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Have you ever felt super excited to buy something only to feel guilty about it a week later? That’s called buyer’s remorse. And it is way more common than you think. Want to know how you can get rid of this nasty feeling? Keep reading! In this blog, we’ll tell you all about buyer’s remorse and how you can avoid feeling it ever again.
What is Buyer’s Remorse?
Buyer’s remorse or buyer’s guilt is kind of the aftermath of an impulsive purchase. It means freaking out over all the money you “wasted” on something you technically didn’t even need.
Buyer’s guilt can stem from the following reasons:
- The purchase didn’t live up to your expectations
- You found the same product for a better price elsewhere
- You bought it on a whim and now realize it’s useless to you
- It’s not being used as much as you thought it would be
- The product doesn’t seem worth the price (most common in online purchases)
How to Avoid Buyer’s Remorse
It’s okay, though! Buyer’s remorse is not that difficult to avoid. Learn how to get over buyer’s remorse with these tips below.
1. Say NO To Tempting Sales/Offers
Imagine you’re mindlessly scrolling on Instagram when you see a sponsored post from a popular makeup brand. They’re offering free lipstick of your choice, and all you have to pay is for the delivery! Considering how expensive good lipsticks are, this sounds like a steal, right?
Wrong! It’s just a marketing gimmick to lure you to their website. Once you add the lipstick to your cart, they’ll suggest other products at “discounted” prices (and waive the delivery fee). And then you keep stacking your cart because you think you’re saving money.
2. Invest in Experiences Over Material Things
When you spend your money on experiences like a vacation or a Taylor Swift concert, you’re less likely to get buyer’s remorse. In fact, you’ll probably end up feeling super good about it in the long run.
This is because material things like earphones or lipstick can always be compared to other brands that may be better or provide more value for money. However, an experience like a vacation or a concert is unique every time so there’s no cause for comparison.
3. Ask Yourself Why
A great way to avoid buyer’s remorse is to ask yourself why you’re purchasing something. If it’s something important or necessary, you won’t feel guilty for investing in it. On the contrary, if it’s something you don’t really need, you may regret it later. Here are a few questions you can ask yourself before hitting “add to cart”:
- Why am I buying this?
- Is it really worth the money?
- Can I absolutely not live without it?
- How much longer can I go without buying this?
- Am I just buying this because it’s popular?
4. Create a Budget
Having a budget set for every month can do wonders in avoiding buyer’s remorse. This will make you second-guess every purchase you’re about to make, leading to fewer unnecessary purchases.
Besides that, you can also create a savings fund for something you really want that’s priced on the higher side. So every time you feel like buying something you don’t need, think of putting that amount of money into the fund instead.
5. Reward Yourself on Your Achievements
Incentivizing your tasks not only helps you remain motivated but is also a fool-proof way to get rid of buyer’s remorse. Create a list of tasks or milestones you want to accomplish every month. If you’re a writer, one of them could be to complete a certain number of chapters.
Reward yourself as you complete each task. Maybe buy the pair of boots you’ve been eyeing for weeks or go in for a much-needed massage appointment. A reward should be something meaningful; something that you find valuable. And an impulse buy is the exact opposite of it.
6. Don’t Buy If You’re Unsure
A lot of times, even after hitting that “checkout” button, you’re still unsure of whether you really want to buy the item. And then you end up buying it anyway. But when you receive your parcel, you can’t help thinking you made the wrong decision.
So if you’re unsure of that product, don’t buy it! Wait it out and see if you still want it a week later. Buyer’s remorse averted!
7. Wait 48-72 Hours Before Checking Out
We know you want nothing more than to make that purchase and eagerly wait for the delivery. But try waiting at least two days before you do so. Impulse buying can almost always lead to purchases that you regret later.
However, revisiting a product page after a few days helps you figure out if you actually want or need the product. If you still want to purchase it three days later, you’re a lot less likely to have buyer’s remorse.
🥕 Worried about losing the links to that product 3 days later? 🥕
Carrot can help! All you need to do is “add to cart” and wait for Carrot to work its magic. The Carrot Chrome extension automatically saves anything you add to your cart so you can revisit it whenever you want! Not only that, but it also lets you create wishlists and share them with your friends. Did we mention it’s freeeee?
