Retail therapy is real. More than half of all Americans, 63.9 percent of women and 39.8 percent of men, go shopping to improve their moods, according to a survey conducted by TNS Global for Ebates.com.
According to the survey of 1,000 adults conducted last month, nearly 19 percent turn to retail therapy after a bad day at work, 14.6 percent go shopping after getting bad news and 12.2 percent following a fight with someone who is close to them.
Women rank clothes (57.9 percent), food (34.7 percent), shoes (32.4 percent), accessories (29.1 percent) and books/magazines (28.7 percent) as the top items they purchase when looking to lift their spirits.
Men go for food (28.1 percent), electronics (27.4 percent), music/movies (26.6 percent), clothes (21.5 percent) and games/toys (17.6 percent) as the top items for their particular brand of retail therapy.
Interestingly, shoppers don't seem to need to go to a store for their retail therapy. Two out of three Americans said online shopping is preferable in looking to get over a case of the blues. Among their reasons: not having to leave the house (43.7 percent); broader selections from which to purchase (30.8 percent); and keeping their purchases private (13.1 percent).
"Our survey confirms that shopping truly is 'therapy' for many people, and can help raise one's spirits after a bad day. Online shopping makes this pick-me-up only a couple of clicks away," said Ebates.com CEO, Kevin Johnson, in a statement.