Resisting Impulse Buying: A Personal Reflection on Consumerism

There is a saying you may have heard: when buying daily necessities, especially items meant to last for years, it’s better to choose well-known brands. Even if cheaper alternatives exist, and the branded version costs dozens or even hundreds of times more, the quality and craftsmanship often allow it to be used for many years.

Recently, I’ve often found this idea convincing. Whenever I see small gadgets or household items recommended online—even if I don’t actually need them—I feel tempted to buy them. For example, I wanted a small knife just to cut lemons, yet I ended up almost buying an entry-level Swiss Army knife costing a few hundred yuan. For people who seriously collect Swiss Army knives, this price is nothing, but for my simple “cut a lemon” purpose, it’s quite expensive.

Another example: not long ago, I suddenly wanted to buy a titanium cup. Prices online usually start at two or three hundred yuan. People say titanium doesn’t retain odors, is easy to clean, lightweight, durable, and rust-free. I almost bought one. But then I thought—doesn’t my cheap ceramic mug work perfectly fine? I don’t drop it, and even if it breaks, it only costs a few yuan. After months of use, it has already paid for itself. So after comparing several Japanese brands, I added them to my cart, browsed back and forth, and finally didn’t buy any.

I believe that was the right decision. I really shouldn’t let myself be controlled by this mindset. I also saw online discussions about nail clippers—claims that German or Japanese ones are much better. Perhaps that’s true, but my inexpensive nail clipper has worked perfectly for two years and still cuts well.

Looking back at myself, I often develop an inexplicable desire to buy something. This feeling usually lasts for a few hours, during which I fight with myself mentally. Sometimes I even place an impulsive order, but I still cancel it before it ships.

There’s a commonly suggested way to counter consumerism: add the item you suddenly want to your shopping cart, then leave it there for two or three days and check again to see if it’s truly necessary.

I used to find this impossible to do. One reason I enjoyed shopping on JD.com was the fast delivery—it meant I could receive things quickly, and that gave me a kind of instant thrill. But just like any dopamine hit, it fades quickly. Before long, the item ends up in a drawer, rarely used, while the money is already gone for good.