Commercial Strategies

Commercial Strategies

Identifying and Analyzing the Causes and Consequences of Shopping Frenzy Behavior in the Context of Virtual Purchases Using the Fuzzy Cognitive Mapping Technique

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Fatemeh drikvand
Saeed Mir
Department of Business Menagement, Khor.C. Islamic Azad University, Khorramabad. Iran.
10.22070/cs.2026.21284.1461
Abstract
Introduction and Purpose: As the pace of life has accelerated, constant external stimuli bombard the individual’s mind, and emotions undergo continuous fluctuations; consequently, shopping has transformed from a rational, need-based choice into an excitement-driven, compensatory, and sometimes addictive experience. Scientific analysis shows that excessive shopping is not merely a result of weak willpower, but rather a manifestation of inner conflicts, emotional deficiencies, and environmental pressures expressed through purchasing. At the moment of purchase, the individual seeks to restore inner balance, repair emotional wounds, or build a temporary sense of self-worth. However, this unstable balance quickly gives way to regret, guilt, financial pressure, and the repetition of a dysfunctional cycle. As multiple factors contribute to the formation of this behavior, the present study aimed to identify and analyze the causes and consequences of shopping frenzy behavior.
Methodology: This research is applied in terms of its purpose and exploratory in terms of its data collection method. Utilizing an inductive approach in the qualitative section and a deductive approach in the quantitative section, this study is classified as mixed-methods research with a sequential exploratory design. The statistical population consisted of experts (brand managers and sales/marketing staff), from which 21 individuals were selected using purposive sampling based on the principle of theoretical saturation. The interview process reached theoretical saturation by the nineteenth and twentieth interviews, with the twenty-first interview being completed. The data collection tools included interviews for the qualitative section and a Fuzzy Cognitive Mapping (FCM) questionnaire for the quantitative section. Qualitative data from the 21 experts were analyzed using MAXQDA software and thematic analysis. Subsequently, in the quantitative section, a paired comparison questionnaire was administered to the same sample. The obtained data were analyzed following the Fuzzy Cognitive Mapping method steps. To assess the validity and reliability of the qualitative tools, content validity, theoretical validity, and intra-coder and inter-coder reliability were employed. Additionally, the quantitative tools were assessed through content validity and test-retest reliability. Quantitative data were processed in Gephi software for fuzzy processing and causal model visualization, replacing manual calculations.
Findings: The qualitative findings consist of identifying the effective factors and consequences of shopping frenzy behavior, while the quantitative findings focus on prioritizing these factors. The qualitative results reveal the causes and consequences associated with shopping frenzy behavior. Accordingly, the causes include psychological and emotional pressures, lack of impulse control, influence of social networks, low self-esteem, consumerist family patterns, smart marketing provocations, easy access to online shopping, neural reward and dopamine, personal failures and setbacks, and fear of missing out (FOMO). Furthermore, the consequences include severe indebtedness, feelings of guilt and regret, family conflicts, excessive accumulation of goods, reduced decision-making ability, behavioral addiction, decline in job performance, damage to mental health, inability to save money, and deterioration of social image.
Discussion and Conclusion: Based on these findings, the most significant cause of shopping frenzy behavior is low self-esteem. Additionally, excessive accumulation of goods was identified as a primary consequence of shopping frenzy behavior.
Keywords
Behavior
compulsive shopping
compulsive shopping behavior
Marketing
Consumer
 
 
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Commercial Strategies
Volume 22, Issue 26
January 2026
Pages 47-64