Is Retail Therapy for Real? 5 Ways Shopping Is Actually Good for You

[lifeinhd]

http://business.time.com/2013/04/16/is-retail-therapy-for-real-5-ways-shopping-is-actually-good-for-you/

#2 I can sort of get behind, but it's not the act of shopping itself that's good for you, it's the end result!

[TheGrimSqueaker]

First of all, is it just me or has the word "therapy" become completely meaningless? If I'm drinking a glass of water because I'm thirsty, is that "aqua therapy"?

Anyway, let us continue with the mockery of this article. The author doesn't appear to draw a distinction between "shopping"-- looking for items without necessarily buying them-- and "purchasing". If we avoid conflating these two radically different things, the five points look a bit different.

Let's see what would of happened if the participants really WERE just "shopping" and did not purchase the items.

#1: Easing Transitions

This section was about a woman who bought new bedding after getting divorced, and a man who spent money building himself a "long dress" section in his closet despite not wearing dresses himself: apparently he thinks he's going to marry, and this magical person he's never met will wear dresses and want to live in his house. There's also a section about marriage and babies.

If the woman just "shopped" for the bedding and the man just "looked" at fancy closets, or if the expectant parents refrained from going nuts on baby purchases and limited themselves to just the things that were actually needed, they might have gotten the emotional lift they wanted.

#2: Dressing For Success

This section was about a young woman who bought a new wardrobe to help her in a new job. If she'd just shopped and tried on clothing, but showed up at the office wearing just the clothes that got her the job in the first place, she might not have had the extra "focus" (whatever that means) and may not have fit in. Here the purchase itself was necessary in order to get the result.

#3: The Pleasure Boost of Creativity and Aesthetics

This section discusses two people: a woman who visits shops just to see what's new because it improves her own designs, and a man who takes pleasure in owning a nice watch. Only the former is actually "shopping". The second example required a purchase. The author apparently wants us to believe that it's somehow necessary to own fancy stuff in order to appreciate beauty.

#4: Relaxation and Escape

Here there's actually a point: looking at things and browsing (but not actually buying) can be escapist. Of course, so can a nice outdoor walk.

#5: Social Connections

Hmm, does anyone think the guy who joined the watch appreciation group would have been so readily accepted if he "liked"
 the product but didn't actually own one?

Overall, the article presented only one benefit to "shopping": an opportunity for mindless escapism or fantasizing. Everything else required an actual purchase.

[forummm]

First of all, is it just me or has the word "therapy" become completely meaningless? If I'm drinking a glass of water because I'm thirsty, is that "aqua therapy"?

Haha, yeah!

I like the rest of your post. I actually do browse around stores sometimes for fun. I don't do it for "therapy". I'm more just curious about the hundreds of products I would probably never buy but it's interesting that someone thought of them. It's also fun to do with DW because we make fun of stuff.

But I'm not sure if I would do it for stuff I was actually wanting to buy but had decided against. It might make me feel less good to keep reminding myself of the products I wanted but then not actually fulfilling the want.

[partgypsy]

I didn't read the article, but the one good thing about "shopping" is comparison shopping. Looking and checking out multiple options, finding what you want to get and figuring out how to get it at the least expensive price, versus buying the first thing you see, is a positive, because it typically saves you money, gets you the item with the characteristics you want, and you have less purchase regret. Shopping can also figure into whether it is "worth" buying it in the first place. Sometimes looking at all the alternatives, maybe the only one really want is a certain price but beyond what willing to spend, and realize rather wait on the purchase than get something that won't work perfectly, or figure out a hack to avoid the purchase in the first place.

[Elderwood17]

I will let the "renowned therapist" deal with the official and technical designations of the term, but I know whenever I hear people in my circles use the term "retail therapy" they are using it as a flippant excuse to justify their spending sprees. 

[zephyr911]

First of all, is it just me or has the word "therapy" become completely meaningless? If I'm drinking a glass of water because I'm thirsty, is that "aqua therapy"?

Yes.
Anything that produces a temporary dopamine rush now qualifies in the popular consciousness.
We've lost the distinction between "feels good" and "good for me".

[ducky19]

My idea of retail therapy is going to Goodwill and buying my wardrobe for the next six months for what some people spend on a pair of jeans.

[ender]

My idea of retail therapy is going to Goodwill and buying my wardrobe for the next six months for what some people spend on a pair of jeans.

:)

Last time I went I got a few dress shirts and some dress slacks for something like $20 total. I think three of each (I had another pair of slacks but my wife didn't like them... I figure that at $3/each or whatever they cost I could deal with that blip, I was proud I managed to get 6/7 items to pass my wife's "is this nice enough to wear?" criteria  :D).