America's Dopamine-Fueled Shopping Addiction 

Sales are booming, but malls are dying. What happened? Watch "The Death and Afterlife of the Mall:" ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-ShfoJw6KlxA.html&

Nobody knows this better than UPS drivers. They know where every shopper / hoarder on their route lives.

Great but let's talk about the real reason why this is happening. Cheap-as-hell fast fashion outlets.

I think the core issue is that people look at shopping as an activity.. like going to the amusement park or going to the movies.. when I was younger and my fiends would ask me if I want to going shopping, I’d be like “I don’t have anything to buy”, then I realized, they went to the mall hopping to FIND something to buy. As a person who grew up lower income, that was mind boggling to me.

This is why I like to do "fake shopping" online. I look at products, decide which ones I want to buy, enjoy them for a bit, and then eventually just exit out of the website instead of buying. It's fun, saves money, and keeps my home from filling up with stuff I definitely don't need.

"A year of no shopping" is known as "life" for an increasinng percentage of us.

How depressing!!! I heard a great saying once, you spend the first half of your life accumulating stuff and the second half getting rid of it. Man is that ever true.

I used to be very addicted to shopping. It was so bad we were living paycheck to paycheck. It was hurting my family. I realized its not everything is about materialism. Its about spending time with your family & making moments

I must be abnormal. I never get a dopamine hit when I spend money, I have a heart attack.

I do professional property clean outs for a living and the amount of waste I've seen and handled is shocking. People often times just abandon mountains of items - residentially and commercially - and just move on. I've come to see this orgy of material acquisition as a form of collective insanity driven largely by advertising and irresponsible manufacturing and distribution practices.

Minimalism has never looked so good

Shopping is a psychological issue. We buy products to fill the emptiness. And like the person said, getting a package in the mail, is like getting a Christmas present each day. So in order for me to be careful on my spending and to fill the craving. I just buy a used book every two weeks or so.

Almost everyone I know says "I can't afford to save for retirement" while simultaneously spending obscene amounts of cash on unnecessary disposable crap and/or eating out.

Time for *m a r i e k o n d o* to step in.

Since a clip from my "capsule wardrobe" video appears in here, let me add one piece of info: it is 30-40 pieces of clothing per season (knowing that some pieces can be used in all seasons). Outerwear, accessories and underwear don't count towards the goal of 40 max. Having a capsule wardrobe helps curate and select what actually makes it into your closet.

"Consumers want cheaper goods" is an interesting take, Atlantic. Perhaps the large corporations that supply these goods want to increase their profits and do so by making goods cheaper and under paying factory workers in other countries. Consumers should be aware of their shopping habits, but let's not pretend like the companies and corporations selling these goods are not at fault.

Sometimes I feel like crap about myself for not having a big, beautiful wardrobe and a drawer full of makeup. Family and friends even make fun of me for "acting/looking poor" because I've had roughly the same wardrobe for 3 years and don't throw anything out until it's almost falling apart... then I remember the toxic industries of fast fashion and rampant consumerism for nothing other than perceived social status and I get over it.

Appliances break after 3 years? I remember when a refrigerator lasted 30 years! I have one in my shed!

The problem with textile recycling is that you can't keep the recycle loop on going indefinitely. It's not like glass that can be broken down and remade over and over again. When you break down the fibers of the clothing it loses a lot of it's strength and quality and you end up with sub-par clothing. It's also extremely difficult to recycle mixed fabrics. Often, when clothing is recycled it's broken down into a pulp called shoddy fabric and it's then used for blankets and furniture stuffing as that's what it's only good for. We have such a huge problem because there is no much waste out there from fast fashion that's already poor quality. Thrift stores/ charity shops are overwhelmed with crap that is too low quality to sell. And a lot of it gets sold onto third world countries which hurts their local economy by putting their own textile industries out of business. And that's not even going into the environmental impact both with manufacturing and disposal. Ultimately we need to change consumer habits. We need to buy less stuff in the first place. I think this is the hardest task because how do you make customers want less?

