What type of shopper am I?

What our shopping habits really say about us.

Do you remember those old quizzes from Cosmo, Marie Claire, Facebook circa 2014 What type of shopper are you? What your shopping habits really say about you”. Apologies if you are too young to have experienced these gems. You missed out big time. Or maybe you had BuzzFeed instead…

This is us, my friends.

I was reflecting on these recently after I wrote a letter where I called myself a ‘Collector’. And it’s not just me. I’ve noticed something in the interviews I’ve been doing—other people are labelling themselves too. Zara, Christene, Allison. I’ve read so many interviews, letters, posts, dare I say ‘articles’(so old school), have been in 1000s of conversations on the topic of shopping and the one thing we all eventually do is define the type of shopper we are: ‘budget’, ‘intentional’, ‘thrifter’— ‘collector’.

We wear these personas like we wear our clothes.

And while I’ve thought about this concept pretty casually for a very long time, recently I’ve been thinking about it more existentially. Strap in and join me for the ride if you dare LOL.

Why do I shop? What motivates me? Dear God—who am I?!

Do I shop to become something other than what I am today? (she writes in track pants and Uggs).

I want clothes to mirror my self, my needs, wants and desires. Probably not all at once (hot mess). I want to look comfortable when I need to feel comfortable. I want to look powerful when I need to feel powerful. I want to look like I’m on holidays when I need to feel like I’m holidays (thank you Holiday Kelly for this gem).

The expression "retail therapy" isn't a joke, it's a description of reality.

Shopping is a series of acts and processes—but the outcome is not just the item you’ve purchased, it’s the feeling you are left with.

Why am I going deep on Who Am I right now? Great question.

I’ve been studying shopping and shopper personas at Carted. I’ve gone deep. Did you know when whales dive deep, at pace, it’s called Fluking?

At first, we built out shopper personas to help us build a better product.

We’ve had to imagine:

Who are we? Who are our shoppers? How do they show up—and how do we show up for them? What are their processes and experiences?

What are their problems?

And what are their loves and passions—obsessions.

Because while we see all of the millions of ‘whats’ in our product database, what we don’t see are all the ‘whys’.

But now, our shopping personas have become spiritual guides. So we decided to create a little mirror. Something personal. With an injection of fun (‘cause who doesn’t need more fun rn). An ODE to shopping lovers. Gosh I love the idea of shopping-inspired poetry. More main character energy to inspire our days, thank you.

Because it turns out, I am not the only one with a 200-item wishlist and a folder of saved Instagram outfits I’ll never come back to. I’m not the only one who adds the same thing from five different stores to my wishlist just to watch the prices fluctuate. I’m not the only one who waits until 11:59pm on the final day of a sale to finally decide. I’m not the only one who’s purchased a piece that has zero immediate wearability, but I know for sure it needs to be part of my collection.

The hardest part is to pick your poison, or your player, as the folks say.

“I’m a Collector - I shop for memories.”

“I’m a Curator - it’s a reflection of my true self.”

“I’m an Analyst - I don’t just buy any old thing. I’m very considered.”

“I’m a Hunter - I know how to get what I want. I’m a Type A shopper.”

So, what type of shopper am I?

For sure, I’m a Collector. And the much younger version of me was 1000% the impulse shopper—buying everything because I had to have all the beautiful things regardless of my budget. Oops. Don’t worry, she’s been traded in for a new model.

I just love nice things SO MUCH. I have always been a collector. Ask any and all of my friends. I’ve always consumed a lot, but now more often it’s appreciating things with my eyes versus my wallet.

But TBH, for me, a shopping lover to the end, all of these characters, and their motivations, feel a little bit like home.

I can see myself in all of them. Is that a good thing? No idea. I have a feeling it might be the case for you as well. We’re all on a spectrum that fluctuates with moods, needs, star signs and the phase of the moon.

Now, what type of shopper are you?

I’m dying to hear what type of shopper you are. Please share all your stories with me 🙏🏻

For some of you, shopping is lightning-fast and decisive. For others, it’s an hours-long spiral into research tabs and review forums. Some chase deals. Some chase a feeling. Some curate wishlists for months before ever hitting add to cart. Some are driven by utility, others by emotion, design, nostalgia.

Are you The Analyst, deep in spreadsheets and specs? Are you The Curator, chasing the perfect moodboard with military precision? Maybe you're The Hunter, with price drop alerts set and restock tabs open across five devices. Or The Collector—intuitive, spontaneous, driven by feelings and memories.

And what about shopping as a sport? I mean—it can be both physically and mentally demanding. Have we overlooked The Competitor? Or are we all athletes at some point? There is always a race to be run, a vintage Prada pump to be won.