Revenge buying

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Revenge buying (also known as revenge shopping [1] or revenge spending [2] ) refers to a sudden surge in the purchase of consumer goods after people are denied the opportunity to shop for extended periods of time. [3] The revenge buying mechanism is thought to have evolved as a reaction to the frustration and psychological discomfort caused by restrictions in the freedom of movement and commerce. Unlike panic buying, revenge buying appears to involve the purchase of superfluous goods, such as bags and clothing, as well as decorative objects such as gems and jewellery. [4] [5] [3] The industries revolving around the production of these objects, a major source of revenue for the retail sector, saw huge losses during the lockdowns induced by the COVID-19 pandemic. [6]

Contents

Revenge buying began in China initially, and the trends were seen across the globe when economies reopened. The United States and Europe followed the same kind of enthusiasm in consumers, and luxury brands posted remarkable growth compared to during COVID lockdowns. [2] [7]

Examples

In China, the Cultural Revolution during the 1960s and COVID-19 crisis nearly sixty years later are examples of collective traumas that resulted in revenge buying. [3] The phenomenon was first observed in the 1980s, where it was termed baofuxing xiaofei (Chinese :报复性消费). Following China's 1976 opening to international trade, this term describes the sudden demand for foreign-brand goods. [5] [8] It reoccurred in China in April 2020, when the lockdown was mostly lifted and markets reopened. At that time, the French luxury brand Hermès made US$2.7 million in sales in a single day. [4] [9]

COVID-19 pandemic

The economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic was devastating to many global retail businesses. Many stores and shopping centers were forced to close for months because stay-at-home restrictions meant that consumers could not travel freely. [10] According to a March 2020 article in Business Insider , retail sales dropped 20.5 percent after the pandemic hit China—a percentage not seen since the 2007–2008 financial crisis. [11]

The apparel industry suffered greatly during the pandemic; several notable retailers, including J. Crew, Neiman Marcus, J.C. Penney, Brooks Brothers, Ascena Retail Group, Debenhams, Arcadia Group, GNC, and Lord & Taylor, filed for bankruptcy. [12] [13]

According to the UK Office for National Statistics, the volume of total retail sales recovered to similar levels as before the COVID-19 pandemic. The volume of total retail sales recovers to similar levels as before the coronavirus pandemic.png
According to the UK Office for National Statistics, the volume of total retail sales recovered to similar levels as before the COVID-19 pandemic.

China was the first country hit by the COVID-19 pandemic; by the summer 2020, it had successfully contained community transmission and thereafter lifted significant restrictions. [15] [16] The term revenge buying entered popular consciousness with the immediate economic recovery of the French fashion company Hermès, which recorded $2.7 million in sales at its flagship store in Guangzhou, China, on the day it reopened in April 2020, setting a record for most single-day shopping at any luxury outlet in China. [7] In addition to Hermès, lines piled up outside Apple, Gucci, and Lancôme stores. [9] [4] A similar instance of revenge buying occurred in India following the relaxation of Omicron-related restrictions in March 2022. [17] A similar level of consumer enthusiasm was observed by the press in the United States and Europe after their economies mostly reopened in April 2021. [2]

Explanation

According to sociologists, compulsive and impulsive buying behaviors, such as panic buying and revenge buying, are coping mechanisms that relieve negative feelings. [18] [19] [20] [5]

While revenge buying was first observed in China, it has since been observed in other countries. When physical stores reopened after the initial COVID lockdown, sales increased, particularly in luxury product stores. According to researchers for the International Journal of Social Psychiatry , the purchase of luxury goods acts as a means for consumers to repress unpleasant emotions. [5] Reactance theory is another analytical method sociologists use to gain a deeper understanding of revenge-buying behavior; this theory posits that when a threat or hindrance to a person's behavioral freedom makes them upset, the person will try to regain the threatened autonomy. [5] [21]

See also

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Consumer behaviour</span> Study of individuals, groups, or organizations and all the activities associated with consuming

