Luxuriate | Shopping Habits

Oct 19, 2011 by April    2 Comments    Posted under: Shopping Habits

Shopping habits that luxuriate items will look different in various financial brackets, but the concept is the same. An inanimate object represents a symbol of luxury in the shopper’s mind, therefore they purchase it as a gesture to luxuriate their lifestyle … in their mind.

Whether the shopper lives a luxurious lifestyle or not is irrelevant.

And the good news? Apparently, we all do it ~ luxuriate (something) in our lives.

For some it’s kitchen tools, for others it may be purses or shoes. Regardless what the item we luxuriate is, it’s important to understand how we do it and possibly why if we want to improve shopping habits as a whole.

Remembering back to the first time I read about this quirk we all share in our shopping habits, it was intriguing as well as logical.

Here’s why …

How we luxuriate

I like to call it “your thing”. The stuff we purchase that is our little luxury.

For my husband it’s hunting & fishing garb.

For me it’s reusable shopping bags, geeky stuff & on occasion the perfect pair of jeans.

Mentally, we are using the item to luxuriate our lives. By owning this [fill in the blank] I’ve stepped into what I see as the ‘finer things in life’. Or better yet, “I’ve arrived.”

Like I said, the luxuriate habit will differ given access to funds. One woman might luxuriate bed sheets that cost $5,000 while another feels as though she is living in the lap of luxury with stationary that took $50 from her bank account.

On the other hand, that same $5,000 bedding shopper may stake out the local thrift stores for clothing and the $50 stationary shopper may be doing all their cooking on a charcoal grill.

It all depends on what is most important to the shopper what their thing is that connects them with their version of luxury.

Why we luxuriate

Research into shopping habits has revealed our deeper need for certain things.

Acceptance. Independence. Providing. Even jealousy.

When it comes to what we luxuriate, well – that’s probably a session with your therapist, but why we do it … now that’s the interesting part.

We’ve all heard the saying “Shopping is my Religion!”.

Turns out, the items we luxuriate and that sense of faith are just what the brands (and marketing teams) ordered.

Take a minute to make a list of the brands you buy regularly, have you “joined” them?

For example, are you the proud owner of the new 4s? Or are you wishing you were the proud owner of the new 4s?

If not, what brands are your religion? Which brands represent how you luxuriate your life? Is it wine, handbags, bubble bath, furniture?

Knowing what you luxuriate helps you to become more aware of your shopping habits. That’s not to say you have to stop, just know when you’re doing it and ask yourself “is this really the purchase I want to make”. I’m guessing 9 times out of 10 the answer will still be yes, but isn’t it nice to know you took the time to make the decision yourself?

Would love to hear your thoughts on this one over on The Mental Clutter Facebook Page {or below} …

What do you luxuriate?
Now that you know, will it change your shopping habits?

Got anything to say? Go ahead and leave a comment!