Readers’ Tips on How to Stop Impulse Shopping Online

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If you're trying to stop impulse shopping online, know that you're not alone — readers discussed the issue recently in a popular threadjack and traded some great tips. We're rounding them up today!

(Btw, does anyone have any to share for avoiding the impulse-buy aisles at Michaels, TJMaxx, Marshalls, and so on?)

We talked about how to stop shopping several years ago, but it's time for another chat, especially because companies are even better about influencing us to buy stuff today.

How to Avoid Impulse Shopping Online

Fill the Cart, Leave the Cart

This, which the originator of the thread listed straight off, is a well-known strategy but an effective one. Fill up that online cart to your heart's content and make yourself click away. If the store has a “save for later” or “favorites” option, even better — the tempting items won't be right in your face next time. (Of course, after shopping, you may receive one of those irritating “Hey, did you forget something?” emails when you leave without buying. Grrrr.)

Choose Online Retailers Wisely

One reader shared that she prefers shopping at stores with free shipping and free returns. (Nordstrom is one reader favorite, of course.) That way, she's less likely to end up keeping unwanted items when she does shop. Granted, this habit could be counterintuitive — you may be more likely to hit “submit order” if you know potential returns will be easy. YMMV, so combine strategies!

One caveat about frequent returns: Some sites, such as Amazon, will ding you if you send back what they deem to be too many. (Btw, here are our tips for returning online items.)

{related: what's your annual clothes budget?}

Delete Payment Methods from Websites — and Your Browser

This is a big one — unless you've memorized your credit card number, that is. Make yourself fill in your payment info EVERY time. The small act of having to pause your shopping dopamine rush to grab a credit card from your wallet can stop an impulse buy in its tracks.

With all the many ways of paying online today — Apple Pay, Google Pay, Venmo, PayPal, Shop, etc. — it's probably best to just clear your cookies across the board. Then it'll take you more time to log in the retailer's site itself next time, too.

It truly helps to unsubscribe from retailer mailing lists, too, though social media ads are still going to be in your face (unless you're taking a social media break!).

{related: how to stop shopping}

Pick a Day to Shop

Think about it like a cheat day when you're trying to eat better (whether or not those are healthy notwithstanding) … but without going wild. Choose one day a week for online shopping. One reader pointed out that when you do this, it's much easier to keep tabs on your spending. If you're buying things on a Friday and it's the second or third time you're purchasing clothes that week, it's easy to forget (or ignore) your previous totals.

Delay Your Purchase

Speaking of timing, another commenter noted that she makes herself wait a day or more to buy the item she wants. She wrote, “If it’s not something I need/am purposely shopping for, I make myself wait at least one day to click purchase. Many times I forget, or my size is gone, or the sale is over so it’s not as desirable.” Push that FOMO down!

One reader wrote about her own “wait and see” strategy: She notes the item info and tries to find it at a thrift store or resale site instead. Saving money always feels nice, anyway.

Maximize Your Wardrobe

Another commenter urged readers to do the clothes-wearing equivalent of running a trusty car into the ground — but more stylishly, of course. She shared, “If I buy something I wear it out. So there is very little need or room for new things. I buy a few fun things each season but otherwise focus my energy on styling what I have.” (Check out our tips on making your clothing last longer.)

This makes me think of fashion math, which we've talked about before regarding getting the most value from your clothes. Creating a capsule wardrobe is also helpful, as it can reveal the versatility of the pieces you already have, as well!

{related: do you keep a “best prices” list?}

Keep on Top of Your Closet and Clutter

Consistently decluttering and purging your closet is another key reader recommendation. Thoughts like “Why do I have all this stuff again?!” and “I simply cannot fit any more things in this closet” can help to temper future spending. One commenter pointed out, “Hauling bags of barely used stuff to Goodwill makes one think more carefully about subsequent purchases.” Packing for a move, which I just wrote about last week, can give you a serious wake-up call, too!

Think Before You Click

One anonymous commenter's questions to herself can be really helpful to stop impulse shopping online. Before she buys something, she asks herself the following:

Is this really going to give me $X amount of utility or enjoyment? Do I really need it? Is it going to make my life meaningfully better? I could use this money for something that meaningfully improves my life or the life of someone else if this didn’t do that it’s a waste. Do I have space for this? Will it become clutter? Is it actually what is pictured/good quality? Will it last? Will it last too long and then I’ll feel guilty throwing it away later?

Bonus Tip, Maybe

One interesting (odd?) strategy I heard about the other day on Threads is to use fake shopping tools. An example is FoodNeverComes, a South Korean app that lets users go through the motions of ordering delivery food — and getting the dopamine from the feeling of anticipation — without actually spending any money or receiving the food (Fast Company).

Maybe we'll see more apps like this soon — who knows? A similar strategy is to distract yourself from even visiting a shopping site by pivoting to a phone game (one without ads, though!). By the time you're done, maybe you'll have distracted yourself enough to forget what you were just doing.

{related: what are your shopping habits for workwear?}

Readers, please share: What are your tips for how to stop impulse shopping online? Do you use the strategies above?