Let’s stop buying things to impress people we don’t know, with money we don’t have, for happiness that won’t last.
- In countries like Pakistan, where inflation is high, employment is unstable, and mental health is stigmatized, online shopping addiction becomes even more dangerous
By Abdullah Usman Morai | Sweden
On a quiet Sunday afternoon, Sara sat scrolling through her favorite shopping app. She wasn’t looking for anything in particular, yet within minutes, her cart was filled with five items she didn’t need: a skincare device she wouldn’t use, a dress she wouldn’t wear, and a new phone case she didn’t need. A few taps later, the order was placed. The rush of satisfaction flooded her, but only for a moment. Hours later, as her bank app alerted her about the transaction, a wave of regret hit.
Sara’s story is not unique. From Karachi to London, Lahore to Los Angeles, millions of people are caught in a subtle but serious behavioral trap: online shopping addiction.
Once a modern marvel of convenience, online shopping has quietly evolved into a psychological battlefield where attention, emotion, and marketing collide. Behind the glossy interfaces and irresistible discounts lies a growing mental health crisis that demands urgent reflection.
What Is Online Shopping Addiction?
Online shopping addiction is a behavioral addiction, much like gambling or binge eating, where individuals compulsively purchase items online—even when they don’t need them or can’t afford them. This pattern is often followed by guilt, financial distress, or emotional numbness.
It’s not about the act of buying itself, but the compulsion to do it despite negative consequences. What begins as retail therapy to uplift a mood may spiral into a coping mechanism, a source of validation, or a distraction from emotional turmoil.
Unlike drug addictions, shopping addiction is socially tolerated—even encouraged by consumerist culture. But the damage is real, and it’s growing.
The Rise of Digital Temptation
Before e-commerce, people shopped when they had time. Now, shopping happens when people are bored, anxious, sad, or simply scrolling. Online platforms are designed not just to sell products, but to capture attention and trigger impulse behavior.
Here’s how:
- One-click purchases remove hesitation.
- Algorithms show users exactly what they’re likely to want, based on browsing history, likes, and even emotions inferred from interaction patterns.
- Flash sales and countdown timers create urgency.
- Push notifications and emails constantly remind users of abandoned carts and new deals.
- Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) schemes delay financial consequences, encouraging spending.
Apps use gamified shopping experiences, where users get loyalty points, “spin the wheel” rewards, or special discounts for daily logins.
This is no accident. Behind every “Add to Cart” button is an army of behavioral economists, UX designers, and psychologists making sure your brain gets hooked.
Why Do People Get Addicted to Online Shopping?
Several emotional and psychological factors underlie compulsive online shopping:
- Emotional Regulation
Many use shopping as a way to manage emotions—stress, loneliness, boredom, or sadness. The instant gratification from a purchase releases dopamine, a feel-good chemical in the brain.
- Escapism
Like binge-watching or doomscrolling, online shopping offers a temporary escape from reality. Browsing through items becomes a comfort activity, much like window-shopping used to be.
- Social Comparison
Influencers and celebrities flaunt new gadgets, fashion hauls, and home decor. This creates a false reality where buying more equals living better. Social media fuels insecurity and consumption.
- Lack of Financial Awareness
Digital payments detach people from the tangible feeling of spending. Swiping a credit card or tapping a phone doesn’t register the same way as handing over physical cash does.
- Pandemic-Induced Patterns
COVID-19 accelerated this addiction. Isolation, anxiety, and lockdowns led many to find joy in deliveries rather than outings. What began as a necessity became habit, and now, for many, an unhealthy dependency.
Who Is Most Vulnerable?
Research shows that young adults, especially women aged 18–35, are among the most affected, due to higher social media usage and targeted marketing. However, the addiction is also gender-neutral and increasingly affecting:
- Teenagers who are exposed to viral product trends.
- Stay-at-home parents battling isolation or emotional voids.
- Working professionals coping with burnout.
- Elderly individuals are discovering the ease of online access.
In Pakistan, as smartphone penetration grows and apps become household names, urban youth and middle-class families are especially vulnerable. The addiction is stealthy—it creeps in masked as harmless indulgence.
Real-Life Consequences: More than Just Money
- Financial Distress
What begins with “It’s only Rs. 999” adds up quickly. Many addicted shoppers end up with credit card debt, overdrawn bank accounts, or strained family budgets.
- Emotional Toll
The post-purchase high fades quickly, leaving users with guilt, shame, or anxiety. This often leads to a cycle of regret and renewed shopping as emotional compensation.
