I think I saw that in my newsfeed a few days ago - interesting concept. I don't have a shopping compulsion, but I know it's not uncommon, especially because we're constantly bombarded with advertising nowadays - and there seems to be nowhere left untouched.

At the beach the other day - lottery e-billboard...

Funny, I wouldn't ever visit one of those sites, but I do find when I am tempted to shop, by an ad that pops up I will sometimes visit and shop and then just leave a shopping cart with items I'll never actually order. Maybe that's feeding the same dopamine rush?

Hmmm, I'm not getting it. I definitely get a dopamine hit from purchasing clothes/accessories (never from buying food). Pretending I did would not give me the same thing, so it would not work for me. But if it works for others and prevents over buying and spending, great.

I'm like you jsk, I like to shop but I just wouldn't get anything out of this. I can see though, that it might be enormously useful to have such a setup especially with food as a way to learn the basics of shopping if I was learning a new language.

I don't get it. Why would I go on a site and pretend to buy things I will never own? It's like playing a game you will never win. Why bother? Why waste my time? Are there not other constructive things I could be doing?

There has to be a major downside to this addictive behavior. Not being a psychiatrist, I had to search around for the correct wording for why someone needs this outlet.

To provide temporary stress relief; however, it does not address the underlying sources of stress, loneliness, financial insecurity, or compulsive shopping behaviors.

Just one more mindless thing to remove us from real life.

I wasn't able to read the article as it was requiring a sign-in.

Interesting. I have definitely experienced the dopamine rush when trying to score hard-to-find components of a collection (Mtn, I'm looking at you and my anthropology alphabet plates.) But the one "Food Never Arrives" offers recipes so that was a fun bonus.

I am assuming these are more novelties and statements than things people actually use for any length of time. It's clever and thought-provoking.

@jojoco, I am still missing a letter, I forget which.

I don't feel a dopamine rush, I feel kinda the opposite. Regret.