The idea of shopping at a fraction of the price of regular stores is enticing. Even with an overcrowded virtual cart, you only pay a penny. That sums it up best tagline of shopping app Temu: “Shop like a billionaire.” At favorable prices on the Chinese market (dealer from other e-shops) you can have anything and at any time. From electronics to toys and clothes. At random – robotic vacuum cleaner there you can buy it for CZK 795, while in an authorized store the device with the same functions ranges from 5,000 upwards. It is probably clear to all shoppers that they will not be able to claim the goods in the event of a malfunction, but “it’s worth it for the price”. Or not?
These are not branded goods, but plagiarisms
It’s not like the 1990s when it was fashionable (and cheap) to go through real flea markets looking for t-shirts or other fake brand fashion. You don’t see plagiarisms on the markets anymore, but that doesn’t mean they don’t sell. Only their sales have moved to the Internet. “My son wanted new Nike shoes, but with how fast his feet are growing, I thought it was pointless. So I ordered him exact replicas on the Pandabuy market,” admits the mother of a twelve-year-old boy.
But it’s not just about plagiarism and suspiciously cheap and low-quality goods. Another danger lurks in Chinese markets: addiction.
“Shopping is a relatively common addictive behavior. It manifests itself in a morbid desire to shop, regardless of the debts I incur by shopping,” says addictologist Mgr. Ales Kuda.
Things you don’t need, but the price is tempting
In a flood of adrenaline, a person also buys things that he did not even think he needed – lighted cables, a holder for wooden spoons or a cleaner for headphones. “I ordered a fake Apple Watch, even though I have the original at home. I was just curious,” said 40-year-old Petr, whose smart watch cost 750 CZK including shipping. According to the expert, this is also a sign of incipient addiction. “Basically, it’s not about the goods themselves, the most attractive thing is the process of shopping and waiting for the ordered goods to arrive. Then it’s not interesting anymore and everything starts again,” says Kuda. It is thin ice that is easy to slip on.
Photo: Gorodenkoff, Shutterstock.com
Sellers offer good prices not only for electronics and household goods, but also for clothes Photo: Gorodenkoff, Shutterstock.com
How do I know I have a problem?
“Compulsive shopping in the beginning was a substitute satisfaction when my real life is not entirely happy. As if I am rewarding myself or have something to look forward to while I wait for the ordered goods. It may sound incomprehensible, but it is always necessary to look at this problem within the life story of the given person,” says Mgr. Kuda adds: “I recognize addiction when I accumulate things that I never use, spend unnecessarily, spend a lot of time searching in e-shops and repeat my behavior, even when I see the negative effects on my life – I lack money or don’t have time for other things.’
How to get out of it? Limit the flood of information
If you have already reached a state where you simply cannot help yourself and everything you see around you invites you to make purchases – browser ads, newsletters or advertising text messages – opt out of everything and turn off push notifications in your phone settings. If that doesn’t work, it’s a good idea to seek professional help. “For a certain percentage of people, compulsive shopping becomes so strong that it is necessary to seek professional help. It is always important to understand what role this activity plays in my life story and what I am replacing with it,” concludes the addictologist.
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2024-04-04 03:00:00
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