A Research project on

“A Study Of Retail Therapy In The Indian Context”

SUBMITTED BY

ARUSHI MEHROTRA
(TYBMS – A, 047)

Bachelor of Management Studies

Semester (VI)

Submitted on – 8th April, 2021

(2020-2021)

PROJECT GUIDE:
Asst. Prof. Yogesh Kamath

MITHIBAI COLLEGE OF ARTS,

CHAUHAN INSTITUTE OF
SCIENCE &
AMRUTBEN JIVANLAL COLLEGE OF COMMERCE &
ECONOMICS
VILE PARLE (W), MUMBAI
400 056
 “A Study Of Retail Therapy In The Indian Context”

Bachelor of Management Studies

(B.M.S) Semester (VI)

Submitted
In Partial Fulfilment of the requirements for the award of degree
of Bachelor of Management Studies

By:
Arushi Mehrotra
Roll No: 047, Div: A

MITHIBAI COLLEGE OF ARTS,

CHAUHAN INSTITUTE OF
SCIENCE &
AMRUTBEN JIVANLAL COLLEGE OF COMMERCE &
ECONOMICS
VILE PARLE (W), MUMBAI
400 056
DECLARATION

I, Arushi Mehrotra, a student of T.Y.B.M.S. Semester VI (2020- 2021)

hereby declare that I have completed the research project on “A Study
Of Retail Therapy In The Indian Context.”

The information submitted is true and original to the best of my

knowledge.

(Signature of Student)

Arushi
Mehrotra
Roll No: A, 047

MITHIBAI COLLEGE OF
ARTS, CHAUHAN
INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE &
AMRUTBEN JIVANLAL COLLEGE OF COMMERCE
& ECONOMICS
3
 VILE PARLE (W), MUMBAI
400 056

CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that Ms. Arushi Mehrotra, 047 of Third Year B.M.S.,
Semester VI (2020-2021) has successfully completed the research
project on
“A Study of Retail Therapy in The Indian Context”
Under the guidance of Assistant Professor Yogesh Kamath.

___

Project Guide /Internal Examiner External

Examiner
(Assistant Professor Yogesh Kamath)

HEAD OF DEPARTMENT I/C

PRINCIPAL
Ms. Shabana Khan Dr. Krutika
4
Desai

Seal of
the
college
Acknowledgement

As the outset of this project, I would like to express my profound gratitude to

Mithibai College of Arts and Commerce for the resources provided for our
educational purposes.
I take this opportunity to thank the University of Mumbai for giving me chance to do
this project.
I would like to thank my I/C Principal, DR. Krutika Desai for providing the
necessary facilities required for completion of this project.
I take this opportunity to thank our Coordinator Prof. Shabana Khan, for moral
support and guidance.
I would also like to express my sincere gratitude towards my project guide Assistant
Professor Yogesh Kamath whose guidance and care made the project successful.
I would also like to thank all the respondents for taking out the time for filling the
Google form and helping in carrying out this research.
Lastly, I would like to thank each and every person who directly or indirectly helped
me in the completion of the project especially my Parents and Peers who supported
me throughout my project.

5
 INDEX

CHAPTER TITLE OF THE CHAPTER PAGE

NO. NO.
ABSTRACT 1
1. INTRODUCTION 2-29
1.1 Shopping 2
1.2 History Of Shopping 4
1.3 Introduction To Retail Therapy 7
1.4 Retail therapy facts 9
1.5 How Common Is Retail Therapy? 10
1.6 Why retail therapy might work 10
1.7 Retail therapy in moderation is beneficial 11
1.8 Shopping-and-Stress Paradox 11
1.9 Symptoms one is Shopping In Stress 13
1.10 Reduce Stress Shopping 15
1.11 In The Era Of The Digital Experiences,The 19
Relationship Between Stress And Shopping
1.12 Retail Therapy's Consequences 21
1.13 When does retail therapy become problematic? 21
1.14 Signs of A Shopaholic 26
1.15 Alternatives to Retail Therapy 28
1.16 Retail Therapy In Covid Times 30-52
1.17 What Shoppers Bought As Retail Therapy In Covid 53-59
Times
1.18 In 2021, Can We Give "Retail Therapy" A New 53
Meaning?
1.19 Final thoughts about retail therapy 54
2. LITERATURE REVIEW 55
3. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 55
3.1 Description Of The Topic 56
3.2 Objectives Of The Study 56
6
3.3 Scope Of The Study 57
3.4 Research Design 57
3.5 Design Of Questionnaire 58
3.6 Sample Design 58
3.7 Sampling Technique 58
3.8 Sample Size 59
3.9 Data Collection Methods 61-99
Statistical Tools 100
Hypothesis 101
102
DATA ANALYSIS, INTERPRETATION & 107
INTERPRETTIONS
CONCLUSIONS
SUGGESTIONS& RECOMMENDATIONS
ANNEXURE
REFERENCES

ABSTRACT

The term "Retail Therapy" refers to the practice of attempting to cheer oneself up by
purchasing self-indulgent products. Bad emotions linked to retail therapy, on the other
hand, have been linked to increased impulsivity and a loss of behavioural regulation.
When people are depressed, they often shop, but whether and why shopping decreases
residual sadness is unknown. Shopping can restore personal control over one's
environment and reduce residual sadness because sadness is strongly associated with
a feeling that situational forces control the outcomes in one's life. This study aimed to
find out about the prevalence of the concept of retail therapy in the Indian context.
Indian culture is very different when compared to the western culture and culture
plays an important role in regulating people’s behaviours and personalities. A
questionnaire-based survey was collected from a sample size of 150 people, these
people belonged to different states of the Indian subcontinent. The data collected was
then used to test various hypotheses using statistical tests to establish a null or
alternate hypothesis. Two hypotheses were tested, first one was done to establish if
gender plays a role in how people indulge in retail therapy or consumption for the

7
purpose of mood upliftment. The second hypothesis tests if there is a relationship
between stress and shopping to alleviate negative feelings or for mood upliftment.
The findings of the study suggest that men and women indulge in retail therapy
differently when going through negative emotions so gender does play an important
role in how people indulge in retail therapy when feeling low. The findings from the
second hypothesis concluded that when people are stressed or feeling low it affects
their shopping patterns significantly and they indulge in retail therapy. There is a
plethora of research that is yet to be conducted in this field as the concept of retail
therapy is very new to the Indian consumer and holds a lot of potential. It can be used
by brands to better formulate their marketing strategies and by scholars in studying
consumer behaviour.

Keywords: Retail Therapy, Shopping, Negative Feelings, Stress, Indian Context

CHAPTER NO 1: INTRODUCTION

1.1 Shopping

“For some, shopping is an art; for others, it's a sport. It can be a vice and it can be
a cause. Some love it. Some hate it. Rarely is someone indifferent.” –– Pamela
Klaffke

“Conspicuous consumption is not a product of market capitalism, but a mark of

civilization.”

Shopping refers to the buying of goods and services, they might be necessary
purchases like food or purchases driven by pure hedonism. Shopping is an integral
part of human life. Humans are the only species to put monetary value on things.
Shopping is described as an operation in which a consumer browses the available
products or services offered by one or more retailers with the intent of purchasing a
suitable range of them.. All humans in one way or another are participants of the
consumer society.

8
1.2 History Of Shopping

Humans have been trading, bartering, selling, and devouring resources for almost as
long as they have existed. To go all the way back to the beginning of commerce, we
would have to return to a time when woolly mammoths still strolled the Earth.
The history of shopping or retail can be divided into four main eras: ‘The Prehistoric
Era’, ‘The Ancient Era’, ‘The Middle Ages’ and ‘The Shopping for Pleasure Era’.

 The Prehistoric Era:

Markets have been around since the dawn of time. According to some
scholars, some form of market has existed since humans first started to trade.
In ancient Babylonia, Assyria, Phoenecia, Greece, Egypt, and the Arabian
Peninsula, open-air public markets were popular. However, not all economies
had established a business structure.
From the early Bronze Age onwards, a network of markets arose across the
Mediterranean and Aegean. Salt, lapiz-lazuli, dyes, cloth, metals, pots,
ceramics, sculptures, spears, and other instruments were among the many
items traded. According to archeological evidence, Bronze Age merchants
divided trading routes into regional circuits. These routes carried both goods
and ideas.

 The Ancient Era :

In the ancient era, people used to follow the barter system, which meant they
exchanged goods in return for goods. There is evidence of People exchanging
cows and sheep in trade as far back as 9000 BC.

There was commerce before there was currency. according to archaeological

findings Traders used cowrie shells as tokens equivalent to coins around 1200
BC . Cowrie shells were eventually replaced by coins as the preferred form of
payment. Ancient manuscripts and archaeological evidence tell the tale of
9
 ancient cultures that used coins like the Roman drachma and denarii.
Mesopotamia had the first proper currency as early as 3000 BC.

To facilitate the exchange of goods and services, marketplaces and fairs were
established in ancient times. Markets were usually held in the town's heart.
Metalworkers, leather workers, and carpenters were among the skilled artisans
who lived in the alleyways surrounding the market. These artisans may have
sold their wares directly from their homes, but they also prepared items for
market days.

People in ancient Greece had developed markets by 800 BC, with merchants
selling their wares in the city centre’s Agora. The agora was a marketplace in
ancient Greece where traders held stalls or shops to sell their wares. Greek
stallholders grouped together according to the type of goods they sold: fish
sellers were in one house, clothing sellers in another, and sellers of more
costly goods like perfumes, bottles, and jars were in another. The Greeks
divided trade into distinct areas, known as stoa, which were all situated near
the city centre. The stoa, which was located inside or adjacent to the agora,
served as a place of trade as well as a public promenade.

In ancient times, people would go to daily markets in nearby towns to shop for
products. Due to the temporary nature of stalls and stall-holders, customers
needed to check products carefully before purchasing. The government
employed officials to oversee weights, measures, and coinage at the market-
place in Athens to ensure that the people were not robbed during trading
activity

Before separate buildings and spaces were reserved, the agora acted as a venue
for theatrical and gymnastic performances. Respectable women were rarely
seen in the agora in Athens. It was prohibited for men convicted of murder and
other crimes to join it before their trials. There were free men there not only to
conduct business and serve as jurors, but also to chat and idly roam around. 

10
 The forum was where trade took place in ancient Rome. The Forum Romanum
and Trajan's Forum were two of Rome's forums. Established about 100-
110CE, Trajan's Market at Trajan's Forum was a sprawling complex of
buildings with shops on four floors. The Roman forum was, without a doubt,
the first permanent retail shopfront.

Bartering systems were common and direct sale by merchants or peddlers was
also common. The central market in the Roman world mainly served the local
peasantry. Local primary producers sold small surpluses from their individual
farming operations, as well as artisans who sold leather products, metalware,
and pottery at the market. Farmers who purchased minor farm equipment and
a few luxuries for their homes, as well as city dwellers who purchased basic
necessities, were among the consumers.

The agora influenced and was influenced by the growth of the Roman forum
in the later era The forum, on the other hand, was built in a more tactful
manner than the agora and evolved into a distinct, fairly normal, open space
surrounded by planned architecture.

Multiple markets served the population of Pompeii, which estimated about

12,000 people. Produce markets were in close proximity to the Forum, while
livestock markets were on the city's outskirts. It's believed that the macellum
was once a meat and fish market.

For the right to sell on market days, market stallholders were charged a market
fee. Markets and street vendors may have been controlled by the local
government, according to archaeological evidence. "Saturn's day at Pompeii
and Nuceria, Sun's day at Atella and Nola, Moon's day at Cumae... etc," states
a graffiti on the outside of a large store in Pompeii. The existence of an official
commercial schedule hints at the market's significance in community life and
commerce. Markets were also important social gathering spots.

11
  The Middle Ages :

England and Europe :

Archaeological research indicates that in the early Middle Ages, the British
did very little shopping. Instead, they relied on subsistence farming and a
scheme of localized personal transactions to meet their basic needs. By the late
Middle Ages, however, shoppers had taken to markets for fresh fruit, meat,
and seafood, as well as annual fairs where non-perishables and luxury goods
were sold. Women were in charge of daily household expenses, but the
majority of what they bought was mundane. Shopping was seen as a chore
rather than a treat for the most part. 

The shopping experience of a Medieval shopper was rather different from that
of a modern shopper. The interiors were dimly lit, and customers had very few
chances to inspect the merchandise before purchasing it. During the medieval
era, glazed windows in retail settings were almost unheard of.

Medieval views toward retailing and shopping were pessimistic in the United
Kingdom. Retailers were little safer than swindlers because they actually
resold products by purchasing them at a lower price and selling them at a
higher price, without contributing value to national accounts. Concerns over
retailers' self-interest and some of their more unethical activities were added to
the mix.

Spending on luxury goods drew scrutiny as well, since it meant importing

goods that did nothing to boost national accounts and hampered the
development of deserving local producers.
Markets grew up around monasteries, castles, and royal residences in early
Western Europe.  Aristocratic manorial households generated significant
demand for goods and services - both luxuries and necessities thereby
12
 providing merchants and traders with some security. These commercial hubs
attracted vendors, resulting in a boost to the town's growth. Between 1200 and
1349, over 2,000 new markets were developed in England.

Local Lords were granted a charter by English monarchs in the 12th century to
establish markets and fairs for a town or village. In exchange for an annual
fee, the town's trade rights were covered by a charter. A nearby competing
market did not open on the same days as a chartered market that had been
granted for exclusive market days.

Fairs, which were normally held once a year and almost always associated
with a religious festival, dealt in high-value products, while daily weekly or
bi-weekly markets dealt mainly in fresh produce and necessities. Although the
primary aim of a fair was to promote trade, it also included entertainment such
as dance, music, or tournaments.

As the number of markets grew, market towns were spaced far enough apart to
escape competition while remaining close enough for local producers to make
a round trip in one day. Few open-air markets in the United Kingdom have
been running continuously since the 12th century.

In Europe between the thirteenth and fifteenth century markets were held once
or twice a week in regional districts, while regular markets were popular in
larger cities. Permanent shops started to open daily over time, eventually
displacing the seasonal markets, while peddlers and nomadic traders continued
to fill in any gaps in distribution.

Transactional trade characterized the physical market during the Middle Ages.
Shops had higher operating costs, but they could provide consistent trading
hours and a partnership with clients, as well as added value services like credit
terms to loyal customers. Local commerce, in which goods were exchanged
over relatively short distances, was the mainstay of the economy.

13
 Markets became more international during the Middle Ages. Beach markets,
which were popular in Viking-era northern Europe, were mainly associated
with the selling of fish. The number and variety of imported products sold at
beach markets started to increase around the 11th century. allowing customers
to purchase a wider variety of exotic and luxury products.

In 1600s grain travelled 5–10 miles, cattle 40–70 miles, and wool and woollen
cloth 20–40 miles. However, products were imported from far away following
the European age of exploration, including calico cloth from India, porcelain,
silk, and tea from China, spices from India and Southeast Asia, and tobacco,
sugar, rum, and coffee from the New World. 

Some items became associated with specific locations over time, providing
consumers with useful information about the types of goods available, their
quality, and their origin. Markets aided in the creation of an early form of
product branding in this way. Certain market towns gradually gained a
reputation for producing high-quality produce. Traders and showmen today
are fiercely protective of their reputation.