Consumer behavior is the study of individuals, groups, or organizations and all the activities associated with the purchase, use and disposal of goods and services. Consumer behaviour consists of how the consumer's emotions, attitudes, and preferences affect buying behaviour. Consumer behaviour emerged in the 1940–1950s as a distinct sub-discipline of marketing, but has become an interdisciplinary social science that blends elements from psychology, sociology, social anthropology, anthropology, ethnography, ethnology, marketing, and economics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Online shopping</span> Form of electronic commerce

Online shopping is a form of electronic commerce which allows consumers to directly buy goods or services from a seller over the Internet using a web browser or a mobile app. Consumers find a product of interest by visiting the website of the retailer directly or by searching among alternative vendors using a shopping search engine, which displays the same product's availability and pricing at different e-retailers. As of 2020, customers can shop online using a range of different computers and devices, including desktop computers, laptops, tablet computers and smartphones.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Panic buying</span> Unusual pattern of purchase

Panic buying occurs when consumers buy unusually large amounts of a product in anticipation of, or after, a disaster or perceived disaster, or in anticipation of a large price increase or shortage.

Scarcity, in the area of social psychology, works much like scarcity in the area of economics. Scarcity is basically how people handle satisfying themselves regarding unlimited wants and needs with resources that are limited. Humans place a higher value on an object that is scarce, and a lower value on those that are in abundance. For example diamonds are more valuable than rocks because diamonds are not as abundant. These perceptions of scarcity can lead to irregular consumer behavior, such as systemic errors or cognitive bias.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">COVID-19 pandemic</span> Ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019

The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identified in an outbreak in the Chinese city of Wuhan in December 2019. Attempts to contain it there failed, allowing the virus to spread to other areas of Asia and later worldwide. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern on 30 January 2020, and a pandemic on 11 March 2020. As of 18 December 2022, the pandemic had caused more than 653 million cases and 6.66 million confirmed deaths, making it one of the deadliest in history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the food industry</span> Impact of COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic affects the global food industry as governments close down restaurants and bars to slow the spread of the virus. Across the world, restaurants' daily traffic dropped precipitously compared to the same period in 2019. Closures of restaurants caused a ripple effect among related industries such as food production, liquor, wine, and beer production, food and beverage shipping, fishing, and farming.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on social media</span>

During a time of Social distance and limited contact with others, social media became an important place to interact. Social media platforms are meant to connect people and helped the world remain connected, largely increasing usage during the pandemic. Since many people are asked to remain home, they have turned to social media to maintain their relationships and to access entertainment to pass the time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">COVID-19 lockdowns</span> Restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a number of non-pharmaceutical interventions colloquially known as lockdowns have been implemented in numerous countries and territories around the world. These restrictions were established with the intention to reduce the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. By April 2020, about half of the world's population was under some form of lockdown, with more than 3.9 billion people in more than 90 countries or territories having been asked or ordered to stay at home by their governments. Although similar disease control measures have been used for hundreds of years, the scale of those implemented in the 2020s is thought to be unprecedented.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic</span> Psychological aspect of viral outbreak

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the mental health of people across the globe. The pandemic has caused widespread anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms. According to the UN health agency WHO, in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, prevalence of common conditions such as depression and anxiety, went up by more than 25 per cent. The pandemic has damaged social relationships, trust in institutions and in other people, has caused changes in work and income, and has imposed a substantial burden of anxiety and worry on the population. Women and young people face the greatest risk of depression and anxiety.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the environment</span> COVID-19 pandemic on environmental issues and Earths climate

The COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on the environment, with changes in human activity leading to temporary changes in air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions and water quality. As the pandemic became a global health crisis in early 2020, various national responses including lockdowns and travel restrictions caused substantial disruption to society, travel, energy usage and economic activity, sometimes referred to as the "anthropause". As public health measures were lifted later in the pandemic, its impact has sometimes been discussed in terms of effects on implementing renewable energy transition and climate change mitigation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the fashion industry</span> Impact of COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic affects the global fashion industry as governments close down manufacturing plants, and through store closures, and event cancellations to slow the spread of the virus. The coronavirus pandemic has had a major impact on fashion brands worldwide. At the same time, the fashion industry faces challenges in consumer demand. New opportunities are also presenting themselves as fashion brands shift to making fashionable coronavirus face masks. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is inevitably changing the fashion world forever. Domenico de Sole, chairman of Tom Ford International, remarked that “I have seen a lot of difficult situations in my long career and this has been the most devastating event, not just for fashion and luxury, but all industries.”

