Title: Why does shopping feel so good? - BBC Worklife
Headings: 
Why does shopping feel so good?
Those little tags really do crazy things to people’s minds.
The scarcity impulse
Resist the urge

Content: The scarcity impulse
Ryan Howell, an associate professor of psychology at San Francisco State University in California in the US, said the impulse to buy, in part, is a survival instinct. Back in our hunter and gatherer days, when people saw something they wanted, they’d grab it, even if they didn’t need it, because it was likely they wouldn’t come across that item again. “If you see something that seems to be running in short supply, you’re going to get it,” Howell said. These days, such scarcity isn’t an issue — we can buy nearly anything we want if we have the means — but we often still approach life like our ancestors did, especially when it comes to a sale. When we see a 50% off clearance price tag, that scarcity impulse kicks into gear, Howell said. The feeling is, if we don’t buy that item now, it’s going to be gone forever — or at least at that good price. There’s another reason why people buy things on a whim: it makes them feel good. Scott Rick, an assistant professor of marketing at the University of Michigan in the US has found that the concept of retail therapy is a real thing. For some people, if they’re feeling sad, shopping will make them happier because it restores some control in their lives.