Shopping is one of the most challenging and rewarding human activities. Pooler offers a captivating exploration of the emotional and psychological dimensions of shopping.

For those in retailing and marketing, this guide to the fickle consumer’s mindset offers concrete and practical advice on modern shopping behavior, along with important insights into the shopping psyche. Comprehending why people shop as they do is a daunting challenge for today’s retailer. For example, why do people shop for bargain groceries yet purchase the latest luxury-model SUV? Why do people feel justified in splurging for Christmas, birthdays, or anniversaries, but suffer guilt from over-spending at other times of the year? Is clothes-shopping all about price and practicality, or is it more about emotional reward and psychological needs? Is the excitement in the quest or the acquisition? Why is there such a thing as a morning-after “urge to return” among certain shoppers, while others refuse to return an item even if it’s flawed or doesn’t fit? What drives shoppers in various situations? This book answers such questions, taking an incisive look at how shopping and shoppers have changed in recent years and provides valuable insights for retailers, advertisers, marketers, and consumers.