I agree with other comments already posted here, sadly people see shopping as an activity these days. Something that I've noticed in the last few years or so (and I think social media is to blame for this) is that so many people don't really seem to have any hobbies or interests anymore, so in turn, they see shopping as recreation. Having hobbies you enjoy to fill up your free time with can be a huge deterrent when it comes to developing addictions, and shopping just like any other addiction, should be taken seriously.

People say I'm a minimalist. I'm actually just a cheapskate

Questions to ask yourself: Will I use this on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis? Do I already have something similar? Didn’t I survive my whole life without this one thing I suddenly “need”?

I get a dopamine hit from NOT buying excessive or unnecessary things.

Sadly, I'm very aware how guilty of this I am. It's so easy to online shop when you're bored. This is exacerbated by the convenience of online shopping coupled with accessibility to more products than generations past ever had. Not to mention, the constant need to "keep up" with what we're seeing on social media and RU-vid and just how many ads we're influenced by daily while watching TV, scrolling through IG, etc. This isn't necessarily a new phenomenon though, although it has gotten worse. As an example, when my great and uncle both passed away I went through the house they had lived in for 40 years with my mom and grandma. Their basement was FULL of "as seen on TV" products, many of them still in their packaging and apparently rarely (if ever) used. My great aunt collected jewelry like I've never seen before...boxes on end of costume jewelry. Consumerism has been alive and well for quite some time.

Humans didn't abandon Earth for another planet in Wall*E, they lived on spaceships until it was ready to return :S

I hate hearing the sentence “consumer want cheaper clothes/stuff”. It’s not like that, consumers buy cheaper stuff because they keep having their buying power diminished. We won’t be in this situation if there still was a powerful and conscious middle class. But nowadays it seems that the social scissor is growing wider and wider.

My parents grew up in GDR (East Germany) and they told me that after the reunification everyone bought a ton of shit (clothes, useless devices,...) cause they were kinda overwelmed by all these products that weren‘t available in the GDR. But after a few months they stopped this mindless consume cause they had enough. I can’t believe that people who already have everything still buy so much stuff they‘ll never need or use. Sorry for my bad english 😅

I found it peculiar that the report chose to present even data from so-called evolutionary psychology, but ignored deeper economic issues such as marketing, advertising, whats moves individual choices in capitalism, etc.

I almost fell off my chair when they said the amount of clothing the average american throws away every year. DEAR LORD

The movies that best predict our future: Wall•e and Idiocracy

0:31 I don't know why but that clip really sickened me. Most of the examples here are RU-vidrs who likely have these unboxings to boost their views and monetize off it...so they can buy more the next time around.

I actually hate to click the „buy now“ button. It just gives me a bad feeling. But when the thing I bought arrives I am always happy because I thought long about whether buying it or not.

It's because we take our lives for granted. We should focus on living rather than spending.!

We suffer from this in the UK too. I have decided to stop this. I don't need so much stuff, or clothes, or food. Since making the decision to stop shopping and start getting rid of "stuff" I feel so much better.

I bought a book last year. I try to avoid buying things even though I have a pretty good job. Better to be financially secure first.

I use to shop for fun and it was ruining me in a lot of ways. So I got on a budget and stayed out of the store unless I planned ahead for what I needed. I only use cash as well. My life has changed so much since I stopped shopping for fun. I'm more organized, I don't waste time or money at the store and I cook at home 6 nights out of the week. I paid off 18,000 dollars in loans and started saving my money. I'm now seriously looking into downsizing my house. I can't believe the effect these changes have had on my happiness, I feel so free from the constant getting that used to consume my thoughts. I don't buy seasonal decorations or jewelry to mention just a few things I eliminated all together. I sewed my torn couch and got it cleaned instead of purchasing a new one. I unsubscribed from amaxon prime, Netflix and a few other subscription based products. In the end I was signed up for over $200 worth of subscriptions. I'm so happy to be free!

