Buy On Emotion? Think Again!

38717_414833933421_7876221_nWe have been conditioned to think that people in general buy on emotion and then defend their purchases rationally, or at least they try to be rational. At first sight, this seems to be so. But is it really so? And does it have to be so?

Think about it! If you have just made a purchase you’re quite likely to regret, you come up with all sorts of excuses as to why you made that purchase. You try to hide the fact that you had, in fact, made the purchase on a whim or fancy. Why is that? Is it because buying on impulse is an act of immaturity? If you buy something based on fear, meaning you buy something like an insurance policy to cover certain things in order to feel more secure, would that be an act of immaturity also? Now, I am not against buying insurance. I just feel that many people have too much insurance. I think we really need to have a sense of balance when we indulge in buying stuff.

40083_414834168421_1550619_nOh…but isn’t buying stuff supposed to be fun? Haven’t I heard of retail therapy? Of course I have! However, I think that flippant buying and selling does no one any good. The seller might think that he has transacted a good piece of business, but if the transaction was not beneficial to the buyer, AND to the buyer’s stakeholders, then that “good piece of business” has just put a hole in the seller’s brand, the seller’s credibility. No, there must be a better way of doing business.

That better way is surely to buy critically and objectively. To buy based on what is needed, not what is wanted. That way, after the purchase has been made, you, the buyer, will then start feeling good that you have made a purchase which is of value to yourself, your stakeholders, and even to the seller! When our thoughts lead our emotions, we will find that our positive emotions are more deeply felt, and they stay on for much longer.

As we enter 2015, let’s decide to be more responsible buyers!

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