Hunting for sale because it's affordable
According to the Metric. vn data aggregation and exploitation platform, from January to March 2026, the e-commerce (EC) market on 4 exchanges Shopee, Lazada, TikTok Shop and Tiki all grew impressively with sales of more than 148.6 trillion VND with an output of more than 1.138 million products.
In which, the price segment from 100,000 to 200,000 VND accounted for the highest sales, with 24.8%; followed by below 100,000 VND accounting for 21.2%; the price segment from over 200,000 VND to 350,000 VND accounted for 17.5%.
For many young people, hunting for sale has become a form of entertainment after stressful working hours. Friend Bao Ngoc (student, Hanoi) shared that most personal items are bought during discounted hours because they are suitable for current income.
Because I am still a student and my income is not high, I prioritize cheap items that are both affordable and I can also change continuously," Bao Ngoc shared.
Similarly, Mr. Tran Tuan Hung (27 years old, Hanoi) admitted that he often falls into the situation of uncontrolled ordering.
Many stimulus promotions make me want to buy immediately because they are suitable for my ability to pay. However, after buying, some items are left there for a whole year without being used," Mr. Hung said.
Emotional management and financial balance
Explaining the phenomenon of withdrawal, Ms. Nguyen Hoang Anh - Psychological Consultant (Voice of Therapist Office) - said that the feeling of hunting for a bargain item activates the reward system in the brain, releasing dopamine to create a feeling of excitement.
The special thing here is that the joy lies in the "hunting" process, not necessarily in owning the item. This process contains the element of surprise, competition and the feeling of victory when applying discount codes," expert Hoang Anh analyzed.
In addition, e-commerce platforms take full advantage of the fear of being missed (FOMO) through flash sale countdown mechanisms, announcements "only a few products left" or rushed livestream sessions. These factors reduce the possibility of rational thinking, putting buyers in a faster and less thoughtful decision-making state.
Besides, shopping is sometimes a way for young people to adjust their emotions when stressed or lonely. However, this pleasure is often short-term and easily leads to a tendency to compulsory shopping disorder if materialism is abused to fill the psychological void," the expert said.
From an economic perspective, Mr. Nguyen Quang Huy - CEO of the Faculty of Finance - Banking (Nguyen Trai University) - said that the psychology of liking cheap goods is common among young and ordinary customers with unstable incomes. When buying at a "cheap" price compared to the listed price, consumers are easily excited and quickly finalize their bills.
As a result, many items are not used for a short time, causing accumulated waste. If not controlled, emotional shopping will lead to a situation where total monthly spending often exceeds the initial plan," Mr. Huy said.
To protect their wallets, experts recommend that young people need to have spending discipline, smart shopping plans and control their emotions.
Everyone needs to plan specific expenses for each month or quarter. In particular, before finalizing the application, ask yourself how many times a year this item will be used to convert to real value for each use. In addition, instead of being dominated by celebrity or supplier communication campaigns, make a list of goals to buy in advance and just wait for the right price time to implement," expert Nguyen Quang Huy suggested.
