Alina Selyukh

That was definitely me shopping under stress. We're living on the edge. But so far, process-wise, pretty straightforward, right? We see something we like, we get excited, then we go, whoa, that's expensive. It's like a mental scale with the dopamine-fueled reward mechanism motivating you on one side and the internal accountant on the other side in your frontal cortex.

That was definitely me shopping under stress. We're living on the edge. But so far, process-wise, pretty straightforward, right? We see something we like, we get excited, then we go, whoa, that's expensive. It's like a mental scale with the dopamine-fueled reward mechanism motivating you on one side and the internal accountant on the other side in your frontal cortex.

Now, guess what happens when you add a sale to the mix? The accountant freaks out. Yes, a sale is like the thumb that tips your mental scale toward buying. Jorge Barraza, who is a consumer psychologist at the University of Southern California, says that just finding a sale, just seeing it, actually registers often as a win already. Of course. It's like delivering its own bolt of joy.

Now, guess what happens when you add a sale to the mix? The accountant freaks out. Yes, a sale is like the thumb that tips your mental scale toward buying. Jorge Barraza, who is a consumer psychologist at the University of Southern California, says that just finding a sale, just seeing it, actually registers often as a win already. Of course. It's like delivering its own bolt of joy.

Now, guess what happens when you add a sale to the mix? The accountant freaks out. Yes, a sale is like the thumb that tips your mental scale toward buying. Jorge Barraza, who is a consumer psychologist at the University of Southern California, says that just finding a sale, just seeing it, actually registers often as a win already. Of course. It's like delivering its own bolt of joy.

Yeah. And we were on Zoom and you could just see physically how much he hated that whole line of questioning.

Yeah. And we were on Zoom and you could just see physically how much he hated that whole line of questioning.

Yeah. And we were on Zoom and you could just see physically how much he hated that whole line of questioning.

So no lizard brain. Forget it. Our brains are too complex for these basic metaphors.

So no lizard brain. Forget it. Our brains are too complex for these basic metaphors.

So no lizard brain. Forget it. Our brains are too complex for these basic metaphors.

And sales create a sense of urgency and a sense of scarcity. And these are the two building blocks of impulse shopping.

And sales create a sense of urgency and a sense of scarcity. And these are the two building blocks of impulse shopping.

And sales create a sense of urgency and a sense of scarcity. And these are the two building blocks of impulse shopping.

Today only everyone is here and they're buying that one thing that you want. Stores also use all kinds of tricks to sway your internal accountant toward buying. For example, there's decoy pricing. Like picture a store shelf where you have two bags of, let's say, candy. One is smaller and one's larger. How do you get people to buy the bigger bag of the two?

Today only everyone is here and they're buying that one thing that you want. Stores also use all kinds of tricks to sway your internal accountant toward buying. For example, there's decoy pricing. Like picture a store shelf where you have two bags of, let's say, candy. One is smaller and one's larger. How do you get people to buy the bigger bag of the two?

Today only everyone is here and they're buying that one thing that you want. Stores also use all kinds of tricks to sway your internal accountant toward buying. For example, there's decoy pricing. Like picture a store shelf where you have two bags of, let's say, candy. One is smaller and one's larger. How do you get people to buy the bigger bag of the two?

You add a decoy third option, and that's a medium bag that's much smaller than the largest bag, but only slightly cheaper.

You add a decoy third option, and that's a medium bag that's much smaller than the largest bag, but only slightly cheaper.

You add a decoy third option, and that's a medium bag that's much smaller than the largest bag, but only slightly cheaper.