The Why Behind the Buy

Understanding consumerism and why we buy.

by Kit Yarrow, Ph.D.

How Technology is Changing What We Eat

Preparing and eating food is one of the most fundamental activities of humanity. It’s only natural that we’ll see changes in our psychology reflected how we choose to shop and cook, and what we want to eat. Here are some examples of how technology has shaped our food preferences and the innovative ways the food industry is responding. Read More

5 Mental Mistakes that Sabotage Spending Resolutions

Spending willpower is no match for these five mental minefields. Read More

Experts Make the Same Holiday Shopping Mistakes that You Do

It turns out that even the experts get tripped up by the same shopping mistakes as everyone else: overbuying, procrastination, impulsive purchasing and falling prey to promotions. Read More

Psychological Secrets of Pro-Performance Holiday Shopping

Here's how to combat the psychological landmines of high pressure holiday shopping. Read More

Shoppers Are Whistling New Tunes

Sales of snazzy goodies like nail polish, handbags, wine and cheesecake are soaring. Meanwhile, ugly stepsister products like fertilizer, shoe polish and vacuum cleaner bags languish on store shelves. Here's why. Read More

Flash Sales: The New (Deeply Psychological) Budget Busters

Flash sale sites are designed to tap into the most vulnerable aspects of our shopping psychology. Read More

The Economy: Consumer Mastery Vs. Soaring Prices

Rather than to be felled by the recession, the American consumer has emerged empowered. Read More

This Is Your Tax Return on Behavioral Economics

A tax refund is the return of your own money, but only 19% say they'll reduce their holdings next year. Read More

Six Tips for Happy Returns

Shoppers will be receive a bit more scrutiny when they try to return or exchange merchandise this year. Here are a few tips for smooth returns. Read More

Holiday Shopping Tips From an "Expert"

Though my focus is on the mindset of consumers and the marketing tactics of retailers, I've also picked up a few shopping tips. Read More

A Generational Chasm in Spending Ideals

Like everyone else, Gen Y has reduced their spending out of necessity. But it's been to a lesser extent than older generations. More importantly, their feelings about shopping and buying remain more positive than the over 30 crowd, and less changed by their recessionary shopping strategies.

The most successful brands have taken the age old theme of a magic girl lure potion and updated it with an edge. It works. Old Spice commercials and videos featuring "the man your man could smell like" have been viewed over 120 million times on YouTube and sales have increased 107% in the past month. Read More

Got Wedding (Gift) Jitters?

Wedding gifts have always been a source of confusion for shoppers. Today, things like second marriages and destination weddings have made things more complicated. Even the most experienced gift-givers are sometimes stymied by how to merge modern mores with a tradition-laden celebration. Read More

Quiz! Are You Entitled?

What's harder than working with, living near or sharing the road (or your life) with an overly entitled person? Being that person. While they may get their way more often than others, what they don't get as much of is happiness. Read More

Pop-Up Retail - Why it Works

The Internet has changed the meaning of “location,” allowing retailers to create a virtual identity that’s as real and marketable as one established by a physical location. Read More

College Students Failing Empathy Test

College students today are significantly less empathic than students of the 80's or 90's, according to a new study by the University of Michigan. The 30-year longitudinal study of nearly 14,000 students found a 40% drop in empathy from the late 70's, with the sharpest decline occurring after the year 2000. Read More

The Other Woman

50% of Baby Boomers and 83% of Gen Yers sleep next to this intruder. Read More

How to Save Your Sanity (and Money) This Tax Season

No matter what, tax preparation isn't likely to be on anybody's list of favorite ways to spend their spare time. Here are six tips to lessen the psychological strain and get the job done more efficiently. Read More

Use Psychology to Make Your 2010 Resolutions Stick

It's time for our annual ritual of absolution and control - otherwise known as the New Year's Resolution. If you're like most Americans, your resolution will be the same one you made last year. And again this year it'll last until Valentine's Day. But some resolutions work - about 20% make it to the two-year point. To give your resolution the best possible chance, learn from the winners. Read More

How Consumer Psychology Created the Zhu Zhu Hamster Craze

It may seem like crazy luck but there's a lot of deep psychology behind the funky little techno hamster that's captured the attention and dollars of American shoppers. Read More

Celebrities are Today's Hometown Hotties

They're today's version of the hometown "sluts" "drunks" and "deadbeats" that were gossiped about at the local bar. Read More

The Post-Recession Consumer

Insights acquired during the recession will crystallize a notion that Americans have been nursing for years - that perfectionism causes anxiety, and that "keeping up" keeps people apart. Read More

5 Steps to Conquer Compulsive Spending

I was on Good Morning America on Sunday discussing spending disorders. Here are 5 steps to conquer compulsive spending. Read More

Strength is in. Power is out.

If there was ever a time when the strong silent type was appreciated by consumers this is it. Where once a powerful, dominant business, full of authority was admired - today three factors have led consumers to reject the power persona in favor of businesses they perceive to be simply strong partners. Read More

Half Off! Act Now: How to Resist the Spell of a Sale

At a time when many Americans are working hard to trim their spending, alluring discounts and now-or-never bargains have never been more ubiquitous. Here's how to resist the spell of a sale and make smart shopping decisions - even in the face of a 70% off tag. Read More

6 Sneaky Ways Sales Spur Spending

It's not just about the price - sale shopping is deeply psychological.

Tanya, 23, of Alexandria, VA was walking through Nordstrom on her way to meet a friend for lunch and spotted a table piled high with handbags. "It called to me! I found the cutest hobo, it was the last one, I had to buy it." Read More