The "Little Yellow Car" is addicting! Why do live shopping make people spend a lot of money without realizing it?

Why does live shopping make people spend a lot of money unknowingly?

In recent years, live shopping has become an extremely popular way of consumption. Many people spend a lot of money unknowingly during live broadcasts, and even buy goods they don't need. There is actually a psychological principle behind this phenomenon.

1. Psychological principles in live shopping

(1) Emotional motivation: satisfying emotional needs

Live shopping is not just about buying goods, but also an emotional experience. Many live broadcast rooms create a lively atmosphere, cordial interactions with anchors, and themes such as "helping farmers" and "public welfare" to allow consumers to get emotional satisfaction while shopping. For example, the "live broadcast to help farmers" event allows consumers to not only get goods when buying agricultural products, but also feel the sense of accomplishment of "helping farmers". This emotional satisfaction will make consumers more willing to open their wallets.

In addition, the interactivity of the live broadcast room allows consumers to participate in real time and even have a "flow experience", that is, completely immersed in it and ignore the existence of other things. This sense of immersion further enhances consumers' desire to buy.

(2) Social identity and herd mentality

People naturally crave social recognition, and livestream shopping takes advantage of this psychology. Recommendations from internet celebrities or stars are highly authoritative, and consumers often buy products because they trust the hosts’ expertise or celebrity effect. This “authority recognition mechanism” makes it easier for consumers to accept the hosts’ suggestions.

At the same time, the "herd mentality" in the live broadcast room is also very obvious. When consumers see other people buying, they will unconsciously think "everyone is buying, I want to buy too." This herd mentality comes not only from the guidance of the anchor, but also from the influence of other viewers in the live broadcast room.

(3) Super value experience and anchoring effect

In live shopping, anchors often set an "anchor price" for high-priced goods and then offer discounts or coupons to give consumers the illusion of "super value experience." For example, if a product originally costs 100 yuan, but the anchor marks it at 200 yuan and then sells it for 100 yuan, consumers will feel that they have found a great bargain and make impulse purchases.

In addition, live shopping often offers limited-time discounts and flash sales to further stimulate consumers' desire to buy. This sense of urgency will make consumers make purchasing decisions in a short period of time, while ignoring their actual needs.

(4) Rational motivation and information transparency

Live shopping provides consumers with more intuitive information by showing the effects and features of products in real time. Consumers can gain a deeper understanding of products through asking questions and interacting with them, thereby enhancing their trust in the products. This transparency of information makes consumers feel that they have made a "rational purchasing decision", but in fact, this "rationality" is often obscured by the atmosphere and promotional methods of the live broadcast room.

2. Why does live shopping make people spend money “unconsciously”?

(1) Immersive experience

The lively atmosphere of the live broadcast room, the enthusiastic interaction of the anchors, and the real-time comments and feedback make consumers completely immersed in it. This sense of immersion will weaken consumers' rational thinking ability and make them more prone to impulse consumption.

(2) Limited-time promotions and a sense of urgency

Live shopping often sets up limited-time discounts and flash sales, creating a sense of urgency that "if you miss it, you won't get it again." This sense of urgency will make consumers make purchasing decisions in a short period of time, regardless of whether they really need the product.

(3) Social interaction and group identity

The social interaction in the live broadcast room allows consumers to feel the power of the group. When consumers see others buying, they will unconsciously think "I want to buy too", and this herd mentality will further promote consumption behavior.

(4) Emotional connection and trust

The anchors establish emotional connections with the audience by interacting with them and sharing their daily lives. Consumers' trust in the anchors will make them more willing to buy the recommended products, even if these products are not strictly needed.

3. How to avoid impulse buying during live shopping?

Although live shopping brings a lot of convenience and fun, consumers need to remain rational in order to avoid impulse buying. Here are some suggestions:

(1) Plan ahead

Before entering the live broadcast room, make a list of the items you need to buy to avoid being swayed by the host's recommendations.

(2) Stay calm

Don't be fooled by limited-time offers or flash sales. Give yourself some time to think about whether you really need this product.

(3) Focus on needs

When purchasing goods, focus on your actual needs instead of being influenced by the host's emotional guidance.

(4) Treat promotions rationally

Don't be fooled by "anchor prices" and carefully compare the actual value of the goods.

As an emerging consumption method, live shopping has indeed brought many conveniences and fun to consumers. However, it also cleverly exploits the psychological characteristics of consumers, making it easy for people to make impulse purchases. Stay rational when shopping and avoid unnecessary expenses. The next time you enter a live broadcast room, you might as well remind yourself: shopping is to meet needs, not to be swayed by emotions and atmosphere.