"That's all your house is, a place to keep your stuff while you'er out getting more stuff." ----------- George Carlin

I prefer buying all of my clothes second hand. It costs less, obviously. But it also allows me to reuse clothes and the money I spend does not go to companies that might have questionable business practices. Many thrift stores in my area donate to animal shelters or sistercare homes.

I never get this. Shopping to me is a chore. There's nothing pleasant about it. Getting one more item is just one more item I have to take care of and find space for. It's like a ball and chain. There's nothing more liberating than not wanting/needing anything. I put off shopping until the last possible minute.

This is rather alienating since I never really had a chance to indulge like this. I do agree that it's time to stop, but i can't help but feel some degree of resentment because i will never know this pleasure while it's portrayed as this common thing that everyone has access to. It makes me want to say something mean. No one is ever going to congratulate me for being born into a poor family, while someone who becomes minimalist in their lifetime can be seen as admirable.

My beautiful aunt is a major hoarder. When you walk into her house, you have to make 'room' to sit or to be even walk around the place. It's absolutely ridiculous the way she lives!

cant be a shopping addict if you're broke

It truly is a mindless addiction--god knows how many times I've clicked Instagram advertisements for products. This video is a reminder that I need to do better.

It's depressing that this video is 4 years old yet it seems like overconsuming just keeps getting worse and worse..

The main reason why I stay out of "this and that" stores like Marshall's, Ross, and T.J. Maxx. I leave with a minimum of 5 items per trip. I used to go weekly, Now I might go monthly or every other month. I try to target my shopping by buying online, but that has consequences for the environment as well. I am looking at minimalism. I have an issue with impulse shopping. I admit.

You don't spend money if you have the mentality that you don't have any to spend 😉

It's not just America, consider this a global epidemic.

This is what surprised me when i first visited the US. I found the amount of consumerism absolutely mind-blowing

I saw a mountain of garbage during a trip to the local tip recently to drop off some rubble and it shocked me. I vowed to not spend on unessentials only replacing toiletries or food. I don't need more clothing, adopting the Marie Kondo method and appreciating what I already have.

Money in the bank is more important than "stuff." I've learned my lesson the hard way while I was working in the Retail Industry. Working in the warehouse opening boxes of freshly delivered merchandise, we would set aside what we want to buy before those products would even get to the Sales Floor. Shopping is addictive! It is not a hobby.

I love videos about america. One video "americans are getting poorer", the next "americans are too wealthy" - but all videos are "panic in america" because that's what sells

I'm moving to Korea in a few weeks and have to pack my entire life into suitcases. I'm actually excited for it becauae its going to give me an opportunity to minimize and consume less. I hope, once I'm there, I can commit to a life with less consumption and I can start making a wage that allows me to buy ethically.

I'm not in this world anymore since caring about sustainability, plus when family members had a shopping addiction it scares you off!

You should see all the good, useable things that get thrown away in apartment dumpsters. My husband and I frequently scout the dumpsters (next to, not inside them) for great finds. We've nearly furnished our entire apt with dumpster finds (FREE STUFF).

I'm a minimalist and proud! It's been over 6 months since I've stopped buying new clothing (with a few exceptions including underwear and socks). I still find shopping enjoyable, but I only buy items that I know I'll use up (e.g. shampoo, soaps, supplements, deoderant) and try to buy second hand as much as possible. I spend my money on better quality, healthier food

the work of shopping in the past was, walking to the nearest town, then walking round every single shop looking for the thing, only not to find it, and walk home annoyed. But you'd walked twelve miles and were stick thin. Looking back, in size 26 clothes.....

I have an entire career thanks to people and their stuff. They pay me to clean their huge homes, reorganise & clean out huge walk in closets for adults and also their children, fold mountains and mountains of laundry, reorganise huge walk in pantries, linen press's, kitchen cupboards, bathrooms.....the list goes onnnnnn. Has it never dawned on them to perhaps...to own less stuff? I find it fascinating to be honest. No judgement - just different. Me...I live a very minimal, simple, peaceful life. My husband and I share 1 cupboard space for our basic clothes. Zero debt. Small home. Very content. I am investing this money I make from the people I help every single week into ETF's and am on track for a very comfortable retirement :)

we are not addicted to shopping, they have made shopping addictive to keep us spending more and more. Even if you don't buy flash fashion, the higher end shops have downgrade in quality.

