This Is Why You Should Never Use Smartphone While Shopping Offline (Research Report, Analysis)

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How many times do we go to a shopping mall and buy things off the rack while being on a call, or listening to our favourite number? But did you know that engaging in such activities while shopping, more often than not results in us buying unnecessary products?

Yes, this is true. We can back our claims with the help of a study conducted recently!

Apparently, regardless of what people intended to buy when they walked into the store or just to window-shop, they end up buying what they weren’t planning to buy.

This usually happens when people are pre-occupied with their mobile phones engrossed in texting, calling, checking emails and listening to music.

Read on for more details about what made researchers reach this conclusion!

Phone Usage Causes Distraction

A study was conducted by researchers from Fairfield University, US, whose observations were obvious and at the same time astonishing too, as how much people were distracted from shopping when they are busy in their phones.

In this study, the researchers asked 231 local participants to complete a simulated task of shopping. Participants of this survey were handed a checklist of items they were supposed to buy and were asked to compare the items the person in the video actually picked or purchased.

Once the task was complete, an assessment report was created and it was found that people who use their phones excessively while shopping were at a high risk of drifting apart from the items they were actually intended to buy and ended up picking unrelated items.

Being on the Phone Leads to Shopping of Unnecessary Goods

According to a study published in the Journal of Academy of Marketing Science, people usually forget the items they were supposed to buy and buy unnecessary or unplanned items, all because of the distraction caused by the phones.

“Mobile phones are quickly becoming the principal distractor for many consumers and they offer a unique form of interruption. Our findings may influence consumers’ attitudes towards mobile phone use while shopping and persuade them to reflect on how these devices impact our lives, both positively and negatively,” said Dr Michael Sciandra, the corresponding author of the study.

We all have a phone in our hands at all times of the day. However, it is necessary keep our eyes and ears on the racks!

We should limit our smartphone usage to a bare minimum at least while we are shopping, or else, we will end up spending more money than our original intention!