The Relationship Between Phone Addiction and Online Shopping

Researchers have found that two harmful behaviors - smartphone addiction and compulsive shopping - actually go hand in hand. For Generation Z consumers, we can say that they were born and raised in the age of smartphones and other technological devices. They don't know a world without smartphones. So this makes them much more susceptible to this kind of behavior than they might be.

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There Is A Strong Link Between Smartphones And Online Shopping

This data comes from a survey conducted by Italian researchers. The study found a strong correlation between compulsory smartphone use and buying things on a whim online without doing due diligence beforehand. Many shopping platforms have a flow-inducing experience, as it is the kind of image that can potentially increase sales. While this study suggests that they leverage compulsive behaviors in the process, they turn out to be quite effective.

A key factor contributing to this trend is the desire to stabilize or regulate mood. By browsing shopping platforms, consumers can enter a state of flow. They can also buy without rationalizing their purchases. With all that said and out of the way, we should note that the study only analyzed behavior over a short period of time.

Longer study periods may of course reveal new information. But let's be aware that many other studies have confirmed what is presented here in one way or another. Generation Z people often engage in self-destructive behavior, and much of it stems from their smartphones. Gaming apps are often criticized for being addictive, but shopping apps also seem to be part of the problem.