The New Shopping Addiction That Doesn’t Cost A Dime

There’s a new trend in South Korea that’s been popularized with compulsive shoppers looking to cut back. It involves doing a lot of online shopping — but without spending any money.

According to Oddity Central, users are able to add items to a cart and check out just like during a normal online shopping experience. These goodies have user reviews and look real, but the only difference is that no money is exchanged. Shoppers can even track a courier accepting their order and bringing it to their residence. However, no item will ever arrive.

The reason for all this apparent time wasting? Supposedly, they’re doing it for the dopamine rush of online shopping, but without the sting of spending too much money in a high cost economy. 

While the trend of using “dopamine sites” has been taking off in South Korea, so far it hasn’t launched in the United States. Going solely on the basis of Reddit comments, that’s not likely to change. 

“There seems to be some psychology behind this as the idea is basically: the urge to shop isn’t really about stuff. it’s about the ritual, the anticipation, the small hit of control & dopamine you feel when you click ‘add to cart.’ Your dopamine actually spikes in anticipation, not the delivery of the thing,” one Reddit user observed, asking the “shopping addiction” community for their feedback.

Many commenters agreed that the concept was a “waste of time.” 

“So like playing pretend for adults? We’re basically experiencing play shopping like a child again,” another Redditor replied.

“That’s weird,” another agreed.

Several users wondered if the companies were secretly mining for data or had some other nefarious purposes.

The Korea Times reported that these “dopamine sites” are not just for online shopping. Anyone with a craving for food they don’t really want to eat can order from a fake food delivery website to achieve the same experience. There’s also a version where users can take faux smoke breaks without lighting up.

“It somehow feels like I actually ordered something,” Kim, a 25-year-old office worker, told the outlet.

“There are many times when I crave food late at night, but hold back to save money. It feels like a real delivery app, so I somehow keep looking at it,” Kim added. “I don’t end up ordering anything, but it feels like it relieves a little stress.”