One-in-Four U.S. Adults Admit They Have Gone Shopping for "Retail Therapy," Finds New CouponCabin.com Survey
--41 Percent of U.S. Adults Said They Have Hidden Purchases from a Significant Other--
News Facts:
- 49 percent of U.S. adults said using coupons gives them a thrill or rush.
- 31 percent said they feel guilty about shopping for themselves when they don't need anything.
- 15 percent said they felt guilty after shopping in search of retail therapy.
WHITING, Ind., Dec. 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Behold the power of shopping. A new CouponCabin.com survey reveals that one-in-four (24 percent) U.S. adults have gone shopping or purchased something solely because they were in a bad mood, otherwise known as "retail therapy." A higher percentage of women said they've shopped in pursuit of retail therapy than men, at 31 percent and 16 percent, respectively. This survey was conducted online nationwide by Harris Interactive on behalf of CouponCabin.com from November 4th – 8th, 2011 among 2,042 U.S. adults aged 18 and older.
Sometimes, retail therapy doesn't always result in a better mood. While 33 percent of those who have gone shopping for retail therapy said they felt happy afterward, 30 percent said they temporarily forgot their bad mood, 16 percent said they thought it would put them in a better mood but it didn't, and 15 percent said they felt guilty.
"Every now and then, it's ok to treat yourself to something if you're feeling down, but shoppers need to be careful," said Jackie Warrick, President and Chief Savings Officer at CouponCabin.com. "Shopping in pursuit of retail therapy, or for other reasons other than necessity, can result in broken budgets. Shoppers need to be aware of their spending habits and keep their buying in check."
The emotions surrounding shopping can vary widely. On the positive side, saving money seems to be the key to shopping for a good mood, as 49 percent of U.S. adults said using coupons to save money gives them a thrill or rush. In addition, 53 percent of U.S. adults said they have celebrated good news by buying something or going shopping for themselves.
On the flip side, 31 percent of U.S. adults said they feel guilty shopping for themselves when they don't really need anything. Women are more likely to feel guilty than men, at 39 percent and 23 percent, respectively.
Often, the emotions surround shopping can cause people to hide purchases from their significant other. In fact, more than four-in-ten (41 percent) said they have hidden purchases from a significant other. When asked why they have hidden purchases from a significant other, U.S. adults said the following:
- Item was a gift for my significant other or for someone else – 28 percent
- I did not stay within our agreed upon budget – 8 percent
- I was ashamed of how many purchases I made – 5 percent
- I was embarrassed by my purchases – 4 percent
Survey Methodology:
This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of CouponCabin from November 4th – 8th, 2011 among 2,042 U.S. adults aged 18 and older. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore, no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables, please contact: Allison Nawoj, [email protected].
About CouponCabin.com
CouponCabin.com is a leading online destination for coupons including online coupon codes, printables, grocery coupons and more. Shoppers have saved nearly $250 million since 2003 and with the largest selection of coupons guaranteed to work, CouponCabin is the best place to start searching for savings. The average user saves $19 in just 80 seconds on the site. With customized email newsletters, browser savings alerts, new coupon alerts and more, shoppers will never miss out on a great deal with CouponCabin. For more information, please visit http://www.CouponCabin.com.
SOURCE CouponCabin.com
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