3 Traps to avoid when you go shopping
There just seems to be so many bargains to be scored! But are there, really?
Giving the appearance of affordability – buy now, pay later
Instalment payment plans or buy now, pay later options may make pricier options appear affordable by spreading out payments. Instead of paying $1,200 now for a mobile phone, paying $400 each time over three instalments is more appealing for many – except perhaps we could have only afforded a $600 mobile phone with our budget.
To be fair, instalments are not bad, in and of themselves. In fact, most of us would need to pay by instalments at some point in our lives, such as for our home.
The key is to keep your purchases to what you can afford because instalment plans are loans and do not reduce the cost of your purchases. It may be an “interest-fee” way to make that unexpected purchase, but if you miss any payment, there will be late fees or charges (making the purchase even more expensive).
Unless you are certain you can and will repay on schedule, it is better to avoid relying on them, especially since you may have the tendency to splurge. Before you know it, you may have overstretched your finances by chalking up instalments for multiple purchases.
A 2020 survey in Singapore showed that 27% of respondents admitted to being financially worse off when using “buy now, pay later” schemes. Impulse buying was the most common mistake cited, followed by buying an item that was more expensive than they would otherwise have. Some respondents said they struggled to pay for other expenses, as a result.
The rule of thumb for shopping is to take time to ask yourself a few questions:
- Do you need the item or want it?
- Are you willing and able to pay for it at one go instead of opting for instalment?
- What is the true cost of paying by instalments? How likely will I be able to make timely repayment of these instalments? Do I end up paying a higher price (e.g. additional costs if I miss payment)?
Usually, leaving the store or website and waiting for three days before making a purchase will give you clear answers.
Preying on FOMO
With online shopping, the temptation to splurge has become a daily struggle for many.
E-commerce platforms feature flash sales or daily deals, coupled with the notice that “3 customers are looking at this item now”, or “Only 4 units left”.
When we are acting under time pressure, the fear of missing out (or FOMO) on what is presented to us as a scarce steal overshadows all else.
One quick way to avoid landing in a position to act in haste: Do not use your main e-mail address for your shopping accounts; set up an e-mail purely for marketing materials and do not link this account to your e-mail app. That way, you will not see what “special deals” there are on the various e-commerce platforms you are on. Out of sight, out of mind!
Ideally, take time to do your research when you have your eye on something. Compare prices across retailers. Better yet, monitor prices over a period. You may find that the large-scale shopping events may present negligible savings.
It is also no secret that retailers monitor your browsing activity and use it to their advantage by pushing similar or complementary products your way. Ditch your shopping apps and turn on the private or incognito feature on your browser when you next shop online to cut out temptations!
Counting on penny-wise behavior
Ever wondered why there are usually three sizes of popcorn, iced latte, or fries?
Merchants are not being thoughtful about differing appetites. The medium size option has been offered as a decoy, such that the large size, usually just a wee bit more expensive, appears great value for money.
The lure of free shipping with a minimum purchase or purchase-with-purchase deals uses the same trick. In order to score a freebie or a discount, we have all searched high and low for extra items (things we never needed, let’s be honest) to add to our shopping cart. Such (unnecessary) extra items may even end up costing more than the freebie or discount that you can gain.
Making a shopping list could help you stay away from distractions merchants shove in your face. Alternatively, make it a point to compile a list of items instead of going shopping as and when you need something.
A small adjustment you could make to your online shopping routine is to carefully go through your shopping cart. Are you sure you want to buy all the items? Are there hidden charges?
The bottomline
Knowing how retailers go all out to persuade you to part with more money is bagging a deal in itself. After all, that money you did not spend because you saw through their tricks can be put to better use, such as saving or investing.