In The Middle East :

Prior to the 10th century, market places in the Middle East were located on the
city's outskirts. Markets were most commonly associated with caravanserai,
which were usually located just outside the city walls, along existing trade
routes. When the marketplace was incorporated into city systems, it was
turned into a covered area where vendors could buy and sell with so much
ease.

In the 3rd century (CE), the markets of Mecca and Medina were considered to
be important trading centres, and nomadic cultures were heavily reliant on
them for both trade and social interactions. The Grand Bazaar in Istanbul is

14
 frequently referred to as the world's oldest continuously running, purpose-built
market; it was built in 1455.

In Mesoamerica:

A tiered structure of traders developed independently in Mesoamerica.

Hundreds of years before the Aztec empire, extensive trading networks
existed. A tianguis was a local market where people bought their everyday
needs, while a pochteca was a professional trader who traveled long distances
to obtain rare goods or luxury products sought by the aristocracy.

In the 15th century, the Spanish conquerors remarked on the remarkable

quality of the local markets. Tlatelolco's Mexica (Aztec) market was the
biggest in the American continent, and it was claimed to be equivalent to those
in Europe.

 The Shopping for Pleasure Era:

The rise of a middle class in 17th and 18th-century Europe is closely related to the
contemporary practice of pleasure shopping. As living standards rose in the 17th
century, people from all walks of life started to spend more money on items that
were not strictly necessary.

A growing middle class, or bourgeosie, boosted demand for luxury products and
started to buy a broader variety of luxury and manufactured goods, such as Indian
cotton and calico; Chinese silk, tea, and porcelain; Indian and Southeast Asian
spices; and tobacco, sugar, rum, and coffee from the New World. Shopping was
being regarded as a pleasurable pastime or mode of entertainment.

Produce markets eventually gave way to stores and shopping malls by the 17th
century, transforming the shopping environment for consumers. Shops began to
play an important role as meeting and socializing places for Londoners, and they
15
 became prominent destinations alongside the theatre. Luxury buildings grew in
popularity in Restoration London as advertising for social status.
The number of citizens with disposable income for consumption grew in the 18th
century as wealth and social mobility increased. The selling of products for
individuals rather than objects for the home, as well as the current role of goods as
status symbols, related to trends in fashion and sought for aesthetic appeal rather
than functionality, were significant shifts.The use of marketing methods to shape
and manipulate the course of popular tastes also became prevalent.

The metropolitan middle and upper classes gradually gained access to a wider
range of goods and manufactures as the 18th century progressed. The emergence
of 'shopping’ was seen. A glut of retail shops selling specific items came up and
the recognition of shopping as a cultural phenomenon in its own right was fueled
by this increase in demand.

The use of glass windows in supermarket storefronts resulted in the introduction

of window shopping as a leisure sport. The "arcade age" started in the late
eighteenth century, when grand shopping arcades began to appear throughout
Britain, Europe, and the Antipodes. These arcades often had a glass roof to allow
more natural lighting and reduce the need for candles or electric lighting.
Individual shops inside the arcade were outfitted with long glass exterior
windows, enabling the emerging middle classes to window shop and indulge in
fantasies despite their inability to afford the high retail prices.

Arcades promised shoppers a safe haven away from the stress of everyday life; a
place where they could socialize and enjoy their free time. As the number of
glass-covered arcades grew in Europe, they became more ornately adorned and
flashier. Promenading in these arcades became a common pastime for the
emerging middle classes by the mid-nineteenth century.

16
 Bright lights, advertising, and attractively arranged merchandise were used by
retailers to entice customers to their stores. Thanks to the rapid rise in fashion
trends, the products on sale were constantly changing.

1.3 Introduction To Retail Therapy

“Shopping is cheaper than therapy.” –– Anonymous

“Whoever said money can’t buy happiness simply didn’t know where to go
shopping.” — Bo Derek, American actress

“Cinderella is proof that a new pair of shoes can change your life.” –– Anonymous

Shopping for the sole purpose of changing one's attitude or temperament is known as
retail therapy. It's a common occurrence in people who are depressed or stressed, and
it's usually a fleeting habit. "Comfort buys" are items bought after cycles of shopping
therapy.

Shopping seldom counts as real therapy in the clinical or psychotherapeutic sense, so

the term retail therapy is sarcastic and quasi. It was first used in the 1980s, with the
phrase "we've become a nation measuring out our lives in shopping bags and nursing
our psychic ills through retail therapy" appearing in the Chicago Tribune .

Shopping, like drug use, can offer a brief burst of pleasure but often comes with costs
and withdrawal symptoms, making it either a therapy or an addiction, depending on
whether a person uses it adaptively or maladaptively. As a result, retail therapy occurs
parallel of shopping addiction which is compulsive buying disorder. According to a
report commissioned by the European Union in 2001, 33 percent of shoppers
surveyed had a "high degree of addiction to rash or unnecessary consumption."

In a 2013 poll of 1000 people in the United States, it was discovered that more than
half of the people had participated in retail therapy, with 63.9 percent of women and
39.8% of males. Women were more likely to purchase clothes, while men were more
17
likely to buy food. The most common cause for retail therapy was stated as relief from
anxiety.

According to research, shopping has a lot of psychological and therapeutic benefit —

if performed in moderation. You do get a psychological and emotional boost if you're
adding pieces to your online shopping cart or spending a few hours in your favorite
boutique. Even window shopping or browsing the internet will make you happy.
However, you must ensure that it does not spiral out of control.

According to studies, making shopping decisions has been shown to help reinforce a
sense of personal influence over our surroundings. It may also help to alleviate
depression. According to a 2014 report published in the Journal of Consumer
Psychology, retail therapy not only makes people happy right away, but it can also
help them deal with long-term sadness. Sadness, according to the report, is usually
correlated with a feeling that circumstances control the results of our lives rather than
us having control over our own lives. Shopping's underlying choices and results can
help to reclaim a sense of personal independence and autonomy. This is also valid for
any lingering depression one might be experiencing.

1.4 Retail therapy facts

After the basic understanding of what retail therapy is, here are some important things
to know about it:

 Takes Place Often: Retail therapy is more common than one would expect.
According to research from Penn State University, about 62 percent of
transactions are made to make people feel better.

 Impulsivity: This is where retail therapy can become a concern, if performed

impulsively and on a regular basis. People are more impulsive when they're
angry, according to studies published in the journal Psychology and
Marketing, and impulsivity is also the source of retail therapy. As the
18
 impromptu activity can get out of control, this can result in more money being
spent. One of the main reasons why retail therapy can become a challenge is
impulsivity.

 Coping Mechanism: People also use retail therapy as a coping strategy when
they feel out of control, according to a study published in the Journal of
Consumer Psychology. People sometimes feel like they don't have much
control over their lives when they are sad, depressed, or afraid. The freedom to
purchase the items they choose will then give them a sense of control and
autonomy. When people are feeling out of control, they often participate in
retail therapy as a means of self-medicating.

 Retail Therapy Can Become A Vicious Cycle: When someone uses retail
therapy to boost their mood and feel good on a daily basis, it can lead to a
shopping addiction. The cycle goes like this: Compulsive buying can lead to a
slew of issues, and here's how it usually works: The person buys things to feel
good on a regular basis, then goes into debt; this creates shame, anxiety, and
even conflict with others, all of which contribute to more unhappiness; then
they buy more things to feel good, which leads to more debt, and so on. If left
unchecked, this can have serious implications. Purchasing something to
reward yourself every now and then is not the same as this vicious cycle.

 Retail Therapy Can Be Beneficial In Moderation : Retail therapy isn't

necessarily a bad thing. It only becomes a problem when it becomes out of
control. However, if performed responsibly and with moderation, treating
yourself may be advantageous. According to studies, the positive mood boosts
triggered by retail therapy will last for a long time. So, if it's something you've
been wanting and know you can afford without causing financial hardship or
going into debt, there's no excuse not to go for it. Self-care can be a great
mood booster, particularly if it's something you do or see often, as it will help
raise your spirits every time you use or see it.

19
  Small Luxuries: As previously said, retail therapy is often used as a coping
strategy. The end goal is to be able to pick what you purchase and where you
buy it from. Another important reason to purchase something to reward
yourself is the boost it can provide, which can come by just purchasing
something. Buying small items is a perfect way to reap the benefits of retail
therapy while avoiding the drawbacks. This way, you can always exercise
autonomy because you're in control, while still benefiting from the mood
boost that comes from purchasing anything. Choosing small treats over lavish
ones is a perfect way to reap the rewards of shopping therapy without breaking
the bank.

Simple treats, rather than costly ones, are a perfect way to get the advantages
of retail therapy without the pitfalls (as long as they're done safely, which I
can't emphasise enough, because even small treats can trigger issues if they
become an addiction).

 Browsing Or Window Shopping: Browsing or window shopping is another

way to benefit from retail therapy's mood-boosting effects. According to a
report published in the Journal of Consumer Psychology, this is the case. It
can be as easy as walking around your favourite stores and looking at what's
on sale in the windows and inside the stores, or adding items to your online
wishlist instead of the cart. It can also include physically trying things on and
then putting them back on the self. Such as trying on clothes you like and then
putting them back on the shelf. If you're afraid you won't be able to stop
yourself from buying stuff, leave your money at home before going shopping .

If you're feeling down, a little window shopping could be just what you
actually need and not actually buying something.

1.5 How Common Is Retail Therapy?

20
Retail therapy and its more extreme cousin, compulsive shopping may be more
popular than most people believe.

A Penn State researcher surveyed a group of daily shoppers who had all purchased
themselves a treat in the previous week and discovered that 62 percent of those
purchases were made to improve mood.
Another research looked at the demographics of compulsive buying and discovered
that women and those in their late teens were more vulnerable to it.

1.6 Why retail therapy might work

If we're stressed, we have a different reaction to shopping. People seem to feel

stronger urges to buy themselves treats for a mood boost when they are depressed,
just as we instinctively crave sweets to raise our moods and respond positively to
other pleasures in life.

 Shopping Gives You Back A Sense Of Control: According to research,

shopping decisions can help us feel more in control of our surroundings. It can
also help with depression. According to a 2014 study from the University of
Michigan, buying things you like can give you a sense of control up to 40
times more than not shopping. When compared to those who only browsed,
those who actually purchased items were three times less sad in this study. The
study suggested that getting exactly what you want can feel like a positive
personal achievement when things aren't going your way.

 Anxiety Is Alleviated By Visualization: Shopping awakens the senses as well.

The scent of something new, the bright lights, and the vibrant exhibits all
combine to produce an imaginative, sensory experience that can take us out of
our own life, if only for a moment. This translates online as well — some
perfectly merchandized, individually selected online items will pique our
interest as we imagine ourselves in pleasurable settings.

21
 shopping and the sensory stimulus helps us imagine positive outcomes.
Athletes, for example, have learned that using visualization to generate
positive anticipation and minimize anxiety will help them perform better.

 Dopamine Release: Even before a purchase is completed, dopamine is

released. Simply searching, scrolling, or window shopping (without
purchasing anything) will improve your mood. Dopamine — the hormone
neurotransmitter in your brain that makes you feel good — is released simply
by anticipating the prospect of a reward or treat. Dopamine makes you want to
keep looking for items that make you happy hence the popularity of retail
therapy. 

Some people believe dopamine is released when they receive a reward or buy
something, but it really starts before you buy something because you're
excited about all the possibilities,  It's all about the journey.

 Online Shopping Is Good For Your Mood: Have you ever put something in
your online shopping cart just to abandon it because you're already satisfied?.
People don't really need to buy anything to be happy when they have already
been on an enjoyable mental trip. In this regard, the risk is relatively low. It's
possible that spending less money would be even more satisfying.

Waiting for your shipment to arrive can also trigger dopamine release when
one shops online. Consider supermarket subscriptions, where you can or may
not know what will be shipped in the package. The element of suspense
heightens your anticipation. You feel dopamine-fueled excitement because the
reward is uncertain.

 The Psychological Advantages Of Saving Up: If people enjoy retail therapy,

there is another choice for them to consider. If they save up for a reward rather
than buying anything right away with a credit card, it can be mentally
soothing.
22
 Saving up for your reward gives you something to look forward to, which
induces excitement and a release of dopamine over time, according to the
theory of anticipation.

1.7 Retail therapy in moderation is beneficial

While shopping is not a traditional form of therapy, it has been shown to have positive
emotional effects on people, which is why it is so common. Psychologists have
discovered that people shop the most in the weeks leading up to major life changes.
For example, prior to getting married and having a child, Americans spend the most
money on shopping. The shopping experience, purchases, and planning for this new
stage of life give you more control over the situation, which decreases anxiety. These
kinds of sales often overshadow the product's actual need.

Shopping can also alleviate stress and anxiety, which can be beneficial to a variety of
people. Retail therapy has been shown to have clear effects in studies. For example, a
study published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health found that
moderate retail therapy is beneficial, citing the correlation between frequent shopping
and longer life spans.

1.8 Shopping-and-Stress Paradox 

Since retail therapy tends to be a slippery slope for many people—what starts as a
fairly benign mood booster can easily turn into a compulsion that drains resources,
creates conflict, and eventually adds substantial amounts of stress. it is best to
exercise caution if anyone finds themselves engaging in this type of behavior.

It's good to indulge now and then and it's even a suggested technique for achieving
goals, but allowing your spending to escalate out of control is clearly
counterproductive.

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1.9 Symptoms One Is Shopping Under Stress

 Buying Would Be A Compulsive Behaviour: When one is tired, irritated, or

nervous, they feel compelled to go to the store and buy something.

 Rash Decisions: It doesn't take one long to make a purchase. Then one is in a
"buy first, worry later" mode, which means that they are more likely to buy
stuff they don't need or didn't want to buy.

 Purchases That Are Indulgent: when one believes that they deserve to splurge
on something they have had their eye on for a while, they start to rationalise
their transactions and become defensive about them.

 Emotional Peaks: After the cashier hands over the shopping bags, an
individual feels a surge of optimistic feelings, such as euphoria and
excitement. Purchasing makes you happy.

 Going Shopping By Yourself: when one shops alone so that they don't have to
justify or speak to someone about their purchases, then it might be becoming
problematic.

1.10 Reduce Stress Shopping

Following steps can be taken by an individual in order to reduce stress shopping:

 Make A Schedule: Begin your shopping by decluttering and getting rid of

everything you don't need. Then, before you go shopping, make a shopping
list and figure out your budget. This gives you a sense of direction and allows
you to shop for the right reasons. Instead, go to a charity event, a flea market,
or a swapaholic event.

24
  Don't Buy On The Spot : Instead of feeling rushed into buying, take your time
shopping. Instead of succumbing to promotional strategies such as "today
only" or "last day of discount" deals, always compare rates and search for
good value and quality.

If you're shopping online, put things in your cart and think about them before
clicking the "check out" button. You can also restrict online shopping access
by blocking your favourite shopping websites. Block certain pages if you get
overwhelmed at work, for example, to avoid making impulse purchases caused
by anger and stress.

