Prof. Dr. Katarzyna Włodarczyk
Institute of Management, University of Szczecin, Szczecin, Poland
Email: [email protected]
DOI: 10.23918/ICABEP2022p9
Abstract
As a result of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, the functioning of many areas of the economy has been disturbed. Consumers also had to adapt to the new reality in the era of a pandemic (Sheth 2020; Yin et all 2021; All change; White; Eger et all 2021; Naeem 2020; Naeem, Ozuem 2021). Adaptation to new living conditions was the only way for them to continue their social existence (Wang et all 2021; Svajdova 2021; Hesham et all 2021; Morgan 2020). Among the adaptation measures, a growing tendency was observed in the spread of the online channel as the most used purchasing channel in the pandemic period (COVID-19; Lăzăroiu et all 2020; Bytyçi et all 2021; Belk 2020; Hall et all 2020). As a consequence, this state of affairs automatically meant a weaker position of traditional purchases made stationery (Moon et all 2021). Market changes related to the pandemic have influenced and continue to influence the development of increasing consumer self-awareness, and with it, their purchasing behaviour evolves. The main difference forcing consumers to change their behaviour was, in the first phase of the pandemic, the closure of traditional stores and the transfer of commerce to the electronic sphere. The need for consumers to adapt to online shopping and online payments was not a major challenge for the majority of the population. The fact of using mobile devices in everyday life is characterized by an increasing tendency due to technological development. It is also worth noting that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the transfer of many vital activities to the digital world was intended to reduce the extent of the disease. On the one hand, online shopping is a convenience for consumers, but on the other hand, it often happens that consumers get lost in the shopping frenzy. Consumer ‘seizing’ has become a common and increasingly noticeable phenomenon. There has been pressure in societies to make quick purchases. Very often bargain hunters fear that they will miss something important, e.g. some unique, attractive offer. They become obsessed with purchasing, which causes them to suffer from FOMO (Fear of Missing Out), i.e. the fear of missing something or the fear of being excluded. FoMO is not only about acquiring, as it is a typical social phenomenon. The question is, is the purchasing obsession just the result of a pandemic and the changes associated with it? Is it perhaps not a consequence of even earlier trends in consumer behaviour resulting from political, economic, social, cultural, technological and civilization changes? This article will discuss this phenomenon in detail in theoretical terms, both from an economic and psychological perspective. In practice, the actions of young consumers (between 20 and 35 years old) from Poland will serve as an example of the behaviours discussed here.
Keywords: Shopping obsession, a consequence of a pandemic, consumer seizing
ICABEP2022
4th International Conference on Accounting, Business, Economics and Politics
Organized by
Tishk International University, College of Administration and Economics, Salahaddin University-Erbil, and
University of Szczecin, Poland.