- Relationship Strain
Partners or family members may argue about spending, secrecy, or clutter. In some cases, shopping addiction has led to marital discord or broken trust.
- Time Waste
Endless hours spent browsing items online reduces time for real-life relationships, hobbies, work, or self-care.
From Consumer to Consumed: Are We Losing Control?
Online shopping is not inherently bad. It has democratized access, enabled home-bound or disabled people to shop, and supported countless businesses. But when consumption becomes compulsion, the roles reverse—we become the product.
The attention economy is built on keeping people scrolling, watching, and buying. Our impulses are tracked, measured, and manipulated in real-time.
It’s worth asking: Are we shopping because we need to, or because we’re being made to?
How to Prevent Buying Useless and Unnecessary Things
The key is not to reject shopping, but to build awareness, discipline, and intentionality. Here are concrete solutions for individuals and society:
- Pause Before You Purchase
- Wait 24 hours before buying anything not essential. This cooling-off period kills impulsive urges.
- Ask yourself: Do I really need this? Where will I use it? Will I still want this a week later?
- Make a Shopping List
- Whether online or in a physical market, make a list—and stick to it.
- Avoid browsing without a purpose.
- Unsubscribe and Disable Notifications
- Unfollow influencers or brands that trigger you.
- Turn off shopping app notifications or delete the apps entirely if needed.
- Track Your Spending
- Use apps or notebooks to log every purchase.
- When you see how much you’re spending on non-essentials, the reality often hits hard.
- Use Cash or Debit Over Credit
- Credit cards delay consequences. Use cash or debit so you spend what you actually have.
- Practice Mindful Consumption
- Reflect on the why behind every purchase.
- Shop with purpose, not emotion.
- Get Support
- If you suspect addiction, talk to a friend, family member, or therapist.
- There are also online forums and behavioral therapy options.
- Declutter
- Regularly clean your home to see the clutter you’ve accumulated.
- This can reduce the desire to add more.
Role of E-Commerce Platforms and Regulation
Just as social media companies are being questioned for mental health impacts, e-commerce platforms should also be held accountable.
Suggestions include:
- Mandatory spending limit options.
- Transparency in data collection and targeting.
- Ethical marketing regulations (limiting predatory urgency tactics).
- Pop-ups that encourage reflection before purchase.
Consumers also deserve the right to digital dignity—to not be manipulated for profit.
The Cultural Context: Pakistan’s Silent Struggle
In countries like Pakistan, where inflation is high, employment is unstable, and mental health is stigmatized, online shopping addiction becomes even more dangerous. Many spend money they don’t have, on things they don’t need, to feel a sense of control they lack in life.
Ironically, consumerism is mistaken for progress, especially among youth. Branded boxes arriving at the doorstep become a badge of lifestyle, even if the soul feels emptier with each unboxing.
This is a national health issue, not just an individual failing.
Reclaiming Control in the Age of Clicks
In an era where algorithms know us better than we know ourselves, self-control becomes a revolutionary act. The ability to pause, reflect, and resist the urge to buy what we don’t need is not just a personal victory—it’s a cultural shift.
Online shopping is here to stay, and that’s not the problem. The problem is when we lose conscious agency over our behavior—when emotional gaps are filled with cardboard boxes, and financial stability is sacrificed at the altar of dopamine hits.
So the next time you’re tempted to click “Buy Now,” ask yourself:
Am I shopping to solve a problem—or to avoid one?
Let’s stop buying things to impress people we don’t know, with money we don’t have, for happiness that won’t last.
True satisfaction isn’t in the package that arrives tomorrow. It’s in the clarity, purpose, and control we exercise today.
Read: Corruption Devours Pakistan’s Soul
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Abdullah Soomro, penname Abdullah Usman Morai, hailing from Moro town of Sindh, province of Pakistan, is based in Stockholm Sweden. Currently he is working as Groundwater Engineer in Stockholm Sweden. He did BE (Agriculture) from Sindh Agriculture University Tando Jam and MSc water systems technology from KTH Stockholm Sweden as well as MSc Management from Stockholm University. Beside this he also did masters in journalism and economics from Shah Abdul Latif University Khairpur Mirs, Sindh. He is author of a travelogue book named ‘Musafatoon’. His second book is in process. He writes articles from time to time. A frequent traveler, he also does podcast on YouTube with channel name: VASJE Podcast.
