with groceries results in satisfaction about you as a provider. Clothes shopping can meet basic needs as well as carry a secondary value, such as creativity.
Shopping is also an activity that allows women to connect with one another. Underhill's studies show that when two women shop together, they invest more of their time in the actual process of shopping. It becomes a communal affair.
Here are his statistics from a study performed at a national housewares chain:
Time spent by a woman shopping with a female companion: 8 minutes, 15 seconds
By a woman shopping with children: 7 minutes, 19 seconds
By a woman shopping alone: 5 minutes, 2 seconds
By a woman shopping with a man: 4 minutes, 41 seconds.
Here is one of my favorite youtube videos regarding shopping therapy Link here
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