I get clothes for free & make blankets, rugs, pot holders, crafts, curtains...but that's bc I'm retired & have time. When I worked full time I bought everything. It's cheaper to buy most items at Wal-Mart than to buy the material. I won't make anything now unless it's an upcycle.

A book called 30 Days to Stop Being a Shopaholic by Harper Daniels helped me slow down and observe my intentions while shopping. I found I was shopping for my identity much of the time.

I think that, especially now with all the social media influencers needing ideas for content, fast fashion is a huge problem. Not only are people constantly buying way too much, but it's all cheap products that were made without a care for the environment or any sense of ethics at all.

I appreciated a lot of things in this clip, but I think it glossed over a lot. I'm all about reducing waste, but the zero waste movement really annoys me and it truly only for the upper eschelons of society. Most people who RU-vid and blog about being zero waste, it is literally their full time job. Waste is also complicated which is why systemic changes are needed for real improvement. An easy example is food packaging. While it creates a lot of packaging waste, it also prevents a lot of food waste. The answer is not for everyone to drive across town to the fru-fru grocery store so thnsey can feel good about 3 times the going rate for strawberries that don't come in a plastic clamshell. And that is also an option not available to poor people in food deserts, not to mention your $15 compostable toothbrush. Systemic change such as carbon taxes or something like that could help us find the balance and bring reduced packaging to the mainstream where it would be available to more people with dramatically greater impact. Another example that I've seen in zero waste videos is using your reusable containers at coffee places and taking your food waste to community compost centers. Most restaurants won't let you put un-sanitized containers back over the counter and most communities don't have compost centers. This is something that takes more changes than individual action in most cases. I've also seen them advocate buying dramatically over-priced consumables online so they can get them in reusable glass jars. But by the time you consider all of the shiipping, is this really a better choice even for those upper-class to whom it is available? Lastly, the zero-waste movement is so unacheivable for most people that they diminish interest in practical ways to reduce waste. And the holier-than-thou attitude makes even more people resistant to the idea. My favorite line from a zero-waste advocate was that we have all been taught and conditioned our whole life that we need toothpase, but we actually don't if we just open our mind to that possibility. I'm glad for you that you have great genetics in your teeth, but as for me, I need toothpaste. Clothing waste is a huge problem, but I am skeptical of their claim about how much can be recycled. Buying only what you need and buying second hand can make a big difference and is a much better solution. Then perhaps we could recylce the much smaller amount of textiles that are truly worn out.

Anyone here a minimalist?

More people need to understand, “just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.” For most things…

If I compare this to the European or Northern European lifestyle it’s such a astronomical difference I’ve never seen so many packages in videos until I watched videos from the US

Another way of reducing the trash is to produce things on demand. Tailored close and accesseries are rarely returned and almost never throughn away. People tresure them, bc they know its unique and that it was made for them. In order to do that, we need to develop technology that would allow to lower the costs of such production.

can that guy send me that waffle maker ? ive wanted one for a while i am dead serious

I can NEVER be addicted to shopping and buying a lot of things because I'm a bit of a neat freak OCD. I hate clutter. I prefer living a semi-minimalist lifestyle.

Lots of holier than thou commenters here, I see. Please do preach to us about how you became perfect human beings!

This is why I very rarely buy things online - I like the ability to easily return things if I don't want them. 98% of my wardrobe is thrifted as well.

I stopped working at the post office once I was made to deliver packages on Sunday. People get too much stuff, period.

A lot of things, like clothes are built to fall apart faster, which is probably related to why people spend more on such things. Replacements are needed more often due to how the economy is structured.