 Go Shopping With Family: Make shopping a social event for your family and
friends. Shopping with a group has a number of advantages. You're spending
quality time together doing something fun that is also stress-relieving. You
should also advise each other not to shop on impulse and to stick to the
grocery list and budget.

 There are more effective ways to deal with tension in everyday life. Be a wise
shopper when you go shopping and not a tense shopper.

 Purchase Just What You Really Want: If you know that shopping makes you
feel better, make purchases that you need, such as household groceries or
toiletries, during your shopping trips. Grocery shopping isn't always the most
exciting activity, but maybe checking out a new store would change your
mind.

 Go Window Shopping: Browsing stores or adding products to an online

shopping cart without pressing the "order" button tends to have similar
advantages. Visiting a store and looking at things whether or not you want to

25
 buy them will have the same advantages as other types of shopping. You could
even discover a new product that you want to try

Do some window-shopping before you buy something the next time you want
to shop away your disappointment or tension. It's possible that just seeing
what's out there would improve your mood.

 Go to a mall or an outdoor shopping avenue to get some exercise and lift the
mood even more.

 Consider Your Order First: If you're worried about purchasing too many items
when you're down, you may find it helpful to set aside a short period of time
— maybe a day or two — before making your purchase. This will assist you in
ensuring that you truly want the item. Shopping for and finding the item you
want, whether it's a heated blanket, a video game, or a new phone, will make
you feel better for the rest of the day. If you really want the item the next day
when you're in a better mood and have the requisite funds, go ahead and get it.

1.11 In The Era Of The Digital Experiences, The Relationship Between Stress
And Shopping

People, those aged 16–24 years are more likely than any other age group to use
shopping as a stress reliever, with 62 percent already stress shopping either on or
offline. According to the study, 46% of shoppers shop to pass the time when they are
hungry. As a result, it's no wonder that 76 percent of retailers believe customers are
unreasonable in their purchasing decisions.

1.12 Retail Therapy's Consequences

This concept of retail therapy, however, may be extremely troublesome for certain
people. We must explore defence mechanisms in order to fully comprehend the
psychology behind questionable spending. Defense mechanisms are an unconscious
26
process that protects a person from painful thoughts or ideas that the conscious mind
cannot cope with. Protection mechanisms prevent unwelcome thoughts and desires
from accessing the conscious mind in some situations. So, how do protection
mechanisms apply to unnecessary shopping?

One of the most common defence mechanisms is being in denial. You refuse to
acknowledge the reality or validity of an experience or fact when you use denial. For
instance, you can believe you only drink in social circumstances when you actually
drink every night. Over shoppers benefit greatly from this defensive mechanism.
Many people who are drowning in credit card debt are in denial and want to spend
money they don't have.

1.13 When does retail therapy become problematic?

if your retail therapy activities are mild, your credit isn't a problem, and it doesn't
impact your everyday functioning. Take pleasure in such shopping experiences that
relieve tension and anxiety. However, if shopping does not give you anxiety, you are
spending only to buy, and it is causing you financial hardship, retail therapy can be
more harmful than beneficial.

However, if you want to go shopping after a battle with your partner which seems to
happen frequently or if you find yourself browsing online shops while you're anxious
at work while avoiding important tasks in the meantime, you may want to talk to a
therapist about your concerns.

People want to make sure they are not going overboard on shopping. Shopping can be
a challenge for some people. It has the potential to become an addiction for many
people. When shopping becomes a go-to way of coping with anxiety, stress, or
failure, and it's difficult to manage, it transforms from a therapeutic to a troublesome
compulsive behaviour.

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Oniomania, compulsive buying disorder (CBD), buying-shopping disorder (BSD),
and obsessive buying are all words used to characterize shopping addiction. About
5% of American consumers are thought to engage in compulsive shopping.
Compulsive shopping has increased dramatically in developed economies and as a
result of the evolution of online shopping.

Compulsive shoppers have "frequent buying episodes" or "overpowering impulses to

purchase products”, in addition to a lack of control, this behavior is related to feelings
of worthlessness. 

This disorder has a lot in common with other impulse control problems like sex and
gambling addiction. Compulsive shopping impulses are often close to the high that is
sought for in drug or alcohol abuse. Blackout events, similar to alcohol-related
blackouts, are common among compulsive shoppers, in which the customer has no
recollection of making purchases.

1.14 Signs of A Shopaholic

The following are signs of a shopping addiction:

 Fixation with and difficulty resisting the purchase of unnecessary goods.

 Spending a significant amount of time researching items that may or may not
be required.
 Unmonitored shopping causing financial problems.
 Problems at work, school, or at home as a result of excessive spending.

If one thinks they might have a problem, therapy and support groups, as well as

education, can help. Learning what has led to their behavior will benefit shopaholics
the most. Cutting up credit cards isn't going to solve the problem. Exploration of the
underlying causes should be paired with the appropriate type of therapy.
The bottom line is that while enjoyable behaviors can make us happy, moderation is
the difference between happiness and compulsiveness. If one is worried about
28
developing a compulsive shopping habit, it is recommended converting your control
goal to the excitement of a new, positive behavior, such as working out or eating
healthy. It is  surprising how joyful working toward those positive outcomes can make
you feel.

1.15 Alternatives to Retail Therapy 

If people find themselves occasionally indulging in a little retail therapy, it may not be
the most efficient way to alleviate tension, but it can be a good mood booster if it
doesn't become a habit. Many people have considered the following methods to be
effective in obtaining the most value from retail therapy with the least amount of
negative consequences:

 De-Clutter: Instead of running out to buy new "things," look at what you
already have and see if you can find the feeling of abundance you want. You
can make it a big project like reorganizing all of your closets and moving
furniture in the process or a 10-minute project like cleaning out your junk
drawer, and you could discover items you didn't realize you had. In the end,
the "fresh" thing you get is a less-cluttered world that you can use as you like,
which can be a mood enhancer.

 Count Your Blessings: Cultivating a sense of appreciation for what you have
will make you experience a sense of abundance, which can alleviate your
desire for more things. Keeping a gratitude journal and writing down what
you're grateful for each day can be a life-changing experience. Counting your
blessings the next time you feel compelled to buy anything will help you curb
your desire to buy more. Since compulsive shopping may be an attempt to "fill
a hole," engaging in behaviors that emotionally satisfy you can help you curb
the need for material goods.

 Spend Less: There are moments when you're in the mood for a treat, and
convincing yourself otherwise takes more work than it's worth. Small rewards,
29
 when consumed in moderation and within your means, may be mood-lifters
without causing long-term debt. Going to a discount store and buying one item
on a super sale can often be exactly what you're looking for. Even better,
buying something inexpensive that allows you to enjoy a quiet moment like a
cup of tea in a nice cafe or a scented candle to brighten up a room. It will
make you feel like you're having a little 'escape' without going overboard.
Positive counsellors advocate for the use of 'pleasures' in daily life, and a
small'retail therapy' investment will fulfil that part of you that craves
something different without going too far and forming an expensive habit that
you can't afford, as well as the guilt and extra stress that comes with it.

 Experiment And Make New Hobbies : While an initial outlay might be

appropriate, once you have the supplies you need for your craft or operation,
you may find that you spend less hours shopping.

 Trust A Non-judgmental, Compassionate Friend Or Family Member: Inviting

someone you trust to join you on your shopping trips is a good idea so that you
don’t end up overspending.

 Keep A Safe Distance From Someone Or Something That Encourages Your

Shopping Habit : Reduce your shopping trips and unsubscribe from any
“tempting” blogs or catalogues.

 Spend More Time Cultivating Social Ties: Professor of Marketing James

Roberts wrote in a decade-long study published in Applied Research in
Quality of Life, "Material possessions cannot deliver on their pledge to make
us happy." Happiness and contentment come from how we feel about
ourselves, our relationships with others, and our participation in the wider
world as human beings.”

If one is having trouble controlling the stress-related spending and suspect that the
shopping is getting out of hand, it's a safe idea to seek professional help.
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1.16 Retail Therapy In Covid Times

In times of covid when people were bored and lonely at home, they began browsing
and shopping online to relieve their anxiety and to feel less lonely.

The COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the resulting lockdowns and prohibitions, had a
negative impact on many Peoples mental health. According to study, during the
COVID-19 pandemic, some people sought out "retail therapy" to make them "feel
better" in uncertain times. More than two-thirds of shoppers (66%) consistently
reported feeling moderately to a great deal satisfied, in charge, and a sense of
normalcy when shopping for non-grocery retail items, whether browsing or buying,
online or in physical stores.

Even while shopping for non-grocery products, more than half of shoppers (55%)
consistently said that they did not feel lonely, depressed, or bored.

1.17 What Shoppers Bought As Retail Therapy In Covid Times

Clothing, footwear, and accessories were the top three categories for non-grocery
retail purchases in 2020, followed by household (e.g., homeware, hardware) and
personal care e.g., cosmetics, baby care.

Females purchased more clothing, footwear, and accessories which was 70 percent vs.
48 percent of males and personal care products which was 48 per cent vs. 25 per cent
of males.

Shoppers also purchased these items the most frequently when compared to other
categories, with more than half of the shoppers purchasing these items at least
monthly.

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The internet had taken over as the primary channel during the COVID-19 pandemic,
this changed things dramatically, with more than half of shoppers using online
shopping as their primary channel for non-grocery retail purchases, 45 per cent
selecting home delivery and 8 per cent selecting click and collect.

1.18 In 2021, Can We Give "Retail Therapy" A New Meaning?

Delayed gratification will help you hack your brain. We are continually bombarded
with reasons to shop impulsively now that we spend so much of our time online.
Nearly 20% of Americans claim they spend more money online than they did before,
and one survey showed that impulse spending is up 18% in the US. So, how do we
curb our impulsivity while optimising the advantages of shopping more thoughtfully?
One low-tech trick I use is to keep a running list of items I want and to give myself a
strict 30-day trial period before purchasing. It's a sign to buy if I'm still as enthralled
by the fancy fountain pen on day 30 as I was on day one. Otherwise, I would have
spared myself time, effort, and stress-inducing clutter.
Moreover, the act of purchasing isn't as important.

 Practice Altruism : There's science to back this up, shopping for others
provides us with the same gratification as shopping for ourselves, but it also
provides us with altruistic benefits that increase our happiness. Using our
financial capital to support others is correlated with greater satisfaction
worldwide, according to a study of 136 countries. A habit of buying gifts for
others will improve our health and sleep over time.

 Purchases That Reinforce Good Habits: Purchases that help one invest in
themselves are seldom regretted. Investing in things that affirm your
optimistic behaviours, ambitions, or expectations is a smart choice.

Exercise and sports equipment, books and puzzles, crafts and music, online
courses and travel are all purchases that help you become a better person

32
 rather than just a person with more garbage. The item you're buying isn't an
end in itself in any of these cases; it's a means to self-improvement.

 Use Your Money To Vote : The recession has highlighted the significance of
voting with our dollars. What exactly does it mean? It's all about using our
purchases to represent and strengthen our values around fairness, justice, and
ethics.

This can take several forms, and the number of ways to vote with our dollars is
growing all the time. Buying from local retailers online, for example, rather
than big, impersonal marketplaces like Amazon or Walmart, is an option.
Rather than give your money to a huge, faceless company, try thinking locally
first.

There's ethically made or sourced merchandise. Emerging marketplaces like

Goodee and Verticale make it easier than ever to buy healthier and more
sustainably, and the margins for doing so are diminishing all the time.
There's buying from businesses that truly care about diversity, social justice,
or making the planet a better place. B-Corp certification is a strong indication
that a company is dedicated to balancing profit and intent.

That small company, fair-trade manufacturer, or sustainable supplier profits in

the end. But you do, too; studies show that ethical consumption makes us feel
healthy, virtuous, and strong.

Last year was more difficult than most. But we've also had more time to think
about what makes us happy in the long run and what kind of life we want to
return to when it's all over. The items we purchase are a small but significant
part of that. Small improvements in our shopping patterns this year will make
retail therapy really meaningful.

1.19 Final thoughts about retail therapy

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As you've probably found out by now, it's not as easy as saying whether retail therapy
is good or bad for you. Depending on how it's used, it can go in either direction.
Retail therapy, when used safely and in moderation, can help to improve one's mood.
However, if it becomes a habit, it can lead to a slew of issues, especially financial
difficulties, which can lead to a vicious cycle of mental health issues and more
financial difficulties. Then there are the environmental consequences, because the
more you buy, the more waste you produce. More purchases result in more clutter,
which can have a negative effect on your mental health. The main thing is not to
allow it to control you or turn into an addiction. 

If you want to buy something to make you feel better, there's no excuse you can't if
you plan ahead and keep track of your spending. Finding ways to make yourself feel
better that do not require risking financial issues is preferable. Starting with helping
and engaging with others is a great place to start.

