FoodNeverComes is one of a growing number of fake online shopping sites where users can place a pretend food order. (CBC)
Rhia Catapano, an assistant professor at the University of Toronto who studies consumer behaviour and psychology, says online shopping simulators can activate “the same parts of our brain that doing the actual activity would.”
That’s particularly appealing for budget-conscious young people.
“Like playing a video game or dreaming about a vacation that you’re never actually going to take, we can imagine a thing,” she said. “In some way, it gives us some of the same psychological benefits.”
The sudden popularity of these sites, says Catapano, shows just how deeply consumerism has become integrated into our everyday lives, with people willing to spend time and effort browsing and “shopping” even when they know nothing will ever arrive.
But she sees a glimmer of resistance, too.
Some people, she says, are realizing through these sites that their shopping habits aren’t serving them — and are looking for ways to consume less and make more intentional choices.
“They recognize that what they’re doing is not good for them, so they’re trying to make changes.”
One thing that works just as well is paying bills.
Like, always use auto pay, but when you want to spend, go pay a bill early. This is especially useful if you’re using a credit card for points. Whenever you feel consumerery, whip out the app, and pay the bill to zero. You get the same dopamine hit as a purchase making the payment, but then you get a bigger one seeing it (will) go to zero.
If you ever go to look and it’s zero, instead of the dopamine from paying, you get one from seeing $0.00 on your credit card bill.
Or just video games like animal crossing, I’ve always been convinced people just like existing in an economy that might not be “fair” but at least has a path towards eventually success. Even if you’re shit at it (to my understanding) you just accumulate resources slower, but eventually you get there.