Avoidance Tactics - Impulse Food Shopping
Controlled Impulse
Avoidance Tactics - Impulse Food Shopping
Impulse shopping is defined as “an unplanned decision to buy a product or service, made just before
a purchase. One who tends to make such purchases is referred to as an impulse purchaser or
impulse buyer.” The best way to avoid becoming or remaining and impulse shopper is to shop online
since the majority of impulse buys are done in store. Just holding something in your hand increases the
likelihood that you buy it. If you make your purchases online, you have a better chance of saving money
and resisting the impulse. Specifically, grocery shopping online helps to resist those extra food
purchases that were unplanned, unbudgeted, and not helping with that diet you’re convincing yourself
to stay true to. Walking down the aisles full of snack foods and desserts is the epitome of temptation.
That’s the piece that drives us to impulses, the temptation. When you purchase for foods online, you
have to type in exactly what you are looking for. You aren’t going to type in a fruit and have sour cream
potato chips pop up giving you that internal struggle you experience in between aisles at the store. And
let’s face it, when you can avoid an internal struggle with yourself, you should. You never can be sure if
the responsible version of yourself choosing the salad or the rebel in you allowing you a cheat day in the
middle of the week will win the battle. Another benefit to online grocery shopping and delivery is that
it’s much easier to look at your online shopping cart and remove items with the digital trash icon
provided, rather than go back through all the aisles and put things back on the shelves when you realize
you currently have way over your budgeted grocery amount in your cart. Plus, if you start avoiding
impulse food shopping, you are still allowed impulse shopping in other areas. Mall visits still acceptable.