CHAPTER NO. 2: LITERATURE REVIEW

 Scott I. Rick, Beatriz Pereira, Katherine A. Burson, (2013): In the

research report called “The benefits of retail therapy: Making purchase

34
 decisions reduces residual sadness” the authors talk about how people
frequently shop when they are sad, but it is unclear whether and why
shopping reduces residual sadness. the research reasoned that the
choices involved in shopping can restore direct control over one's
environment and reduce residual sadness because sadness is strongly
associated with a feeling that situational forces control the outcomes in
one's life. Three experiments provided support for the hypothesis in the
research paper. Two out of three experiments revealed that making
shopping decisions helped to relieve depression. Furthermore, all of the
studies found evidence for the underlying mechanism of regaining
personal power. Notably, the benefits of regaining personal control over
one's environment do not apply to anger, since anger is linked to a
belief that other individuals , instead of situational forces, are more
likely to trigger negative outcomes, and these beliefs are not improved
by regaining personal control over one's environment.
 A. Selin Atayal, Margaret G. Meloy, (2011): In this research paper
named “Retail therapy: A strategic effort to improve mood” the term
"retail therapy" refers to the practice of attempting to cheer oneself up
by purchasing self-indulgent products. Bad feelings related to retail
therapy, on the other hand, have been linked to increased impulsivity
and a loss of behavioural regulation. Does that mean that this will lead
to mindless shopping when people are “down” and they will regret
later? The current study indicates that being in a poor mood leads
people to buy and consume more unplanned treats for themselves. It
does, however, show that self-indulgence can be strategically
motivated. Those who do indulge should also practice restraint if the
purpose of restraint is to boost one's mood. Finally, retail therapy has a
lasting favorable effect on mood. Regret and remorse are not connected
with impulsive purchases made to lift one's spirits.
 Minjeong Kang, Kim K. P. Johnson, (2011) : Shopping to raise one's
spirits is known as retail therapy (RT). The aims of this study were to 1)
explore the conceptual foundations of RT and 2) construct and validate
35
 a scale to measure retail therapy. Initial item generation, scale
purification, and scale validation were all steps in the creation of the
retail therapy scale. Based on interview findings from previous studies,
43 initial scale items were developed and included in the survey
questionnaire. 258 survey responses from the general population were
used for scale purification, and a four-factor measurement model with
22 items was created from them. A separate sample of 272 people was
used to validate the refined measurement model. By conceptualizing
and operationalizing retail therapy, this study makes theoretical
contributions to consumer behavior research. A valid and reliable RT
scale serves as a foundation for a larger quantitative investigation into
mood-relieving shopping behaviors.
 Andy C. Pratt, (2004) : According to research done by AC Pratt
consumption analyses are similar to retail therapy analyses. The concept
of retail therapy implies that shopping can be used to solve real-world
problems. When examined more closely, however, it becomes clear that
retail therapy is anti-therapy: it is an avoidance tactic, a diversion; it is
not about confronting and resolving problems. So it is with research
focused on consumption, which, while illuminating, is unquestionably
both limited and limiting.
 Leonard Lee, (2015) : According to this research by Leonard Lee
published in 2015, named “The Emotional Shopper: Assessing the
Effectiveness of Retail Therapy” Shopping is a necessary part of our
daily routine. Many people, according to conventional wisdom, shop
and buy to alleviate their negative emotions — a concept known as
retail therapy. In order to answer the question if retail therapy is really
effective, the research aims to answer this by proposing a tripartite
approach and evaluating and organizing related research in marketing
and consumer psychology using this method. According to the tripartite
approach there are three approaches to retail therapy, first is
motivational approach which focuses on the goals and motives that the
consumer has for making a purchase. The second approach is
36
 behavioural approach which focuses on the activities that consumers
engage in during the purchase process. The third approach is emotional
approach, this approach focuses on the emotions and feelings a
consumer experiences during the shopping phase. The research paper
suggests that retail therapy does work to a certain extent. Furthermore,
This monograph seeks to address this question by reviewing the
existing literature on shopping behavior and emotions. It adopts a
holistic approach towards the research by following the tripartite
approach by studying three interlocking perspectives of motivation,
behaviour and emotions. The researcher looks forward to uncovering
more underlying mechanism, antecedents and consequences of retail
therapy by considering a combination of these perspectives
simultaneously. Other contexts like policy, culture and technology can
be further looked into to draw more concrete results. In the text he has
also mentioned and explained the questions that can be asked by
consumers to get a clearer picture.
 Minjeong Kang , (2009) : In this dissertation done by Minjeong Kang
in University Of Minnesota, the primary aim of this study was to
improve the understanding of retail therapy, which is described as
shopping to improve one's mood. There were three main basic goals of
the study. The first aim was to investigate the conceptual foundations of
retail therapy; the second was to qualitatively investigate the definition
of retail therapy; and the third was to develop and test a scale to assess
retail therapy. The researcher articulated how the two current
approaches to the study of retail therapy are linked through a systematic
conceptual review. The study of the links between retail therapy and
other consumer habits has further helped to clarify the meaning of retail
therapy. Consumer experiences of retail therapy were explored
qualitatively through in-depth interviews. 43 self-identified therapy
shoppers took part in one-on-one interviews. The essence of retail
therapy was exposed during three shopping stages: pre-shopping,
shopping, and post-shopping, according to the results of the interviews.

37
 Initial item generation, scale purification, and scale validation were the
three phases of the retail therapy scale growth. Based on the results of
the interviews, 43 initial scale items were created and included in the
survey questionnaire. 258 survey responses from the general population
were used for scale purification, and a four-factor measurement model
with 22 items was created from them. A separate survey of 272
people from common public was used to test the refined measurement
model. Implications of research findings were provided in three areas,
these three areas consisted of consumer behaviour research, retailers
and marketers, and consumers and therapists.
 Shahnaz  Nayebzadeh , Maryam  Jalaly, (2014) : This research paper
by Shahnaz  Nayebzadeh and Maryam Jalaly published in June 2014 is
titled as “Investigating Iranian female Muslim consumer impulse
buying behaviour used as a form of retail therapy”. The aim of this
study was to determine the essence of emotion, self-esteem, and life
satisfaction patterns among Iranian Muslim consumers when they make
impulse purchases. To conduct the research questionnaires were
distributed to female Muslim participants, who were chosen using
cluster and random sampling methods. This was done at a shopping
center in Yazd, Iran. The direct and indirect relationships between
variables were calculated using LISREL software, which was used to
analyse the data using descriptive statistics and structural equation
modelling techniques. According to the findings of the study there was
a strong causal association between impulse buying tendencies, impulse
buying behaviour, and buying throughout the study. Secondly, among
impulse buying tendencies, there was a negative relationship between
self-esteem and life satisfaction. Finally, emotion and impulse buying
habits have a positive relationship, eliciting impulse buying behaviour
that leads to purchases. Consumption as a means of retail therapy
moves these customers into dissonance-reducing behaviour, which
governs low self-esteem and life satisfaction. Like any research, there
were limitations of this research as well. The limitation was of that

38
 muslim women all over the world wear the hijab. The manto, on the
other hand, is almost exclusively worn by Iranian women. As a result,
Muslim females in various parts of the world are likely to have similar
behavioural characteristics, but their consumption habits will likely
replace this item with something else, such as an abaya or jilbab. While
the concept of retail therapy is well-known, this study makes a unique
contribution by demonstrating the buying of hijabs and mantos by
Iranian Muslim women. It shows that the buying pattern is not solely
motivated by logical and emotional decision-making in order to fulfil
religious obligations. There have been instances where religious
artefacts have been used to boost self-esteem and life satisfaction in the
same people.
 Jihyun  Lee, Yuri  Lee, (2019) : This research is done by Jihyun  Lee
who is a part of Department of Fashion Marketing, Textile & Fashion
Campus of Korea Polytechnic, Daegu, Korea and Yuri  Lee who is a
part of Department of Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion
Design/Research Institute of Human Ecology, Seoul National
University, Seoul, Korea. Their research paper is titled “Does online
shopping make consumers feel better? Exploring online retail therapy
effects on consumers’ attitudes towards online shopping malls” and it
was published in April 2019. Based on the stimulus–organism–response
model, the aim of this paper is to investigate the relationship between
online retail therapy and consumers' attitudes toward online fashion
shopping malls. This study looked at how aspects of online retail
therapy such as web design aesthetics and model
attractiveness influence consumers' attitude towards online shopping.
The authors looked into the stimulation of positive mood reinforcement
(PMR) and negative mood reduction in particular (NMR). The findings
of the research showed that aesthetics has a direct and important
influence on attitude towards online shops (ATO). Model attractiveness,
on the other hand, has an indirect effect on ATO through PMR and
NMR. Furthermore, aesthetics has a greater direct effect on attitude

39
 towards online shopping than model attractiveness has an indirect
effect. As a result, online fashion shopping malls must focus on
enhancing the aesthetics of their stores. It is possible to improve attitude
towards online shopping by using highly desirable models in fashion
shopping malls if they cannot improve aesthetics. This study is of great
value because the definition of retail therapy was extended to the online
setting in this research, and the impact was verified. This study
broadened the field of retail therapy research by looking at the impact
of improved mood on attitude towards online shops. In addition, this
research looked at the structure of two online retail therapy variables,
aesthetics and model attractiveness, which affect ATO through PMR
and NMR, and offered managerial implications for online shopping
malls.
 Jennifer Yurchisin, Ruoh-Nan Yan, Kittichai Watchravesringkan,
Cuiping Chen (2006) : This study which has been published in the
association for consumer research is done by four individulas, Jennifer
Yurchisin of Iowa State University, USA, Ruoh-Nan Yan of Colorado
State University, USA, Kittichai Watchravesringkan of University of
North Carolina at Greensboro, USA and Cuiping Chen of University of
Arizona, USA. The research is titled as “Why Retail Therapy? a
Preliminary Investigation of the Role of Self-Concept Discrepancy,
Self-Esteem, Negative Emotions, and Proximity of Clothing to Self in
the Compensatory Consumption of Apparel Products”. The aim of
this exploratory study was to learn more about the personal factors that
influence compensatory apparel consumption. Undergraduates from
four states carried out a questionnaire that evaluated their liminal
condition, self-esteem, emotional state, clothing proximity to self, and
compensatory consumption actions. Self-concept discrepancy was
found to be positively linked to both low self-esteem and a negative
emotional condition. In one regression model, low self-esteem and
relation of clothing to self were positively linked to compensatory
apparel consumption, whereas in another model, negative emotional

40
 state was positively related to compensatory apparel consumption. In
the end they came to conclusion that consumers may not be particularly
harmed by compensatory consumption activity, especially if it occurs
only periodically during times of liminality. If the need to buy clothing
items to boost one's emotional condition or increase one's self worth
does not subside and becomes constant, compensatory consumption
could become an issue in the future.
 Beatriz Pereira, Scott Rick, (2011) : This research is conducted by
Beatriz Pereira of University of Michigan, USA and Scott Rick of
University of Michigan, USA. The research paper is titled as “Why
Retail Therapy Works: It Is Choice, Not Acquisition, That Primarily
Alleviates Sadness”. Its aim is to answer the question if shopping can be
used to manage emotions in a strategic way. While previous research
has shown that depression causes people to spend, it is unclear whether
or not shopping actually makes people feel better. Findings of this
research indicate that shopping can help people feel better, but that it is
actually the act of choosing (for example, between money and products)
rather than the act of purchasing (for example, merely having money or
products) that helps people feel better. The results of the research are
confirmed by two experiments that involved inducing sadness and then
manipulating whether participants made financially key decisions. In
Experiment one, 41 people were told that they would earn $1 if they
viewed a sad video clip. The Champ's clip depicted a young boy
watching his mentor die, and it's famous for sorrow induction .
Participants in the No Choice situation were required to watch the entire
three-minute film. Participants in the Choice condition watched the first
two minutes before being given the option to stop watching and return
their $1 to the experimenter or to keep watching and keep their $1. The
three items of interest were averaged to create a sadness index ("sad,"
"blue," and "depressed," all of which equaled 0.88). Just two people
opted out of watching the video. Their data was not included in the
analysis. As expected, in the Option situation, recorded sadness was

41
 significantly lower than in the No Choice condition, despite the fact that
both groups performed the same sadness induction with the same
material and length. In the second experiment, participants were told
that they would receive a small prize as a thank you for taking part.
Participants in the no choice conditions were offered the opportunity of
receiving $2.50 or a shot glass with their school's logo. The participants
were not informed that there were two potential incentives or that their
reward was chosen at random. Participants in the Choice condition were
given the option of receiving cash or a glass. Finally, participants were
asked to rate their current emotions. Having an option in a consumption
domain resulted in lower recorded levels of sadness, which was
consistent with the hypothesis, regardless of whether the commodity or
cash was selected. The findings indicate that shopping can help to
relieve depression. Specifically, it seems that the primary therapeutic
factor of retail therapy is selecting rather than simply receiving. Despite
the fact that retail therapy can be taken to alarming extremes, our
findings indicate that small quantities of shopping can be an important
emotion management mechanism rather than a lack of self-control.
 Minjeong Kang, Kim K. P. Johnson, (2012) : Shopping for the sole
purpose of making oneself feel better is referred to as retail therapy.
Individuals' ability to alleviate their bad moods is a critical personal
requirement. Emotional well-being and perceived quality of life are
affected by good mood control. As a result, the aim of this study was to
better understand retail therapy as a type of consumer behavior by
looking at consumer interactions during three stages of shopping: pre-
shopping, shopping, and post-shopping. The following research
questions were designed to achieve this. R1: What are the types of bad
moods that contribute to therapy shopping? How frequently do people
use shopping as a form of therapy? R2: What are people's justifications
for using shopping as a method of therapy? R3: What are the essential
elements of a therapeutic shopping trip? R4: What is the therapy
shopper's profile? R5: What are customers' post-therapy experiences?

42
 R6: How does the product you bought help you feel better? Two
approaches to retail therapy have been investigated: mood-alleviative
consumption and compensatory consumption. Shopping and purchasing
are called mood-regulating devices in the first method. People who are
in a bad mood shop and buy things to improve or lighten their mood.
Researchers who study compensatory consumption, on the other hand,
see shopping and purchasing as a way of making up for perceived
psychosocial deficits. In the current study, mood-alleviation intake was
used as an approach. 43 Self-identified therapy shoppers took part in in-
depth interviews in the research. Every interview was taped and
transcribed. Several cycles of analysis were carried out to analyze the
results. The first step in the analysis was to identify the specifics of
each answer. Statements were clustered together at the concrete level to
define material trends. This interpretation process was replicated for
each of the research questions. With the exception of gender,
participants reflected a wide range of demographics. Women made up
the bulk of the participants. About half of the participants were young
adults aged 20 to 39. People in their forties and fifties made up slightly
less than half of the participants. The participants were divided into two
groups: European Americans and Asian and African Americans. The
majority of those who took part worked full-time in a number of sectors
and earned between $25,000 and $99,999 per year.
All dimensions of negative moods (i.e., stress, dejection, anger) lead to
therapy shopping in the pre-shopping stage. More than half of the time,
when participants were in a bad mood, they went shopping to relieve it.
There was no consistent trend connecting the frequency of having a bad
mood and the frequency of going shopping to make things better.
Participants offered a variety of justifications for their behavior.
Shopping offered a healthy diversion, an escape, an indulgence, a boost
in self-esteem, activation, a sense of power, and a social interaction,
among other benefits. Imagining consumption, witnessing retail
experiences, being well-treated by sales staff, shopping activity, and

43
 buying all improved mood. These customers, on average, shopped
alone, made an unplanned purchase for themselves, invested more time
and money than normal, and were loyal to the store. Participants' post-
retail therapy experiences included feeling better immediately after a
therapy shopping outing, not regretting their therapy shopping, and
rationalizing their shopping if they did. Overall, participants said that
using shopping as a form of therapy was beneficial and successful, with
little to no negative consequences. Almost all of the participants said
that buying goods initially made them feel better. Many participants
bought clothing, used the products, and recalled the positive experience
they had with their purchase when they later used the items. They did
note, however, that a product's therapeutic value declined over time.
Identifying various factors why consumers choose shopping as therapy
(e.g., escape, activation, sense of control) and different aspects of
shopping (e.g., retail atmosphere, purchasing) that relieve their
depressive moods during shopping can greatly assist retailers in
developing ways to make consumers' shopping experience an effective
therapy. Window displays that suggest imagination, for example, can
entice shoppers looking for a break from reality. Retailers may also
have a range of educational opportunities to make customers feel more
involved. For example, in the spring, an apparel retailer might host a
flower show to entertain and educate customers.
 Son J. & Chang H. J., (2016) : This research paper is written by
Junghwa Son who holds a Ph.D. from Sejong University, South Korea
and Hyo Jung Chang who also holds a Ph.D. from Texas Tech
University, USA. It is titled as “Retail Therapy: What Makes You Feel
Relieved and Happy?”. The word "retail therapy" is now commonly
used, and the practice of retail therapy has gotten a lot of attention from
marketers and academics. Consumers have long used shopping as a
form of therapy because the act of browsing or purchasing provides
them with a large amount of gratification. Loneliness, boredom, mood
alleviation, and other causes have been described as factors that

