Survey finds 'retail therapy' common among Americans

SAN FRANCISCO — More than half of Americans shop and spend money to improve their moods, according to a new survey.

The study, by Ebates.com, found that 63.9% of women engage in "retail therapy," compared with 39.8% of men, and the belief that it improves moods was found among 39.2% of women, compared with 20.6% of men. The survey was conducted online by TNS Global and included 1,000 adults.

"Our survey confirms that shopping truly is 'therapy' for many people and can help raise one's spirits after a bad day," Ebates.com CEO Kevin Johnson said. "Online shopping makes this pick-me-up only a couple of clicks away."

The survey also found that up to 80.7% of Americans feel best when shopping to lift their moods, and of them, 61.8% like shopping during a sale, while 49.4% like receiving rewards, 45% like free shipping and 44.6% like using coupons. A greater share of respondents found the retail therapy effects of online shopping better than shopping at brick-and-mortar stores, mostly because it's more convenient.

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