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic</span> Economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has had far-reaching economic consequences including the COVID-19 recession, the second largest global recession in recent history, decreased business in the services sector during the COVID-19 lockdowns, the 2020 stock market crash, which included the largest single-week stock market decline since the financial crisis of 2007–2008 and the impact of COVID-19 on financial markets, the 2021–2022 global supply chain crisis, the 2021–2022 inflation surge, shortages related to the COVID-19 pandemic including the 2020–present global chip shortage, panic buying, and price gouging. It led to governments providing an unprecedented amount of stimulus. The pandemic was also a factor in the 2021–2022 global energy crisis and 2022 food crises.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children</span> Overview of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children

A systematic review notes that children with COVID-19 have milder effects and better prognoses than adults. However, children are susceptible to "multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children" (MIS-C), a rare but life-threatening systemic illness involving persistent fever and extreme inflammation following exposure to the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on retail</span> Aspect of viral outbreak

The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a sharp economic toll on the retail industry worldwide as many retailers and shopping centers were forced to shut down for months due to mandated stay-at-home orders. As a result of these closures, online retailers received a major boost in sales as customers looked for alternative ways to shop and the effects of the retail apocalypse were exacerbated. A number of notable retailers filed for bankruptcy including Ascena Retail Group, Debenhams, Arcadia Group, Brooks Brothers, GNC, J. C. Penney, Lord & Taylor and Neiman Marcus.

The anthropause was a global reduction in modern human activity, especially travel, that occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in March and April 2020. It was coined by a team of researchers in June 2020 in an article discussing the positive impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on wildlife and environment. The scientific journal that published the commentary, Nature Ecology and Evolution, selected the topic for the cover of its September issue, with the headline "Welcome to the anthropause". Oxford Languages highlighted the word "anthropause" in its 2020 Words of an Unprecedented Year report.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on neurological, psychological and other mental health outcomes</span> Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdowns on mental health

There is increasing evidence suggesting that COVID-19 causes both acute and chronic neurologicalor psychological symptoms. Caregivers of COVID-19 patients also show a higher than average prevalence of mental health concerns. These symptoms result from multiple different factors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anti-mask sentiment</span> Refusal to wear face masks

During pandemics, some people have opposed requirements by governments and private establishments to wear face masks as a public health measure against disease. Such rules typically follow recommendations of health experts to reduce the spread of disease through such non-pharmaceutical interventions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zero-COVID</span> COVID-19 elimination strategy

Zero-COVID, also known as COVID-Zero and "Find, Test, Trace, Isolate, and Support" (FTTIS), is a public health policy that has been implemented by some countries during the COVID-19 pandemic. In contrast to the living with COVID-19 strategy, the zero-COVID strategy is one "of control and maximum suppression". It involves using public health measures such as contact tracing, mass testing, border quarantine, lockdowns, and mitigation software in order to stop community transmission of COVID-19 as soon as it is detected. The goal of the strategy is to get the area back to zero new infections and resume normal economic and social activities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Food psychology</span> Psychology of food choice

Food psychology is the psychological study of how people choose the food they eat, along with food and eating behaviors. Food psychology is an applied psychology, using existing psychological methods and findings to understand food choice and eating behaviors. Factors studied by food psychology include food cravings, sensory experiences of food, perceptions of food security and food safety, price, available product information such as nutrition labeling and the purchasing environment. Food psychology also encompasses broader sociocultural factors such as cultural perspectives on food, public awareness of "what constitutes a sustainable diet", and food marketing including "food fraud" where ingredients are intentionally motivated for economic gain as opposed to nutritional value. These factors are considered to interact with each other along with an individual's history of food choices to form new food choices and eating behaviors.

References

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Further reading