This video needs to be shared and guys please don't make our planet turn into trash...it's our home.

The anxiety of not being able to properly look at, try on and hold a product, plus the worry of if/when it arrives when i buy something online compeltely negates the convenience of online shopping. Stalking the isles of charity shop for a bargain gives me a buzz.

I fill up my shopping list of stuff I want and then put it all for later and each month I pick out the stuff I need the most and save the rest for later. Now this don’t work all the time , I still over spend sometimes but I feel like I do it less especially since a lot of the stuff on my list stays there for months and I think that gives me a lot of control

I’ve always had a “capsule wardrobe” & for that I’m grateful.

Little did we know that those who thought a year of no shopping was unrealistic got to experience it on a full scale on 2020. Nowhere to go, being locked down at home with more than we actually needed = no motivation to buy. It took a pandemic to make me realize that I could live on a lot less and that I could almost live the rest of my existence without ever buying anything again. Priceless.

My mom has always been extremely minimalistic, not even keeping my childhood drawings and stuff. To her everything either has an immediate use or its clutter. She's an extreme, but a lot of her attitude has been imprinted on me. I only shop what I need, and if I buy spontaneously its something with an immediate benefit/joy like candy. Seeing this video hurts coming from a brutalist background like that XD

Ironic. What's the balance of the saving's accounts of these people who haul? I get high by not spending a dime then checking my account balance.

So glad to be a minimalist and free from the endless cycle of materialism

It's a constant struggle. With the exception of really good books and items of sentimental values (like old photos), I try to get rid of things that I don't use at least once a year. And I try to buy things only when I know I need them.

5:21 A Small Wardrobe! :) My favorite.

As a Millennial Mom of 4 girls and being married since I was 21, I don't like shopping. I see it as a chore/necessity (I.e Groceries). I'm raising my girls in a 900SF home away from all the consumerism. I'm life schooling my girls and find that less is more and everyone's mental health is better for it. I get really bad anxiety when I see clutter.

This is why I am a minimalist now. If I feel like buying something as I transition to minimalism, I get a consumable, like candy or drinks that I can't normally get. So, I try to use it as a treat for when I clean up.

I go 'shopping' when I realize Ive been indoors for a week. It's my go to outdoors activity.

For me, I hate spendig money. I try to only buy what I need, and haven't had a credit card in over 10 years.

Can you do a video on thrift shopping, and the craze behind it? I find that while people are shopping more, lots of millennials are buying second hand.

Jeff Bezos: **Drinks sweatshop kids tears as he watches.**

While watching this video I feel that I am the most rational and difficult person shopping because before buying i ask myself a lot before buying anything.

Too many things leads to an unhappy life because of decision fatigue. I would rather have a capsule collection than a ton of cheap pieces in my closet that I fret about what to wear in the morning.

you mentioned best dressed aka the queen of thrifting!!✨✨

It's not the consumer who is wasteful. I still have a great coat for 15 years that I bought at C&A, a chain that is now known as a bit of a budget shop, or even for poor people. They used to sell really pretty clothes and good quality. The best is still good. It's the quality at the store that changed. No wonder we need to buy new clothes every year.

I love to watch this kind of content here on RU-vid. Educating and getting the knowledge to make a change. 👏🏼

The average person doesn’t think a lot about the things they do and the long term consequences. They spend too much, eat too much, and then wonder why they’re so broke and fat. Don’t be one of those people.

I so much prefer to shop in person. I know clearly what I’m getting. I tried buying bath towels online, 2 different sets, and had to return them both. Colors not what it showed, snagged towels, just not worth it.

Minimalism and frugality fixes this.

Here in India, it's easy to return online items with no extra charges. Thank God for that 🙏

I stopped buying clothes for over a year now. I refuse to give my money to companies that already have more than enough. I mean how much clothes does one really need?

Hurrah for minimalism. I buy experiences, not things. 😎

When shopping online, I wish they would add where it was made, it's not hard for them to add, it's literally on all tags