44
 motivate retail therapy. However, there has been little research into the
relationship between personal characteristics such as antecedents and
retail therapy. As a result, it's important to consider what factors affect
retail therapy and how those factors drive retail therapy. As a result,
there were two objectives of this research. First one was to investigate
the antecedents of retail therapy and second one was to investigate the
effect of personal characteristics on retail therapy. Self-gift motivation
and an unplanned purchasing tendency were found to be positive
motivators for retail therapy in this research. That is, the higher a
consumer's self-gift incentive and unplanned purchasing propensity, the
more likely they are to participate in retail therapy. The following are
some of the practical consequences of this research: 1) To predict retail
therapy, retailers and advertisers should inspire customers to offer
themselves gifts and recognize the unplanned purchase propensity. 2)
To increase self-gift motivation, retailers should emphasize and use the
appeal of self-esteem and self-attachment in their ads and promotions.
3) To boost retail therapy, use loss-leader or buy-one-get-one-free
promotions in the shop to encourage customers to make spontaneous
purchases.
 Courtney Irwin, (2018) : People use shopping as an outlet for their
emotions. This article by Courtney Irwin examines the idea of retail
therapy, highlighting the personal benefits, potential problems, and
ongoing research on the topic. There are negative connotations
associated with retail therapy, and researchers are now reexamining it as
a distress-motivated act of consumption from a psychological and
emotional standpoint. To understand the emotional aspect of shopping,
a number of viewpoints may be used to analyze shopping therapy as a
face-to-face transaction, an online experience, or a virtual experience.
There is evidence indicating value to the phenomenon after reviewing a
number of viewpoints on retail therapy. People get a hedonic high from
shopping because it causes a surge of dopamine and serotonin to be
released in the brain. A number of economic and psychological

45
 research, in addition to a basic chemical reaction, provide additional
help. When the motivation is mood control, some of the traditional
criticisms of self-treating were disproved by demonstrating that there is
always a strategic element to these purchases and seldom real remorse
or regret post-purchase.  However, there are valid concerns about using
re- tail therapy on a daily basis, the most severe of which is the creation
of a compulsion. In the end the research concludes that Retail therapy is
not a replacement for legitimate therapy and should not be treated as a
miracle cure for negative emotions. It is, however, a true and efficient
form of self-care that needs little time or money to reap the rewards.
 Hetty Kurnia Tunjungsari, (2011) : This research is done by Hetty
Kurnia Tunjungsari and is titled as “ Retail Therapy : Do Foreign
Brands Give More Satisfaction Than Local Brands?”. This research was
conducted in Indonesia. Retail therapy, or consumer purchasing and
shopping behavior motivated by a desire to improve one's mood, is
well-known in today's society. Smart marketers strive to deliver the best
products to these types of consumers, resulting in customer satisfaction
with their shopping experience and, ultimately, customer loyalty. The
aim of this study was to see if Indonesian consumers engage in retail
therapy. We also looked into the role of brand preferences, such as
international vs. local brands, in generating customer loyalty following
retail therapy. The participants in this study were undergraduate
students from private universities in Jakarta who lived near four major
shopping malls. A total of 200 students were sampled at random using
the convenience sampling process. Given the essence of retail therapy
as a mood-relieving technique investigated in this report, using students
as real customers is a good fit. The respondents were between the ages
of 18 and 22 with an average age of 20, 69.5 percent were female, and
over 78 percent were from Jakarta. As a thank you for participating,
each respondent received a mug with a handpainted design. According
to the findings, Indonesian consumers did not purchase local brand
gadgets, but 6.5 percent of international brand gadgets were purchased

46
 during retail therapy shopping. This may be due to a variety of factors,
including Indonesian consumers' perceptions that international brands
are of higher quality than local brands, a lack of knowledge about local
brands, or simply a preference to purchase other things for their retail
therapy. To better understand Indonesian consumers' product
preferences, further research into the underlying cause of this situation
is required. Other product groups with different percentages include
electronic and home electronics, automobile accessories, watches, and
others.
 Jishnu Surendran and Reechal Vardhan, (2019) : This study was
conducted by Jishnu Surendran and Reechal Vardhan who are
postgraduates of IIM bangalore. The research paper is titled as “Retail
therapy: understanding the phenomenon to improve customer
experience”. The inclination of Indian shoppers that engage in retail
therapy is discussed in this article. It aims to comprehend the motive
and psychology behind the behavior of shopping for comfort. It also
discusses the store variables that retail therapy shoppers trust the most
and makes suggestions to retailers to help them plan for and respond to
this phenomenon effectively. To conclude this study even in the Indian
sense, retail therapy is a phenomenon to be reckoned with. Shopping is
being transformed from a solely physical task to one that can be
therapeutic. Now is the time for retailers to recognize this and adjust
their strategies accordingly. To remain competitive, retailers must have
a diverse selection of goods and maintain an online presence. Upbeat
music, texts, lighting, and an uncluttered interface must be used to
construct an atmosphere of empathy and positivity.
 Kellie Burke, (2018) : This paper by Kellie Burke is titled as “The
Neuroscience Behind Retail Therapy”. The author tries to explain the
neurological underpinnings of retail therapy in such a manner that the
reader believes there is some validity to the idea. She has done so by
citing the abundance of research currently available in the field of stress

47
 eating to investigate the impact of stress on the reward pathway and
vice versa.
 Cosmin Tănase, (2018) : According to this reseach paper by Cosmin
Tănase titled as “Retail Therapy as a Behavioral Act of the Modern
Consumer” retail therapy is recommended as a way for customers to
find happiness in the midst of modern life's negative emotional state.
Because “when an individual feels a need, lack, or desire that they
cannot satisfy with a primary fulfillment, they seek and use an
alternative means of fulfillment in its place,” the practice of retail
therapy has been dubbed compensatory consumption. Consumers
engage in compensatory consumption while they are in a bad mood,
such as fear, depression, anger, loneliness, or stress. Furthermore,
during economic downturns, consumers are more likely to spend more
time shopping, even if for lower-quality and lower-priced items. Some
researchers believe that using shopping to cope with bad feelings will
lead to shopping addiction, requiring financial and psychological help.
Furthermore, the waste produced by excessive consumption is harmful
to the environment and unsustainable. This publication focuses on the
idea of retail therapy, outlining the personal benefits, potential
problems, and ongoing research on the subject.
 Dr. Vandana Rao, (2018) : Dr. Vandana Rao who is an Assitant
Professor in the MBA Department in Dr. Ambedkar Institute of
Management Studies and Research, Nagpur, India conducted this
reseach which is titled as “Retail Therapy a New Way for Shoppers to
Unwind”. According to this paper due to the entry of many new players,
the Indian retail sector has become one of the most lively and fast-paced
sectors in the world. It contributes roughly 10% of the country's GDP.
The trend of shoppers flocking to shopping malls is gaining traction.
Consumers and their diverse brand preferences are crucial in the
development of new shopping malls. Nagpur, a Tier-2 city, is also
seeing a significant increase in shoppers. Shopping has evolved from a
means of procuring goods to a status symbol and a one-stop retail fix.
48
 The research focuses on three shopping malls in Nagpur. The paper
investigates the factors that influence shoppers' brand preferences as
well as their opinions. Ambience and Easy Parking are some of them.
Brand diversity is important too. There's a lot to choose from, and
there's a lot of money to be saved. Returns and exchanges should be
easy. Salespeople's actions, entertainment halls, food courts, convenient
hours, and safety are a few of the factors that consumers look for. The
researcher discovered that these variables cause consumers to change
their purchasing habits.
 Debra Trampe and Diederik A. Stapel, (2011) : Debra Trampe’s and
Diederik A. Stapel’s research paper is titled as “Retail Therapy Or
Rose-Tinted Glasses? the Effect of Mood on Impulse Buying”. Both
positive and negative mood states have been linked to increased
impulse purchases. The reseachers have attempted to learn more about
the role of both positive and negative mood states in triggering impulse
purchases through three experiments. They also tried to figure out what
processes were at work in both moods.
 Jeong-Ju Yoo, Simar Goyal, (2020) : This research paper is titled as
“Understanding the Effect of Retail Therapy: Interrelationship between
Body Shame, Body Mass Index (BMI), and Weight Preoccupation”.
The purpose of this study was to learn more about the impact of retail
therapy on people's body image, weight preoccupation, and BMI. For
the data analysis, a total of 285 useful responses were gathered.
Caucasians made up the majority of the participants, followed by
African Americans, Asians, multiracials, and Hispanic Americans. With
an average age of 20.55 years, 89.1 percent of the participants were
female and 10.6 percent were male. Body shame measures and four
retail therapy constructs (therapeutic shopping motivation, positive
mood reinforcement, negative mood reduction, and therapeutic
shopping outcomes) were used to create the questionnaire (Kang &
Johnson, 2011).Retail therapy was found to be meaningful for people
who experienced body shaming based on their levels of body image,
49
 BMI, and weight preoccupation. Individuals may shop to compensate
for personal characteristics and, as a result, to correct their negative
perceptions of their appearance. Except for negative mood reduction,
the effect of retail therapy was not significantly different depending on
the degree of individuals' weight fixation. Individuals with weight
fixation found that shopping was more effective at lowering their
negative mood. These people may disguise their perceived flaws with
apparel, such as loose-fitting clothing. While it is possible that the
impact of retail therapy varies greatly depending on BMI, no significant
differences were found regardless of BMI. As a result, retailers should
concentrate on developing a welcoming environment for plus-sized
shoppers. For example, retailers should make fitting rooms more
convenient for customers or make one-size-fits-all clothing more easily
available. In addition, considering the high number of patients suffering
from body image problems, mental health practitioners should look into
retail therapy as a therapeutic approach.
 Heejung Son, Jihyun Lee, (2021) : In this research the impact of
online shopping on Korean female shoppers' negative mood, positive
mood, self-esteem, and self-efficacy is investigated. The first study
compared two groups of women. The experimental group went
shopping online, while the control group rested. The findings showed
that online shopping improved subjects' negative and positive moods, as
well as their self-efficacy. The findings showed that online shopping
was more effective than resting in reducing negative feelings, but only
online shopping increased self-efficacy. The second study involved an
online browsing group, which showed that online browsing had a major
impact on the subjects' negative moods. When the three groups were
compared, it was discovered that online shopping had the most
important and greatest effect on enhancing both negative and positive
moods. Furthermore, online shopping was the only way to boost self-
efficacy. This study's findings provide scholarly and managerial
perspectives on online retail therapy.

50
  K. Sasi Kumar, Dr.M.Sadika Sultana, (2017) : When people are
dissatisfied, they go shopping or buy special things for themselves,
which is referred to as retail therapy. In other words, it is the practice of
shopping in order to improve one's mood and eliminate negative
feelings. The purpose of this article was to better understand the
motivation and psychology behind the behaviour of shopping for
comfort. The term "retail therapy" refers to shopping behavior that
improves one's mood. Shopping has evolved into a stress-relieving
pastime. Successful mood management when shopping may have an
impact on one's overall quality of life and emotional well-being. In the
Indian context, retail therapy is an activity to be examined. Shopping
is viewed in a variety of ways, ranging from a purely functional activity
to one that can be therapeutic. It is past time for retailers to
acknowledge the facts and respond accordingly. To remain competitive,
you must offer a diverse range of products and maintain an online
presence. Messages, upbeat music, lighting, and a well-organized layout
are all needed to create a positive and compassionate environment.
Furthermore, retailers must teach their employees how to delight and
surprise consumers without being intrusive. Retailers have recognized
the importance of retail therapy and have used it in marketing
campaigns.
 Kumru Uyar (2019): The main goal of this research was to identify the
retail therapy concept, which is new in Turkish literature. Another goal
of the research is to see how retail therapy varies from other types of
therapy in terms of personality traits. There are no articles on retail
therapy in the Turkish literature. The 5 factor personality traits were
used to classify the study's personality characteristics. The study was
conducted using a simple random sampling approach, with data from
386 participants extracted through a face-to-face survey. The Therapy
Consumption Scale and the Five Factor Personality Scale were used to
gather data in this study. The data was analyzed using the SPSS 22
package program. According to the results of the study, retail therapy
51
 varied depending on whether or not a person had neurotic or honest
personality traits. According to these findings, people with more
neurotic and honest personality characteristics have a more positive
attitude toward retail therapy. In terms of retail consumption, no
statistical differences were observed in the other personality
characteristics. The study is expected to achieve a new idea in Turkish
literature, and the topic will be enriched with further research in the
future.
 Mijeong Noh, H. M. Rakib ul Hasan (2017): This reseach paper by
Mijeong Noh and H. M. Rakib ul Hasan is titled as “Moderating effect
of personality traits on relationships between retail therapy, compulsive
buying, and hoarding for fashion products”. The purpose of this study
was to explore the relationships between retail therapy, compulsive
buying, and hoarding, as well as the moderating impact of consumer
personality characteristics on the relationships between retail therapy
and compulsive purchasing and compulsive hoarding. The interactions
were investigated using a sample of 354 undergraduate and graduate
students. Participants who bought fashion products to relieve negative
emotions were more likely to be compulsive buyers, and compulsive
buyers were more likely to hoard fashion products. Compulsive buying
was observed in participants with a positive disposition, a negative
disposition, and a narcissistic high self-esteem personality. The findings
revealed a link between retail therapy and compulsive shopping and
hoarding. Fashion educators may want to share these relationships with
their students, as this group is more prone to be impacted by these types
of consumer issues.
 Ga Young Ahn, Yuri Lee (2018): This research paper by Ga Young
Ahn and Yuri Lee is titled as “Qualitative Research on Fashion Product
Shopping and Retail Therapy”. The aim of this research is to learn more
about the inner psychological state of customers who shop for fashion
products in order to achieve a retail therapy effect. A qualitative study
was conducted on the entire process, from the onset of shopping
52
 motivation to the conclusion of shopping motivation. Using a mobile
instant messenger program, the researcher pretended to be a virtual
shopping partner and performed a natural conversation interview.
Participants were urged to write a diary for that day after shopping. The
grounded theory method proposed by Strauss and Corbin was used to
interpret the data collected. Contextual Condition represented the self-
healing consumption trend, while Casual Condition represented
everyday stress. Throughout the fashion shopping process, Main
Phenomena's mood changed. The feelings of emancipation from the
environment, satisfaction from maintaining social relationships, and
sense of accomplishment from purchases have all been reported.
Intervening Condition demonstrated consideration in the shopping for
fashion products process, such as providing a try-on experience, price
promotion, and the involvement of a companion. 
 Jong Geun Lee, Amrut Sadachar (2020) : Prior research has looked
at the impact of self-discrepancies on consumer behavior in general;
however, almost no studies have looked at how self-discrepancies in the
physical appearance domain affect retail therapy shopping behavior. As
a result, this study looks into a conceptual framework that links
appearance-related self-discrepancies to retail therapy shopping
behavior via motivations and coping mechanisms. This research uses a
conceptual framework based on the regulatory focus theory and a model
of compensatory consumption behavior to identify customers' strategic
efforts to minimize appearance-related discrepancies through retail
therapy shopping behavior. The current study's empirical
results link appearance self-discrepancies to retail therapy shopping
behavior through motivational and coping strategy routes. these are
now added to the existing consumer behavior literature by elaborating
the psychological and behavioral processes that govern retail
therapy shopping behavior. The findings have significant implications
for retailers, advertisers, and consumer welfare in terms of developing

