How to Stop Impulse Buying on Amazon

The One-Click Problem

Amazon removed every possible friction from buying. See something, click once, it arrives tomorrow. No time to think, no effort required, no barrier between impulse and purchase.

This is brilliant business design and terrible for your finances. The average American spends over $5,000 annually on Amazon, and much of it is stuff they don't need and won't remember buying.

Why You Keep Buying

Online shopping triggers the same reward circuits as other addictions:

• •Dopamine hit: The moment of purchase creates a pleasure spike
• •Anticipation: Waiting for delivery extends the reward
• •Escape: Shopping distracts from stress, boredom, or negative emotions
• •Identity: 'This purchase will make me the person I want to be'

Add Friction Back

Since Amazon removed friction, you need to add it back:

• •Delete one-click ordering: Account → Ordering → Disable 1-Click
• •Remove saved payment methods: Make yourself type card numbers
• •30-day list rule: Add to cart, wait 30 days, then decide. Most items lose their appeal
• •Log out after each session: Extra login step adds friction
• •Delete the app: Browser-only shopping is less convenient

The 'Waiting Room' Strategy

Create a system that forces a pause:

• •Add items to a wishlist, not cart
• •Set a weekly 'shopping review' time (e.g., Sunday at 10 AM)
• •At review time, evaluate the wishlist: Do you still want it? Can you afford it? Will you actually use it?
• •Most items won't survive the review

Address the Underlying Need

If you're shopping to feel better, the solution isn't more willpower—it's addressing the need:

• •Bored: Find genuinely engaging activities
• •Stressed: Practice stress management techniques
• •Seeking identity: Work on self-concept directly, not through purchases
• •Lonely: Connect with people, not products