Ahh, music to my ears! I love shopping! I love walking into the store and smelling the scent of something new. I love the sound of the register printing the receipt. I love ‘handling with care’ the handbags and cooing over the new Spring line of shoes. Just saying the name Nordstrom’s makes the endorphins in my body get all excited and start scrambling to figure out how we can pull off a quick shopping trip in between appointments.

The article goes on to say that our desire to shop compulsively is because we’re missing something in our lives. That some women project hopes and fantasies into the items that they buy. That some women actually feel that a certain pair of shoes would change their life for the better. (Okay, I’m not that bad, but a cute pair of Christian Louboutin’s do make me feel taller!) While some woman do go to the extreme, even the noncompulsive shoppers hear the same message. Haven’t we all bought something just because we were unhappy, stressed, or bored?

“Dr. Brian Knutson, a Stanford Neuroscientist, did an MRI study of shoppers’ brains and discovered that seeing something they wanted to buy — a fabulous pair of boots, say — increased activity in areas rich in dopamine, a brain chemical associated with reward. Dopamine is sensitive to novelty and spikes when we’re confronted with something new that looks enjoyable. Fortunately, the brain is also equipped with the insula, dopamine’s cranky, buzz-killing aunt. It gets activated when we anticipate pain, so price those boots uncomfortably high and the insula will arm-wrestle with the dopamine, pitting the pain of paying against the pleasure of acquiring.”

In a reader poll, done by Ladies’ Home Journal, the results were eye opening!

When asked “How does shopping make you feel?” 82% of women said happy, while 5% said overwhelmed, 6% said dreadful, and 7% said exhilarated.

When asked “Do you shop for fun?” 89% of women said yes, while 11% said no.

When asked “Has the troubled economy changed the way you shop?” 55% said “I think more thoroughly about each purchase”, while 21% said “I’ve cut out nonessentials”, 17% said “I have the same habits as always”, and 7% said “I’ve stopped using  credit cards to avoid debt”.

I find the poll results very interesting. While I’m a recovering shopping addict, moving to the rural country didn’t stop my compulsion. Yes, I cannot just jump in the car and drive to a local mall because there aren’t any, however the UPS guy and I are now on first-name basis, thanks to buying online.

For me, I’m trying to increase my insula and decrease my dopamine with a system called The Budget. Just saying that word “budget” makes me want to put a quarter in the swear word jar! Regardless of how I feel about abstaining from shopping, I do enjoy the increase in my vacation savings account.

So let me ask you, “Why is shopping so much fun?” Please share your comments below…I’d love to hear from you!

Until next time, wear your heels well and be blessed!

Kelli Claypool

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The Additk’shun Begins

Jenica started ShuAddikt and ShuAddikt.com in late 2008 with three of her friends and fellow Texas Tech alums. The boutique has been innovative, caring for its customer base in a new and different way with many complimentary services not offered by competing businesses.

Jenica has utilized her education and years of experience to formulate marketing strategies that allow her company to turn a profit and grow their local customer base even in these tough economic times.

From Tupperware Parties to Trunk Shows

Marketing strategies are ever-shifting by nature, but some things remain constant. One of these marketing constants is that consumers appreciate it when businesses cater to them, especially if it’s free. This strategy is at the heart of Shu Addikt’s success. Their stated objective is for Shu Addikt to be a company that “strives to create a culture of individual women united by
their passion for trendsetting style.”

Towards this end, they offer a number of complimentary special services that are expressly designed to encourage relationship-building between the boutique and its clients. The concierge service is a prime example of this marketing philosophy.

Shu Addikt explains the concierge concept this way: “A personal stylist will get to know a client’s personality, style and the qualities she looks for when purchasing shoes. The same stylist will always be the point of contact to offer advice, help stay current on trends and offer selections that match her fashion profile.

Additionally, the stylist can be utilized for major events or special occasions to assist in pairing the appropriate shoes with an outfit or to compliment a client’s accessories.” This philosophy of personal relationships will help keep Shu Addikt going even in difficult economic times, due to the loyalty of the customer base.

About Jenica

Jenica McKenzie is in charge of general management at Shu Addikt, but that’s not all she does. She also owns BluePrint Marketing Group, a business development firm, and serves as Director of Marketing for a leading consumer packaged goods company based in Dallas, TX.

With 13 years of experience in marketing and strategic business planning, a bachelor’s in business administration from Texas Tech, and a Masters in Business Administration, this Diva has what it takes to succeed!

Be sure to check out Jenica’s website, and leave some of those fabulous heels for me!

Be sure to tune in to DivaTalkRadio on Wednesday, June 3rd at 2:00 p.m. EST to hear about Shu Addikt and all its great services!

You can listen live and interact with us by going to http://DivaTalkRadio.com/live.

Well, that’s it for now.  Until next time, wear your heels well and we’ll see YOU at the show!

Kelli Claypool

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