53
 more fine-tuned strategies to assist different kinds of shoppers in
achieving their retail therapy shopping goals in other areas as well.
 Alissa Russell, James Rogers, 2019: Alissa Russell and James Rogers
conducted a research on “can social media ads facilitate retail therapy?
An investigation of psychological outcomes Of ad engagement in
college females”. In their research they talk about how digital
communications, especially social media marketing has become a more
common phenomena in modern professional marketing. Young adults,
particularly women, are the most frequent users of social media
networks, and they are more vulnerable to the affective problems that
come with it, such as FOMO or fear of missing out, anxiety, and
depressive symptoms. Young adults are exposed to a large amount of
digital marketing messages through their engagement with social media
advertising, but the impact of such marketing messages on their
psychological well-being has yet to be properly studied. This research
looks at the links between social media ad engagement, anxiety,
depression, self-regulation, and FOMO or fear of missing out in female
college students. Overall, the findings show that social media ad
engagement is associated with better psychological outcomes for those
with higher self-regulatory function, but worse outcomes for those with
lower self-regulatory function Such findings highlight the growing need
for refinement, and a more digitally enhanced approach to ethical
advertising.
 Nitika Garg, Jennifer S. Lerner, 2012: In this research report titled “
Sadness and consumption”, the authors talk about how Sadness has an
impact on consumption, causing people to pay more for new items and
consume more unhealthy food than they would otherwise. These
unfavorable effects of sadness on consumption can occur without our
knowledge, indicating that they are more than just conscious attempts at
"retail therapy." The findings showed that sadness increases
helplessness in response to the emotion-inducing situations. In turn

54
 sadness–consumption effect is mediated by helplessness, and in the end
inducing a sense of control via choice reduces the effect of sadness.
 Evelyn Melindra, Atik Aprianingsih, 2018: Retail therapy may be
used to decrease stress levels as the number of people experiencing
anxiety and stress has risen. Retailers can take advantage of this
situation by diversifying their marketing strategy, particularly in terms
of physical evidence. Retail therapy has been identified as a mood-
altering consumption behavior in previous studies. Previous research
has also identified a variety of therapeutic values and motivations that
may lead to mood-altering consumption. The goal of this paper is to
look at how retail therapy, including therapeutic values and motivations,
as well as the physical environment, can impact customer purchase
intent as part of a marketing strategy. The authors conducted a survey
and distributed a questionnaire to 400 shoppers in Bandung in order to
collect data. The data was then put to test using descriptive and path
analysis. The key finding was that retail environments have an impact
on customer purchase intent, particularly in terms of ambiance and
signage, and have a therapeutic effect. Since it explored the direct effect
of therapeutic values and motivations, as well as physical evidence, on
customer purchase intention, the outcome will be helpful to both
academics and managers. Furthermore, managers will gain new
knowledge about physical evidence components that have a large effect
on a customer's purchase intent.
 Aviv  Shoham, Maja  Makovec Brenčič, 2003: In the field of
consumer behavior studies, compulsive buying is a hot topic. Part of the
reason for researching compulsive buying is that it is a negative aspect
of consumer behavior. Exploring negative consumption phenomena, in
particular, may provide updated or new perspectives for studying
positive consumption behaviors. Furthermore, research on the negative
aspects of consumption is valuable because it has the potential to
contribute to society's well-being, which is an important criterion for
research utility. This paper proposes a model of compulsivity indicators
55
 based on previous research. In a sample of Israeli consumers, gender,
the tendency to make unplanned purchases, and the tendency to buy
goods not on shopping lists all help to predict compulsive tendencies.
The results indicate that these aspects have an impact on compulsive
behaviours.
 Taylan Ürkmez, Ralf Wagner, 2020: This research paper by Taylan
Ürkmez and Ralf Wagner is titled as “Retail therapy for consumers of
accessible luxury: A qualitative study from Poland and Turkey”. The
concept of retail therapy has primarily been studied in the United States,
with students making up the majority of the participants. This research,
on the other hand, adds to the literature on consumer behavior and retail
therapy by examining potential consumers of accessible luxury products
in Europe, particularly in Poland and Turkey, which are emerging
economies. Most participants thought of themselves as "non-luxury
purchasers" when it came to high-end luxury goods, despite their
history of shopping for affordable luxury over the previous 2–3 years.
While some Turkish shoppers argued they did not use retail therapy to
improve their moods, others recognized themselves in descriptions of
retail therapy and mood-altering purchases. This research sheds light on
the advantage of delayed acquisition for online retailers, which
increases expectation and leads to greater happiness. This phenomenon
also applies to people seeking treatment to improve their mood.
 Prof. Krupa A Rai Asst., Prof (Dr) Ajoy S Joseph, Prof (Dr)
Shrinivasa Mayya: Since the concept of retail therapy is still in its
infancy, drawing conclusions from past research studies and
generalizing their application is difficult. Few studies take into account
the cultural nuances of the target samples; as a result, the behavioural
underpinning goes unnoticed. With reference to the diverse Indian
population, the current study makes a naive attempt to address the few
gaps. The research question focuses on two major aspects of the study:
the importance of self-discrepancy in understanding behavioural
responses in consumer behavior. Another aspect is to look into the
56
 various moods and emotions associated with retail therapy among
women in greater depth. The mixed method research employs a
sequential transformative strategy. The qualitative data is collected first,
followed by the quantitative data collection in this study. The
qualitative approach included in-depth interviews, focus group
discussions, and self-administered questionnaires for quantitative data
collection. The data analysis in this study is done with inferential
analysis and structural equation modeling. The current project has
significant implications for the well-being and prosperity of consumers.
Because of their increased eagerness to pay for status-related items,
consumers who have experienced passionate turbulence may be more
prone to overspending and sinking overwhelmingly into debt, according
to the findings. Because every study has its own set of limitations, the
current study enumerates a few of them. Because the current study is
self-funded and both qualitative and quantitative analyses were
conducted independently, the detailed analysis was not utilized.
Nonetheless, the study laid the groundwork for more research in this
area, as the topic has received little attention in India.

57
 CHAPTER NO. 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

The methodology section of a research paper should explain how the data was
collected or produced, as well as how it was analyzed. Methodology in research is
defined as the systematic method to resolve a research problem through data gathering
using various techniques, providing an interpretation of data gathered and drawing
conclusions about the research data. Essentially, a research methodology is the
blueprint of a research or study (Murthy & Bhojanna, 2009, p. 32). Similarly, Birks
and Mills (2011, p. 4) define methodology as “a set of principles and ideas that inform
the design of a research study.” Therefore, the methodology section explains why
certain approaches are used in the process.

Research methodology is about how a researcher plans a study in a systematic way to

ensure valid and credible results that meet the study's goals and objectives.

Qualitative, quantitative and mixed-methods are different types of methodologies,

distinguished by whether they focus on words, numbers or both. qualitative data is
collected to answer questions about thoughts, experiences, and meanings, or to
58
research something that can't be explained numerically. Quantitative data is collected
if you want to develop a more mechanistic understanding of a subject or if your
research involves hypothesis testing. Both qualitative and quantitative research
methods are used in a mixed methods approach.

3.1 Description of the Topic:

In today’s world, stress, anxiety, depression and other mental illnesses have become
common phenomenon, almost every other person suffers from these issues and has a
hard time dealing with them. Some people choose to acknowledge them and face
them head on and go to an actual therapist to find solutions to their problems, others
on the other hand visit stores and shopping websites and wash away their woes by
spending money on materialistic things, this brings them momentarily peace and
calms their mind. When people shop when they are not in a good mood or simply to
feel better, that phenomenon is known as retail therapy. The purpose of this study is to
look into the implications of self-discrepancy and how it relates to consumer
behavior.

There is very limited research about retail therapy in the Indian context so all the rules
of retail therapy extracted from other research papers might not hold true to the Indian
consumer.

Dr. Geert Hofstede, a psychologist, published his cultural dimensions model in the
late 1970s, based on a decade of research. Since then, it's become a globally accepted
benchmark for recognizing cultural differences. According to Hofstede's cultural
dimensions theory which is a framework for cross-cultural communication, developed
by Geert Hofstede. It uses a structure derived from factor analysis to demonstrate the
impacts of a society's culture on its members' values and how these values relate to
behavior. Hofstede scored each country on a scale of 0 to 100 for each dimension
It has six dimensions namely:

1. Power Distance Index (high versus low).

59
2. Individualism Versus Collectivism.
3. Masculinity Versus Femininity.
4. Uncertainty Avoidance Index (high versus low).
5. Long- Versus Short-Term Orientation.
6. Indulgence Versus Restraint.

For the purpose of the research we will only look at the indulgence versus restraint
factor of the Hofstede’s cultural theory. This dimension refers to the extent to which
people try to control their desires and impulses as a result of their upbringing. The
term "indulgence" refers to a lack of control, while "restraint" refers to a solid level of
control. As a result, cultures can be divided into two categories: indulgent and
restrained. In this dimension, India receives a low score of 26, indicating that it is a
culture of restraint. Cynicism and pessimism are common in societies with a low
score in this dimension. In addition, unlike Indulgent societies, Restrained societies
place less emphasis on disposable income and exercise greater restrictions over the
fulfillment of their desires. People with this orientation believe that their actions are
constrained by social norms, and that indulging themselves is unethical. Therefore, it
could be possible that the way Indians react to the phenomenon of retail threapy is
entirely different from residents of western countries.

Through this research, the aim is to find out if retail therapy works in the Indian
context and other factors related to it and influencing it.

3.2 Objectives of the Study:

The main purpose of this study is to:

1. Conceptual understanding of retail therapy

2. Find out preference between physical and online stores
3. Frequency of consumers indulging in retail therapy
4. Whether gender plays a role in how people practice retail therapy

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 5. To find out if people resort to window shopping or online browsing to divert
their mind
6. To find out what type of products do people indulge in the most
7. To find out if there is a particular store/ application that is popular among
Indians
8. To find out if people plan their budget and follow it
9. To find out if people prefer luxury, high end, medium end or low end products
10. To find out how important materialistic things are to people
11. To find out what attracts people to indulge in consumerism
12. Find the prevalence of the concept of retail therapy in India
13. If people overspend in the name of retail therapy

3.3. Scope of the Study:

 This study covers the history of shopping and its evolution to shopping for
pleasure era with the emergence of the new middle class with more disposable
income.
 In depth explanation of the concept of retail therapy and related topics like
impulsive and compulsive buying disorders and compensatory consumption
theory.

3.4. Research Design:

The research design serves as a framework for planning and answering research
questions. Choosing a research design requires deciding on the following :

 What kind of data do you require?

 The research's location and duration
 Participants and information sources
 Hypotheses and variables (if relevant)
 Data collection and analysis techniques

61
The research design establishes the parameters of your project: it specifies what will
be included and what will be excluded. It also establishes the standards by which you
will assess your findings and draw conclusions. Your study's reliability and validity
are determined by how you collect, measure, analyze, and interpret data. A successful
research proposal, scientific paper, or dissertation requires a strong research design.

The study uses a quantitative technique to look into the occurrence of dependent
variables. Primary data was collected for the purpose of research through a survey. A
questionnaire was prepared for this purpose. The questionnaire covered topics related
to expenditure and shopping habits of people in order to draw conclusions about retail
therapy.

Components of Research Design are,

 Dependent variable which is Retail Therapy
 Independent variables are Gender, Shopping scales and Self-discrepancy
scales
 Extraneous variables are Income, age and occupation
 Control variable includes Product categories like the purchase of apparel,
shoes, bags and books, music (CDs) and cosmetics.

3.5 Design Of The Questionnaire:

A questionnaire was used as the survey instrument. A questionnaire is a research tool

that consists of a series of questions designed to collect data from respondents.
Questionnaires are similar to written interviews in that they collect information. They
can be done in person, over the phone, on the computer, or by mail. Questionnaires
are a low-cost, quick, and efficient way to collect large amounts of data from a large
number of people.

In this research, Google forms were used as the platform to create the questionnaire.
Further, the responses were collected through the same platform. The questionnaire
was in English. It included a total number of 24 questions. Not all of these questions
62
were made compulsory and people could skip certain questions if they didn’t wish to
answer them.
The questionnaire can be broadly divided into four parts. It started off with generic
questions about the respondents like their name, gender, age, level of education,
monthly income. In the next part questions were framed in order to get an idea of the
buying behaviours of people. The questions touched upon subjects like whether
people preferred to shop online or in stores, their frequency of indulging in
consumerism, type of products that they usually purchased, their go to shopping
destination, and if they plan their spending etc. The next part of the questionnaire
focuses on how people’s mood affects their buying pattern and what is their idea of
shopping. The questions in this section focused on asking if people suffered from
stress, anxiety or mental distress, if they indulged in window shopping or online
browsing of shopping website when they felt distressed because of environmental
factors that were out of their control, whether they shop when they feel low or no and
if shopping plays a role in uplifting their mood. The questionnaire does not address
retail therapy directly, however it tries to draw conclusions from underlying and
related questions. In the last part of the questionnaire, the after effects of retail therapy
are taken into considerations, whether people monitor their spending or end up
splurging more than anticipated.

3.6 Sample Design:

When conducting research about a group of people, it's rare that you'll be able to
collect data from every single one of them. Rather, you choose a sample. The sample
is the number of people who will actually take part in the study.

You must carefully consider how you will select a sample that is representative of the
entire group in order to draw valid conclusions from your findings. There are two
different types of sampling techniques:

63
  Probability sampling: Random selection is used in probability sampling, which
allows you to make strong statistical inferences about the entire group.
 Non-probability sampling: It entails making non-random selections based on
convenience or other criteria to make data collection easier.

The sampling design used for the purpose of this research is probability sampling
method. It means that anyone in the population has a chance of being chosen. It's
mostly used in quantitative studies. Probability sampling techniques are the best
option for producing results that are representative of the entire population.

3.7 Sampling Technique

The sampling technique used for the purpose of this research falls under probability
sampling method. Probability samples are divided into four categories. They are –
Simple random sampling, Systematic sampling, Stratified sampling, Cluster sampling.

For the purpose of this study the sampling technique that was adopted was that of
“Simple Random Sampling.” Any member of the population has an equal chance of
being chosen in a simple random sample. The population as a whole is included in the
sampling frame.

The research was conducted using a questionnaire that had 24 questions in total. The
questionnaire was circulated online and had no restrictions on who could fill it and
who couldn’t.

3.8 Population of Study:

The population of study for this paper included men, women and people belonging to
other genders. They were all of Indian origin. The study consisted of people
belonging to all age groups. Since every individual takes part in the phenomenon
known as shopping or consumerism, there weren’t any restrictions to the population
of the study.
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3.9 Sample Size :

The number of participants or observations used in a study is referred to as sample

size. The letter n is widely used to describe this number. The sample size has an effect
on two statistical properties. First, the accuracy of the measurements, and second the
study's ability to draw conclusions.

The sample size for this study was that of 150 people, they were all 18 or above the
age of 18 and went up to the age of 60+. This gave the research a fair mix of
individuals belonging to all age groups. The participants categorized themselves as
male, female or others.

3.10 Data Collection

The data collected for the research was based on primary data and secondary data as
well.

 Primary Data: For primary data collection, quantitative research approach was
used. Data was collected through a survey using a well-structured
questionnaire that was divided into 4 parts. The first part of the questionnaire
focused on personal questions about the respondents like their name, age,
gender, income and level of education. The second part focused on questions
that focused on the generic buying pattern of people. The next part of the
questionnaire focuses on how people’s mood affects their buying pattern and
what is their idea of shopping. In the last part of the questionnaire, the after
effects of retail therapy are taken into considerations, whether people monitor
their spending or end up splurging more than anticipated.

