EBN- Black Friday epitomizes consumerism’s peak, tempting millions with unbeatable deals during this significant shopping event.
This desire to shop increases when the days of the big offers approach, as it becomes difficult to avoid advertisements offering huge discounts on various products.
This is partly due to a chemical reaction that occurs in our brains when we see attractive offers. When we see a discount, the part of our brain responsible for pleasure, known as the nucleus accumbens, is activated, enhancing our feelings of satisfaction. When this feeling of pleasure is associated with an immediate reward such as a good deal, it’s easy to understand why many people feel a strong urge to shop during these times.
Dopamine, the neurotransmitter responsible for happiness, is one of the main motivators for this behavior. When a person is presented with an offer for a product they want to buy, the reward centers in their brain are stimulated by dopamine, giving them a feeling of happiness while shopping. As dopamine levels increase, we are more likely to make purchasing decisions faster.
So if people feel pleasure and satisfaction when shopping, retailers spare no effort to increase this feeling. They use different methods to increase the temptation of shoppers, such as offers that are available for short periods only, which creates a sense of urgency and increases adrenaline levels in the blood, which enhances the motivation to rush to make decisions before it is too late.
Main motivators for Black Friday
Countdown timers on websites also compound this feeling, making shoppers feel like they might miss out if they don’t act immediately.
However, consumers can resist this biological temptation. It may take self-control, but impulsiveness can be reduced by pausing and thinking before making a decision. When faced with a discounted product, it’s best to take your time to think. And if you’re in a store, the idea of walking around with the product a little can help calm the immediate urge.
When shopping online, stepping away from the screen for a short period of time can help reduce the impact of temptation.
