IN a world where uncertainty has quietly become a part of daily life, shopping has evolved far beyond a simple financial act.
For many, it has become an emotional coping tool, a brief escape and often an illusion of control.
Licensed financial planner Adli Ishak says the reason we spend is straightforward: it feels good, though only for a moment.
He said that making a purchase gives people a temporary sense of control, especially when their circumstances feel unstable.
“The act of buying something can feel like solving a problem instantly and biologically, this triggers dopamine, a chemical that boosts mood,” he said.
This chemical rush is why many feel happier or more in charge after buying something, even when it may not be financially wise. But the emotional relief is short-lived and today the forces driving impulse buying are stronger than ever.
Emotional triggers such as stress, loneliness and boredom are major reasons people turn to shopping as a form of self-soothing, with social media intensifying this behaviour.
Constant exposure to curated lifestyles has created a culture of comparison, especially among younger Malaysians who feel pressure to “keep up.”
Marketers have capitalised on this vulnerability through flash sales, countdown timers and personalised ads engineered to make users act quickly.
The result, Adli said, is a seamless loop where emotional discomfort meets instant gratification.
However, this cycle comes with long-term consequences. Dopamine rewards the brain for immediate gratification, encouraging people to repeat the behaviour until it becomes habitual.
Over time, this quiet repetition can erode savings, build unnecessary debt and lead to significant financial stress.
“Many only realise the damage when their credit card bills or Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) instalments begin piling up,” he said.
The line between healthy and unhealthy spending, Adli notes, is crossed when purchases begin threatening financial stability.
Healthy spending is planned and aligned with long-term goals. Unhealthy spending is emotional, impulsive and often followed by guilt. Modern payment tools make this boundary even harder to maintain.
Credit cards delay the pain of payment, BNPL encourages splitting bills even when unnecessary and one-click checkout removes hesitation altogether. These systems, he stresses, are built to maximise spending, not to protect consumers.
Recent data reflects the growing impact of these habits. Malaysian households owed a combined RM54.9 billion in credit card and BNPL debt as of Sept 30.
More than 90 per cent of this, RM50.7 billion, was credit card debt, while BNPL loans reached RM4.2 billion across seven million accounts.
Overdue payments continue to rise, driven largely by online spending.
Economist Dr Mohamad Idham Md Razak says the digital environment has fundamentally reshaped how Malaysians spend.
Platforms like TikTok, Instagram and TikTok Shop now blend entertainment, lifestyle content and instant purchasing into a single, frictionless experience.
Short videos, influencer recommendations and personalised ads make products feel relatable and accessible, often prompting quicker buying decisions than traditional retail.
“Young Malaysians are particularly vulnerable because they are deeply immersed in fast-moving digital culture where trends, FOMO and influencer promotions dominate their feeds.
“Purchases become tied to self-expression and social identity, making them more likely to respond to digital marketing triggers.”
Livestream selling intensifies this effect. Hosts and influencers rely on real-time persuasion, limited-time offers, demonstrations and social proof to create urgency.
Algorithms further amplify emotionally charged spending by serving content tailored to users’ interests and vulnerabilities.
Idham said this constant stream of curated influence blurs the line between needs and wants.
Influencers often frame products as essential to happiness or success, pushing non-essential goods into the realm of “must-haves.”
To counter this, Idham believes consumers must adopt more conscious habits such as waiting 24 hours before making a purchase, tracking monthly expenses and disabling notifications could help reduce impulsive buying.
He also warns that social media-driven consumption could contribute to rising household debt in the long term if left unmanaged. However, he says Malaysia has opportunities to strengthen safeguards, including improving BNPL regulations, enhancing financial education in schools and increasing transparency in online advertising.
For now, the responsibility sits largely with individuals. Adli believes the happiness from shopping can be worthwhile, if done in moderation.
Money is meant to enhance life, he says, but problems arise when consumption becomes the primary source of happiness, when debt is normalised or when long-term goals are sacrificed for short-term pleasure.
True happiness, he insists, comes from financial security, not from accumulating things. Shopping should add joy, not replace stability.
Beyond mainstream e-commerce platforms, another spending channel has quietly grown alongside social media influence: personal shoppers. Many are turning to individuals they discover online to source overseas, limited-edition or hard-to-find items - often driven by viral trends, convenience and trust.
Personal shoppers say demand is sustained by products unavailable locally and sudden spikes in interest created by social media through unboxing videos, reviews and viral recommendations.
In an age where spending is easier and more emotionally charged than ever, understanding why we buy may be the first step toward healthier habits.
Ultimately, the question isn't just whether shopping makes us happy, but whether that happiness lasts longer than the bill that follows.