Cats and dogs make you spend more according to an interesting study published online which you can access by clicking on the following link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2024.114838 (opens a new page/tab). I have speculated on the connection between owning a cat or dog and spending more. But I think it is common sense. This is a cross-post.
The study called “Pets make you spend more!” Impact of pet ownership on consumer purchase decisions”. I believe the research was conducted in China. In the title, I refer to cats and dogs because these are by far the most common companion animals. In fact, apparently, according to the study cats have the biggest impact in terms of spending more. Without being in anyway sexist I wonder if that it because more woman than men live with cats. 😱😎
Pet ownership evokes consumers to shop more, buy more products, and spend more money. The pet ownership effect is induced by individuals’ enhanced subjective well-being associated with owning a pet, further increasing pet owners’ impulsive hedonic purchases. A higher level of emotional support in pet ownership positively affects consumers’ subjective well-being, thus leading to more increased purchases. – The study lead author: Yahui Liu.
Sequence: pet ownership—subjective well-being—impulsive purchases.
My interpretation of the study is that cats and dogs make you feel better. This is a known fact anyway. And when you feel better you like the feeling. You want more of that good feeling. And one way to feel good again is to engage in a bit of retail therapy. That means going to the shops and buying things. You end up spending more because you are a pet owner. Another way to feel better is to eat more but that is bad for one’s health. A lot of people engage in food therapy.
To quote the lead scientists in this study, Yahui Liu (it was conducted in China as I understand it): “Pet ownership invokes consumers to shop more, buy more products, and spend more money. The pet ownership effect is induced by individuals’ enhanced subjective well-being associated with owning a pet, further increasing pet owners’ impulsive hedonic purchases. A high level of emotional support in pet ownership positively affects consumers’ subjective well-being thus leading to more increased purchases.”
That’s quoting the highlights to the study. In a roundabout way they are saying that improve well-being through living with a companion animal leads to increased consumerism and I have decided that the connection between feeling good living with pets and spending more money is the feelgood factor which needs to be perpetuated. It’s a kind of addiction but perhaps in a good way.
Note: there is also the obvious reason why pet owners spend more: they spend on their pets as they are close members of the family and owning a pet can be expensive!
Addiction, in my view, is a deep-rooted habit. Feeling good in one aspect of one’s life can become a habit. We want more of it as mentioned. You search other ways to feel good and a lot of people engaging in retail therapy.
There are a couple of notable aspects to retail therapy:
- Short-term mood boost: Shopping can provide a temporary distraction and sense of control.
- Reward and gratification: Acquiring new possessions can trigger dopamine release, leading to pleasure.
And there’s an argument here that companion animals should, perhaps, be used more in advertising. And perhaps the research might suggest that shop cats and public house cats are good for business which for senior managers goes against the grain because they tend to think conventionally namely that cats in shops and public houses spread diseases. This is incorrect. They are good for business. I discuss this topic in another article about a British pub with two cats. Ultimately the cats were evicted or are about to be evicted by senior management. A mistake in my view because the customers love them there. They encourage spending.
I mention retail therapy above. On the positive side, as mentioned, it provides an immediate improvement to one’s mood but it does not last. It’s a temporary distraction but it gives a sense of control plus it provides reward and gratification.
Acquiring new possessions can trigger dopamine release leading to pleasure. That’s the point I’m making. It temporarily increases mood and well-being. Possessions do not do the trick in terms of long-term well-being. It is far better to spend money on experiences than possessions if you want to feel better and be better long term.
