By Charles Nicholls, CEO SimplicityDX Inc and Chair of The DX Academy, a think tank that researches how consumers buy online.
Impulse purchases—those spur-of-the-moment buys we make without careful consideration—are often associated with fleeting joy but can lead to buyer’s remorse, strained budgets and even a negative brand experience.
While the appeal of “add to cart” is irresistible in a social media-driven world, the broader consequences of impulse buying suggest that neither consumers nor brands benefit in the long run.
With the rise of social-first shoppers—consumers who begin their buying journeys on platforms like Instagram, Facebook and TikTok—the issue has only intensified. Hashtags like #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt have become popular symbols of social commerce’s influence, driving impulsive shopping behaviors that feel exciting but often result in dissatisfaction for consumers and complications for brands.
The Rise Of Social-First Shoppers
Today’s social media platforms have evolved from places of connection into destinations of entertainment with interwoven products. According to Adobe’s research, social-first shoppers, particularly younger generations like Gen Z, increasingly turn to social media as their primary source for product discovery. Platforms like TikTok and Instagram have become hotbeds of viral trends, often pushing viewers toward buying products.
These platforms are built for speed and entertainment, offering endless product inspiration through curated content from influencers, ads, user-generated reviews and livestream shopping. This creates a pressure-cooker environment where users are constantly exposed to products they hadn’t intended to shop for, leading to impulse buys.
But while social-first shopping can generate immediate sales for brands, the long-term consequences are worth noting.
Why Impulse Buying Hurts Consumers
Impulse purchases may give shoppers an initial dopamine rush, but studies have shown that these unplanned buys are often accompanied by regret. My company’s research confirms and underscores how impulse shopping can be damaging in several ways:
Buyer’s Remorse
The thrill of a quick purchase fades fast when the buyer realizes that the item doesn’t fit their needs or lifestyle. Whether it’s clothes that aren’t the right size or gadgets that don’t live up to their social media hype, consumers often regret these snap decisions. In fact, my company’s research shows that consumers regretted 56% of impulse purchases made on social, often leading to high return rates.
Financial Strain
Regular impulse buying can wreak havoc on personal budgets. Since these platforms encourage discovery rather than need-based shopping, consumers are more likely to buy things they didn’t plan for, contributing to overspending and even debt accumulation in extreme cases.
Poor Decision Making
Impulse purchases are often made without the research, comparison or careful consideration that more deliberate purchases entail. Over time, this behavior leads to an overall decline in purchase satisfaction.
The Brand Perspective: Short-Term Gains, Long-Term Losses
On the surface, brands might seem to benefit from the impulse-buying culture fostered by social platforms. After all, it leads to immediate sales and boosts their visibility in front of consumers who might not have come across their products otherwise. However, the long-term implications can be detrimental.
High Return Rates
Impulse buyers are more likely to return products, which erodes profitability for brands. Processing returns can be costly—not just in terms of logistics but also because it adds strain to customer service departments and lowers the overall efficiency of the supply chain. For many brands, returns are a hidden cost that significantly cuts into profits.
Customer Dissatisfaction
When consumers feel duped by impulse purchases, they’re less likely to become repeat customers. Instead of fostering brand loyalty, impulse-driven shopping often leaves a negative impression, especially if the product fails to meet expectations. Over time, this can damage a brand’s reputation, leading to higher customer churn rates.
Misaligned Customer Expectations
The viral nature of social commerce means that some brands may experience sudden spikes in demand for products they hadn’t expected to promote heavily. This can lead to stock shortages, delayed deliveries or overextended customer support—further souring the experience for both the shopper and the brand.
A More Balanced Approach To Social Commerce
So, how can brands and consumers strike a balance between the excitement of social-first shopping and the drawbacks of impulse purchases?
For consumers, the key lies in mindful shopping. Pausing before clicking “buy” can allow for more thoughtful decision-making, reducing the chance of buyer’s remorse. I believe brands, on the other hand, should focus on building authentic connections with their audiences rather than relying solely on quick-win strategies like flash sales or viral trends.
1. Encourage deliberate purchasing. Brands can guide consumers toward more considered purchases by offering curated recommendations, buyer’s guides or quiz-based product selectors. This adds value to the shopping experience and reduces the likelihood of impulse buys leading to dissatisfaction.
2. Focus on customer value. Instead of relying on one-off impulse sales, brands should invest in strategies that foster long-term relationships with their customers. Profitability in e-commerce typically comes from the second sale due to the high cost of customer acquisition, so building a relationship based on trust is critical to driving repeat sales.
3. Create transparent messaging. In an environment where social-first shoppers are hyper-aware of scams and misinformation, authenticity is critical. Brands should be transparent about their products, offer real reviews and take care to ensure that their influencers maintain that authenticity and are transparent about their remuneration.
The Future Of Social-First Shopping
As social-first shopping continues to grow, both brands and consumers will need to adapt. While platforms like Instagram and TikTok are becoming essential tools for product discovery, the impulse-buying culture they create comes with challenges. For brands, I have found that the long-term play isn’t about capitalizing on every viral trend or fleeting purchase—it’s about authenticity, building trust and creating an environment where consumers feel confident and satisfied in their purchases.
As the holiday shopping season ramps up, retailers should be mindful of how to harness social-first shoppers’ excitement without encouraging wasteful spending or damaging their own brand reputation. Impulse buying may provide short-term wins, but in the long run, I believe creating a more thoughtful, trustworthy shopping experience is key to sustainable growth.
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