 Secondary Data: Secondary data was gathered from a variety of published

sources, including books, journals, research articles, and databases. This was
done in order to review the current literature and learn more about the topic.
65
3.11 Statistical Tools:

Various statistical methods, such as charts, graphs, and tables were used in this study
as a statistical method for hypothesis testing . The Chi-Square test has been used as a
statistical instrument. The data used in all the statistical testing was collected through
a survey form that was created on google forms.

3.12 hypothesis:

The formulation of hypothesis or propositions about potential responses to research

questions is an essential phase in the process of formulating the research issue. In
certain cases, the hypothesis is viewed as the main tool in research. Its primary
purpose is to recommend new experiments and findings. having a detailed
understanding of the phenomena and associated fields is extremely beneficial. In any
science, the development of hypothesis is critical to the advancement of knowledge.
Usually, the hypothesis that you support (your prediction) is
the alternative hypothesis, and the hypothesis that describes the remaining possible
outcomes is the null hypothesis. 

Null hypothesis:

The null hypothesis tested in this study are as follows:

 Gender does not play a role in how people indulge in retail therapy when
feeling low.
 There is no relationship between stress and shopping to alleviate negative
feelings or for mood upliftment.

Alternate hypothesis:

The null hypothesis tested in this study are as follows:

66
  Gender plays a role in how people indulge in retail therapy when feeling low.
 There is a significant relationship between stress and shopping to alleviate
negative feelings or for mood upliftment.

CHAPTER NO 4: DATA ANALYSIS, REPRESENTATION AND

INTERPRETATION

67
The research was conducted on the topic “Retail Therapy and its effectiveness in the
Indian Context”. A survey was conducted among 150 people using a questionnaire.
The respondents belonged to different walks of life.

Following are the questions and results with an in-depth explanation from the survey
that covered topics related to peoples spending habits and whether they spent money
on things under stress and anxiety in an attempt to alleviate dark thoughts and
feelings. The aim of this research was to come to a conclusion about retail therapy’s
prevalence in India and also to test the hypothesis.

QUESTIONS:

Question 1: Name (Full Name)

The questionnaire starts off with the most basic question, which asks the name of the
respondent. However, this question was kept optional since not everyone is
comfortable sharing their identity and might want to participate in the research as
anonymous. Out of the 150 respondents, only 134 people decided to reveal their
identities and the rest filled the form as anonymous.

Question 2: What Is Your Gender?

In this research, gender plays an important role in order to know if there is a particular
gender which has more inclination towards retail therapy. The options that were given
to people were – male, female and others. The options might be a little limiting and
were not able to cover all the genders on the spectrum. There are many different
gender identities, including male, female, transgender, gender-neutral, non-binary,
agender, pangender, genderqueer etc. Therefore, the research is limited to males and
females.

Graphical representation of the data:

68
 gender
others
3%

male
41%
female
56%

Interpretation: the data shows that out of the 150 respondents, 84 were females that
is 56% of the total respondents. There were 62 males who were a part of the reseach
and formed 41% of the total respondents. There were 4 people who identified as
“others” and formed a mere 3% of the total respondents. The number of females who
participated in the research are significantly more than the number of males who
participated. This was not an intentional move, however the orientation of women
towards shopping is a lot more than men and might be the reason behind this turnout.

Question 3: What Is Your Age?

There were no particular age groups that was targeted for the purpose of the research
and the survey was open to people of all age groups. However, to make the data
analysis process easier, people were asked to categorize themselves into a particular
69
range of age. The ranges that were chosen for the purpose of this research are as
follows:

1. Below 22 years

2. 22 – 34 years

3. 35 – 44 years

4. 45 – 60 years

5. Above 60 years

This question helps to evaluate how the age of people plays a role in their buying
behavior and how they indulge in consumerism.

Graphical representation of the data:

AGE
Above 60
45 - 60 years 4%
6%
35 - 44 years
3%

below 22
years
43%

22 - 34 years
44%

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Interpretation: people below the age of 22 make up 43% of the total respondents.
People aged 22 to 34 years make up 44% of the total respondents. People who belong
to the age range of the 35 to 44 years make up only 3% of the total respondents.
People in the age range of 45 to 60 years make up 6% of the total respondents. In the
end, people above the age of 60 make up 4% of the total respondents. According to
this data, maximum number of people who participated in the survey belong to the
category of below 22 years old and 22 to 34 years old. This might be due to the digital
nature of the survey and a greater number of people belonging to these age groups are
more tech savvy.

Question 4: What Is Your Highest Education Level?

The education level of a person can also have an impact on their buying patterns. That
is the reason why this question enquiring about people’s highest level of education
was included in the questionnaire. Respondents were provided with four broad
categories of qualification from which they could choose. They were as follows:

1. Highschool

2. Undergraduate degree

3. Postgraduate Degree

4. PhD

This question helps in evaluating if people’s qualification level has any impact of the
the type of products they buy or if their spending pattern is any different from each
other.

Graphical representation of the data:

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 education level
PhD
1% Highschol
Postgraduate 15%
degree
28%

Undergraduat
e Degree
57%

Interpretation: According to the data recorded of 150 people, 14% of the

respondents hold only a high school degree, 57% of the people are undergraduates,
28% of the people hold postgraduate degrees and only 1% of the people hold a PhD.

Question 5: Monthly Income / Allowance

Monthly income or income patterns of people play a massive role in how they
distribute their income, whether they save it all, spend a part of it or spend all of it. As
the disposable income in the hands of the people increases, unnecessary purchases
also increase. Therefore, to get a better understanding of the spending pattern of the
people this question was asked. In order to not make anyone uncomfortable by asking
them questions about their income, the incomes were divided into ranges. The ranges
for the monthly incomes are as follows:
72
 1. Less than ₹10,000

2. ₹10,000 – ₹25,000

3. ₹25,000 – ₹35,000

4. ₹35,000 – ₹50,000

5. More than ₹50,000

Graphical representation of the data:

monthy income
More than
₹50,000
21%
Less than
₹10,000
35%

₹35,000-
₹50,000
15%

₹25,000 – ₹10,000 –
₹35,000 ₹25,000
15% 15%

Interpretation: According to the data collected, 34% of the total respondents had less
than ₹10,000 as their monthly income. this was largely due to the fact that a lot of the
73
respondents were high schoolers and undergrduates. 15% of the respondents had
monthly income of ₹10,000 – ₹25,000. Again, 15% of the respondents had monthly
income between ₹25,000 – ₹35,000 and another 15% had a monthly income of
₹35,000 – ₹50,000. 21% of the respondents had income more than ₹50,000.

Question 6: What Is Your Preferred Mode Of Shopping?

In today’s world, two main modes of shopping have emerged, online and offline
shopping. This question focuses on the preference of the respondents when it comes
to shopping online which is shopping on the internet or offline that is in physical
stores. Therefore, the options for this question were limited to only two options of
online mode and offline mode.

Graphical representation of the data:

mode of shopping
online offline (physical stores)

offline (physical
stores)
40%

online
60%

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Interpretation: Out of the 150 respondents, 90 people preferred online mode of
shopping which is 60% of the total respondents and 60 people preferred offline mode
which is 40% of total respondent. Offline means shopping in physical stores it is
much lower as compared to online which is through shopping apps and websites.

Question 7: How Often Do You Shop?

This question aims to record the frequency of purchases that are made by the
respondents. The options provided for this question were as follows:

1. Weekly

2. Monthly

3. Bi-yearly

4. Annually

5. Special occasions only

More options could have been added to the question, however keeping the extremes in
mind certain options were avoided.

Graphical representation of the data:

75
 frequency of shopping
special
ocassions only
anually 9% weekly
2% 22%
bi-yearly
8%

monthly
59%

Interpretation: 59% of people chose ‘monthly’ which means they shop on monthly
basis. 22% of people chose ‘weekly’ which means they shop on weekly basis. 9% of
people chose ‘Special occasions’ only which means they shop only on special
occasions like Festivals and Birthdays. 8% of people chose ‘bi-yearly’ which means
they shop two times in a year. 2% of people chose ‘annually’ which means they shop
once in a year.

Question 8: On Average, How Long Do You Spend Browsing Online Store

Websites Per Week?

This question was asked to get a fair idea of how much time was dedicated by people
out of their daily routines just for browsing online shopping websites. The scale for
this question was a little hard to decide on. However, in the end, we asked about the
76
weekly average as it is the easiest to recall. Since there are 7 days in a week, so the
options were all in multiples of 7. This was done to simply the scale a little. Following
are all the options that were available to the respondents to choose from:

1. Less than 7 hours

2. 7 – 14 hours

3. 21 – 28 hours

4. More than 28 hours

Graphical representation of the data:

average online browsing time

more than 28
hourshrs
21-28
3%1%

7-14 hrs
23%

less than 7 hrs

72%

Interpretation: 72% of the total respondents browsed online shopping websites for
less than 7 hours in a week. 23% of the total respondents browsed online shopping
77
websites for 7 – 14 hours in a week. A mere 4% and 1% of the total respondents
browsed online shopping websites for 21 – 28 hours and more than 28 hours
respectively. Therefore, a majority of the people spent less than 7 hours browsing
online retail websites. However, people who spent more time than that browsing was
also significant at 28% which came as a surprise.

Question 9: On Average, How Long Do You Spend In Physical Stores Per Week?

This question was asked to get a fair idea of how much time was dedicated by people
out of their daily routines just for browsing offline or physical stores. The scale for
this question was a little hard to decide on. However, in the end, we asked about the
weekly average as it is the easiest to recall. Since there are 7 days in a week, so the
options were all in multiples of 7. This was done to simply the scale a little. Following
are all the options that were available to the respondents to choose from:

1. Less than 7 hours

2. 7 – 14 hours

3. 21 – 28 hours

4. More than 28 hours

Graphical representation of the data:

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 average physical browsing time
more than 28
hrs
21-28
7-14 hrs hrs
1%
6% 1%

Less than 7
hrs
93%

Interpretation: For the results of this question, 93% of the total respondents spent
less than 7 hours in a week browsing physical stores. 6% of the respondents spent 7 -
14 hours browsing a physical store. And a mere 2% spent more time than that in
stores. Therefore, majority of the people spent less than 7 hours in a week browsing
physical stores.

Question 10: What Type Of Products Do You Usually Purchase?

The type of products that people purchase can be a helpful tool in order to gain an
insight of their buying behaviours and spending patterns. There are certain items that
are purchased more frequently than others like household items, clothing, accessories
etc in comparison to items like furniture, electronic devices etc. A few of frequently
purchased items were included in the options provided, however, an option to write
their personal preference was also given to people. For this question people could

79
choose multiple options as well. Following is a list of the options provided for this
question:

1. Clothing

2. Accessories

3. Cosmetics

4. Household items

5. Luxury products

6. Others: ________

Graphical representation of the data:

FREQUENTLY PURCHASED ITEMS

140

130
120

100

80
79

60
58 56
40

32
20

11
0
clothing acessories cosmetics household luxury products others
products

Interpretation: Out of 150 respondents, 130 people frequently purchased clothing,

79 people frequently purchased accessories, 58 people bought cosmetics, 56 people

80
bought household products and 32 people usually buy luxury products. There were 11
people who filled the other option for more niche items like equipment, games etc.

Question 11: What Is Your Go To Shopping App Or Shop?

For this question, the respondents were asked about their go to shopping app or store
for when they feel like purchasing something. No options were provided for this
question and respondents were free to type in their preferences. Most people preferred
retail giants like H&M, Zara, Myntra, Amazon and Nykaa.

Question 12: Do You Plan Your Shopping Budget?

This is one of the important questions of the questionnaire because when people plan
their budget it means they are prone to less impulses and try to stick to it. However,
when people don’t plan their budgets and spend irrationally, it is a sign of impulsive
behaviour, which could play a major role in compulsive buying or retail therapy. For
this question, four options were provided to respondents to choose from, they were as
follows:

1. Yes

2. No

3. Maybe

4. Sometimes

Graphical representation of the data:

81
 budget planning
yes no maybe sometimes

sometimes
25%
yes
33%

maybe
5%

no
37%

Interpretation: Out of the 150 respondents, 33% of the respondents planned their
budget, 37% did not plan their budget. 5% of the respondents chose the option maybe
when asked if they plan their budget and 25% of the respondents said they plan their
budget sometimes. There was more uncertainty towards planning of a budget than
certainty since 67% of the people responded “no”, “maybe” and “sometimes”.

Question 13: What Type Of Products Do You Prefer?

This question was asked with respect to the monetary value of the products, whether
people preferred expensive and luxury products, medium priced products or low
priced products. For this question, people could choose multiple options from the
given options. The options that were given are as follows:

1. Expensive

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 2. Medium

3. Low-priced

Graphical representation of the data:

PREFERANCE
140

132
120

100

80

60

40
35
31
20

0
expensive medium low priced

Interpretation: 35 respondents out of 150 preferred buying expensive and luxurious

items. 132 respondents out of 150 preferred buying medium priced items, both high
end and low end products fall in this category. 31 respondents out of 150 preferred
buying low- priced items. Hence, the majority of the people prefer to buy medium
priced items.

Question 14: Does Monetary Value Of A Thing Affect Your Attitude?

This question aims to find out whether the price of a product affects how people
perceive it. For example, if something is too cheap, we automatically perceive it to be
of low quality or not good enough. Therefore, a simple question asking whether the
monetary value of a thing affected people’s attitude towards it was framed. The
options for this question were simple, they are as follows:

83
 1. Yes

2. No

3. Maybe

Graphical representation of the data:

does monetary value of a product affect you attitude towards it?

yes no maybe

maybe
18%

no yes
24% 58%

Interpretation: 58% of the respondents believed that the monetary value of a thing
did affect their attitude towards how they perceived it. 24% of the respondents chose
the option “no” and believed that the monetary value of a thing does not affect how
they perceive it. 18% of the respondents chose the option “maybe” which means that
sometimes the monetary value of a thing does affect their perception of it and
sometimes it doesn’t. from this data, it can be concluded that a majority of the people
believed that the monetary value of a thing does affect their attitude towards it.

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Question 15: What Attracts You To Buy Or Shop?

This question aims to find the factor that convinces people to make a purchase of an
item. Four main options were provided which were considered the main factors
anyone counts before making a purchase. However, people could enter their own
answers as well as to what they thought attracted them towards a product. Following
are the options provided for the question:

1. Low price

2. Variety

3. Convenience

4. Quality

5. Others: ________

Graphical representation of the data:

85
 factors
low price variety convenience quality others

others low price

6% 8%
variety
13%

convenience
12%
quality
61%

Interpretation: 8% of the total respondents considered low-price as a factor that

pushed them to buy an item. 13% of the respondents believed that variety and
variation was the main factor that attracted them. 12% of the respondents considered
convenience as an important factor when it came to making purchases. 61% of the
respondents believed quality was the main factor when it came to what attracted them
to buy a product. 6% of the people mentioned other factors like design, brand, utility
etc. as to what attracted them towards a product. Therefore, it can be concluded that
the main factor that most people considered and what attracted them to a particular
product was its quality.

