Shopping Without Regret: Lessons From Abroad

Confession: I can see where in the world people are when they visit my website. (Don’t worry—I’m not creepy; it’s just basic analytics.)

And here’s the interesting part: almost every single non-American that visits my site goes straight to my “Should I Buy It?” quiz. Every. Single. Time. They completely skip the homepage. They ignore the blog. No poking around. They’re just like: “Yes, I would like to carefully consider my purchases, thank you.” They're shopping without regret.

Meanwhile, us Americans? Rarely a visit to that page. Instead, we’re out here clicking “Buy Now” faster than you can say “two-day shipping.”

We don’t pause. We don’t reflect. We just… acquire.

👉 Need it? Buy it.

👉 Don’t need it? Buy it anyway.

👉 Already own three? Guess what… now we own four.

We’re basically professional stuff-acquirers.

And then (shocker) we wonder why our closets are exploding, our garages are full, and our kitchen gadgets are breeding in the cabinets. (Seriously, who bought the third spiralizer?)

Maybe—and I say this with love—it’s time we borrow a little wisdom from our international friends. What if, just for a second, we paused before adding to cart? What if we asked: “Am I buying this because it adds value… or because it's on sale and I'm bored?”

That one tiny pause could mean less clutter, more money in your pocket, and a whole lot less regret when another Amazon box lands on your porch.

So here’s the takeaway: next time you feel that impulse, take a page from my non-American visitors’ book. Pause. Reflect. Maybe even use the “Should I Buy It?” quiz on my website. Your closets—and your future self—will thank you.

Want to use the "Should I Buy It" quiz? Click here!