Question 16: What Is Your Idea/Concept About Shopping?

The main idea behind this question was to find out how people view shopping as a
concept. Whether they think it is something they participate in only when necessary or

86
do it as a pastime or think of it as an escape from their reality and to boost their mood.
There were three main options provided for this question, however an option to write
personal opinion was also given. Following are the options given:

1. When necessary

2. As a pastime

3. Shopping as an escape

4. Other: _______

Graphical representation of the data:

idea/ concept of shopping

when necessary as a pastime shopping as an escape others

others
6%

shopping as an
escape
27% when necessary
45%

as a pastime
23%

Interpretation: 44% of the people view shopping as an activity that they participate
in only when necessary. 23% of the people view shopping as a pastime for when they
are bored or have time to kill. 27% of the respondents think of shopping as an escape
to escape their reality and bad moods. 6% of the people wrote other ideas and

87
concepts they have about shopping. therefore, the findings suggest that while a good
amount of people see shopping as an activity they participate in only when necessary,
there are more than 50% people who see it more than just necessary purchases.

Question 17: Do you often suffer from stress / feeling low?

In today’s world, stress has become a very common phenomenon. This question aims
to find out if people suffer from stress and feelings of lowness on a regular basis. The
options for this question were:

1. Yes

2. No

3. Sometimes

Graphical representation of the data:

Do you often suffer from stress / feeling low?

yes no sometimes

sometimes
16%

yes
48%

no
36%

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Interpretation: 48% of the people chose the option “yes”, that they do suffer from
stress and feeling low. 36% of the people chose the option “no”, that they do not
suffer from stress or feeling low. 16% of the people chose the option “sometimes”,
which means they feel stress and feelings of lowness at some points in their life.
Therefore, a majority of the people do suffer from stress, whether it is constant or
occasional.

Question 18: Do You Browse Shopping Websites To Divert Your Mind From
Unnecessary Thoughts?

This question was asked to see if they browsed to distract themselves from
unnecessary thoughts. Diverting can help stop overthinking, which is essential for
stopping negative and unnecessary thoughts. Candidates were given three options for
selecting.

1. Yes

2. No

3. Sometimes

Graphical Representation of Data:

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 Do you browse shopping websites to divert your mind
from unnecessary thoughts?
Yes No Sometimes

20%

44%

36%

Interpretation: 44% of the people chose the option ‘yes’, that they browse to divert
their mind.36% of the people chose ‘no’ that they do not browse to divert their mind.

20% of the people chose ‘sometime’ which means they browse occasionally to divert
their mind. So, through this we can conclude majority of people browse to divert their
mind.

Question 19: Do You Shop When You're In A Bad Mood/ Feeling Down?

This question was asked to see if they shop while they are in a bad mood. When
people are in a bad mood, they are impulsive, and they go shopping to alleviate their
tension. This is fine in moderation, but excessive impulsivity can lead to poor
decisions. There were three choices available for this.

1. Yes

2. No

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 3. Sometimes

Graphical Representation of Data

Do you shop when you're in a bad mood/ feeling down?

yes no sometimes

15%

43%

41%

Interpretation: 44% of the people chose the option ‘yes’, that they Shop when they
are in bad mood to divert their mind.41% of the people chose ‘no’ that they do not
Shop when they are in bad mood to feel good. 15% of the people chose ‘sometime’
which means they Shop occasionally when they are in a bad mood So, through this we
can conclude majority of people browse to divert their mind.

Question 20: Does Shopping Uplift Your Mood?

This question was posed to decide whether or not shopping enhances one's mood.
Shopping is seen as a way to lift one's spirits and make one feel better. It raises
dopamine levels and makes us feel content. Though the happiness is fleeting, it can be
beneficial in diverting your attention away from unnecessary thoughts and tension.
Candidates were given two alternatives for this.

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 1. Yes

2. No

Graphical Representation of Data:

Does shopping uplift your mood?

Yes No

24%

76%

Interpretation: 76% of the people chose the option ‘yes’, that shopping uplifts their
mood. 24% of the people chose ‘no’ that shopping does not uplift their mood. So,
through this we can conclude that shopping helps a lot of people to uplift their mood.
The number of People who feel better after shopping are significantly more.

Question 21: Do You Believe Materialistic Things Can Provide Happiness?

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This question was raised to decide whether or not people believe materialistic objects
would provide satisfaction. To a certain degree, materialistic objects may offer a sense
of achievement and satisfaction to people. In this question two choices were offered

1. Yes

2. No

Graphical Representation of Data:

Do you believe materialistic things can provide

happiness?
Yes No

No
29%

Yes
71%

Interpretation: 71% of the people chose the option ‘yes’, that means they believe
that materialistic things can provide happiness .29% of the people chose ‘no’ that
means they believe that materialistic things cannot provide happiness. So, through this
we can conclude that a majority of people believe that materialistic things can provide
happiness.

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Question 22: Do you monitor your spending ?

This question was asked to determine whether or not people keep track of their
expenses or control it. Monitoring our spending is an important part of our lives
because it keeps us from going into debt. This question was primarily intended to
determine whether or not surveillance could regulate unnecessary shopping. They
were given three choices for this.

1. Yes

2. No

3. Sometimes

Graphical Representation of Data:

do you monitor your spendings?

yes no maybe

13%

24%

63%

Interpretation: 63% of the people chose the option ‘yes’, that means they monitor
their spending whereas 24% of the people chose ‘no’ that means they do not monitor
94
their spending.13% of people chose maybe which means they are not sure whether
they monitor their spending or not. With this we can say that majority of people
monitor their spending. Its means they keep a track of what they are spending and
where are they spending.

Question 23: How Much Amount Do You Spend On Shopping Per Month?

This question was asked in order to see how much money people spent on shopping
each month. This was done in order to get an idea of peoples spending patterns. To
frame the options for this question, we used ranges for the amount of money spent
each month. This question had 4 options of ranges to choose from, they are as
follows:

1. Less than 2000

2. 2000 – 5000

3. 5000 – 10000

4. More than 10000

Graphical Representation of Data:

95
 How much amount do you spend on shopping per
month ?
less than 2000 2000 - 5000 5000 - 10000 more than 10,000

18% 18%

28%
36%

Interpretation: 36% of people chose ‘2000-5000’ which means they spend

somewhere between this range on shopping per month. 28% of people chose ‘5000-
10000’ which means they spend somewhere between this range on shopping per
month. 18% of people chose ‘less than 2000’ which means they spend somewhere
between this range on shopping per month. 18% of people chose ‘More than 10000’
which means they spend somewhere between this range on shopping per month.

Question 24: Do You Think You Spend More Than Needed Amount On
Shopping?

This question was asked to find out whether people spent more money than they had
anticipated. If an individual believes they are spending more than required
consistently, it might mean that they are spending in an impulsive and non-rational
way. It is fine if it happens ocassionally and isn't a chronic issue. The respondents
were provided with four options for this question, they are as follows:

1. Yes

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 2. No

3. Sometimes

4. Never

Graphical Representation of Data:

Do you think you spend more than needed amount on shopping?

yes no sometimes never
3%

35% 42%

19%

Interpretation: 42% of the respondents believed that they overspent and chose the
option “yes”. Only 19% of the respondents chose the option “no”, that they did not
spend more than anticipated on shopping. 36% of the people believed that they only
overspent “sometimes”. 3% of the respondents said that they “never” overspent. The
findings show that a large number of people end up overspending on shopping, it is
acceptable till one is not going into debt because of it.

97
HYPOTHESIS 1:

To test the hypothesis if there is a relationship between gender and the tendency to
shop when in a bad mood or retail therapy. This is to test if males and females react
differently to low moods and its effects on consumerism. This hypothesis will help us
to figure out if these variables are independent or not independent.

Null hypothesis:

Gender does not play a role in how people indulge in retail therapy when feeling low.
(Independent)

Alternate hypothesis:

Gender plays a role in how people indulge in retail therapy when feeling low. (Not
Independent)

To check this Chi Square Test was done:

Observation Table:

CATEGORIES YES NO SOMETIMES TOTAL

Male 10 45 7 62

Female 53 16 15 84

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 Total 63 61 22 146

Expected Value Table = (row total*column total/overall total)

CATEGORIES YES NO SOMETIMES

Male 26.75 25.90 9.34

Female 36.25 35.10 12.66

Since all the expected values are more than 5, the Chi Square test can be used.

The Chi square value = 10.49 + 14.08 + 0.59 + 7.74 + 10.39 + 0.43

= 43.72

Degree of freedom (df) = (no. of rows-1) (no. of columns-1)

df = (2 - 1) (3 - 1)

=2

p value < 0.00001

Significance level at 5% = 0.05

Critical value at 5% = 5.991

The result is significant at p < .05

Conclusion: the calculated value of Chi square is 43.72 which is more than the critical
value of 5.991 at significance level of 5%. Therefore, it can be concluded that men
and women indulge in retail therapy differently when going through negative
emotions so gender does play a role in how people indulge in retail therapy when
feeling low.
99
On the basis of the p-value, p value is lower than significance level. It means null
hypothesis is rejected and the alternate hypothesis is not rejected and is retained.

Therefore, Gender and how people indulge in retail therapy when feeling low is not
independent.

HYPOTHESIS 2:

To test the hypothesis if there is a relationship between stress and mood upliftment
from shopping. This is to test whether people who suffer from stress or negative shop
more in order to uplift their mood or alleviate negative feelings.

Null hypothesis:

There is no relationship between stress and shopping to alleviate negative feelings or

for mood upliftment. (Independent)

Alternate hypothesis:

There is a significant relationship between stress and shopping to alleviate negative

feelings or for mood upliftment. (Not Independent)

To check this Chi Square Test was done:

Observation Table:

CATEGORIES YES NO TOTAL

Yes 64 8 72

No 9 15 24

Sometimes 41 13 54

TOTAL 114 36 150

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Expected Value Table = (row total*column total/overall total)

CATEGORIES YES NO

Yes 54.72 17.28

No 18.24 5.76

Sometimes 41.04 12.96

Since all the expected values are more than 5, the Chi Square test can be used.

The Chi square value = 1.57 + 4.98 + 4.68 + 14.82 + 0.00 + 0.00 = 26.05

Degree of freedom (df) = (no. of rows-1) (no. of columns-1)

df = (3 - 1) (2 - 1)

=2

p value < 0.00001

Significance level at 5% = 0.05

Critical value at 5% = 5.991

The result is significant at p < .05

Conclusion: the calculated value of Chi square is 26.05 which is more than the critical
value of 5.991 at significance level of 5%. Therefore, it can be concluded that when
people are stressed or feeling low it affects their shopping patterns significantly and
they indulge in retail therapy.

101
On the basis of the p-value, p value is lower than significance level. It means null
hypothesis is rejected and the alternate hypothesis is not rejected and is retained.

Therefore, relationship between stress and shopping to alleviate negative feelings or

for mood upliftment is not independent.

CHAPTER NO 5: CONCLUSION

Retail therapy might be a well-researched topic in the western world, however, there
is barely any research on the topic in the Indian context. Culture plays an important
role when it comes to how people spend their income and how they view the
phenomenon of consumerism. The culture of the western lands differs widely from
that of the Indian subcontinent. Therefore, while the research done on the topic of
retail therapy is helpful, it is not the whole truth for the average Indian consumer. The
buying behaviors of Indians and how they contribute to consumerism and have they
finally given in to the phenomenon of retail therapy are touched upon in this research.
With the growing disposable income, also comes stress and feelings of negativity and
in an attempt to outrun their minds, people will try anything, even shopping as
therapy. If we go back in time, consumerism in India meant buying only necessary
items and maybe a nice outfit once a year, probably on the occasion of one’s birthday.
However, we have come a long way from that with people indulging in purchases for
102
themselves almost every month as the findings of the study suggests. Therefore,
Indians do partake in retail therapy from time to time and majority of the people find
it to be a joyful activity, but they do so with a little bit more caution and not to the
point of driving themselves into debts.

ANNEXURE

A STUDY OF RETAIL THERAPY IN THE INDIAN CONTEXT

Question 1: Name (Full Name)

Question 2: What Is Your Gender?

1. Male

2. Female

3. Others

103
Question 3: What Is Your Age?

1. Below 22 years

2. 22 – 34 years

3. 35 – 44 years

4. 45 – 60 years

5. Above 60 years

Question 4: What Is Your Highest Education Level?

1. Highschool

2. Undergraduate degree

3. Postgraduate Degree

4. PhD

Question 5: Monthly Income / Allowance

1. Less than ₹10,000

2. ₹10,000 – ₹25,000

3. ₹25,000 – ₹35,000

4. ₹35,000 – ₹50,000

5. More than ₹50,000

Question 6: What Is Your Preferred Mode Of Shopping?

1. Online

104
 2. Offline (physical stores)

Question 7: How Often Do You Shop?

1. Weekly

2. Monthly

3. Bi-yearly

4. Annually

5. Special occasions only

Question 8: On Average, How Long Do You Spend Browsing Online Store

Websites Per Week?

1. Less than 7 hours

2. 7 – 14 hours

3. 21 – 28 hours

4. More than 28 hours

Question 9: On Average, How Long Do You Spend In Physical Stores Per Week?

1. Less than 7 hours

2. 7 – 14 hours

3. 21 – 28 hours

4. More than 28 hours

Question 10: What Type Of Products Do You Usually Purchase?

1. Clothing

105
 2. Accessories

3. Cosmetics

4. Household items

5. Luxury products

6. Others: ________

Question 11: What Is Your Go To Shopping App Or Shop?

Question 12: Do You Plan Your Shopping Budget?

1. Yes

2. No

3. Maybe

4. Sometimes

Question 13: What Type Of Products Do You Prefer?

1. Expensive

2. Medium

3. Low-priced

Question 14: Does Monetary Value Of A Thing Affect Your Attitude?

1. Yes

2. No

3. Maybe

106
Question 15: What Attracts You To Buy Or Shop?

1. Low price

2. Variety

3. Convenience

4. Quality

5. Others: ________

Question 16: What Is Your Idea/Concept About Shopping?

1. When necessary

2. As a pastime

3. Shopping as an escape

4. Other: _______

Question 17: Do you often suffer from stress / feeling low ?

1. Yes

2. No

3. Sometimes

Question 18: Do You Browse Shopping Websites To Divert Your Mind From
Unnecessary Thoughts?

1. Yes

2. No

3. Sometimes

107
Question 19: Do You Shop When You're In A Bad Mood/ Feeling Down?

1. Yes

2. No

3. Sometimes

Question 20: Does Shopping Uplift Your Mood?

1. Yes

2. No

Question 21: Do You Believe Materialistic Things Can Provide Happiness?

1. Yes

2. No

Question 22: Do you monitor your spending ?

1. Yes

2. No

3. Sometimes

Question 23: How Much Amount Do You Spend On Shopping Per Month?

1. Less than 2000

2. 2000 – 5000

108
 3. 5000 – 10000

4. More than 10000

Question 24: Do You Think You Spend More Than Needed Amount On
Shopping?

1. Yes

2. No

3. Sometimes

4. Never

109
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