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Emotions test reveals: The online purchases making us 67% happier!
- On average, online purchases are found to raise our positive feelings by 56%
- Participants reported the biggest increase in happiness when purchasing houseplants – positive emotions soared by 67%
- Gaming console purchases saw the second highest increase in positive feelings (+66%)
- Trainers and fiction books are also among the purchases raising positive emotions most
- Holidays abroad came in last; participants noted high levels of excitement but also reported an increase in concern due to its uncertainty
Thanks to ‘doom shopping’, it was revealed that the UK spends three times more when online shopping compared to the global average, costing the average person a whooping £1,382 per year! Clearly these purchases keep us coming back for more, but how do we enjoy splashing our cash the most?
Interested in online shopping, money.co.uk conducted an emotions test among 2,560 participants to discover which online purchases bring us the most joy!
Participants were asked to complete a variation* of the BMIS test (Brief Mood Intensity Scale) and record the intensity of 10 different emotions after making an online purchase. The intensity of each emotion was allocated a score based on its positivity, with a maximum score of 500 points per item – the higher the score, the better. Participants were also asked to complete the same test before making any purchases to uncover the percentage increase in positive emotions when shopping.
Which online purchases make us happiest?
Money.co.uk can reveal that a houseplant purchase increases our intensity of positive emotions more than any other transaction!
Collecting 478 points out of a potential 500, moods improved by 67% after making a plant purchase. Plants are proven to invoke feelings of vitality by improving the state of mind and lifting spirits – no wonder it scores highly!
With the PS5 still proving hard to get, purchasing a gaming console is the second online transaction that makes us happiest.
As many gamers are left on the edge of their seats waiting to snatch the latest console, it accumulated 475 points out of 500, and purchasing a console was found to raise positive feelings by 66% on average.
In third position are trainer purchases. With the demand for sneakers like Jordan 1s only increasing, those who purchased new trainers reported a 64% increase in happiness, and purchases racked up 472 points.
With bookworms reported to be happier than those who don’t read, the transaction that makes us fourth happiest is a fiction book, improving positive emotions by 64% and collecting 470 points.
Due to the huge surge in personal fitness and wellbeing during lockdown, home gym equipment purchases are found to make us fifth happiest! This transaction led to a 63% increase in positive emotions and scored a healthy 468 points.
To complete the top 10 purchases that increase our intensity of positive emotions:
6. Video game: 466 points, +62%
7. Eyeshadow palette: 465 points, +62%
8. Scented candle: 463 points, +61%
9. Exercise clothing: 461 points, +61%
10. Fashion jewellery: 459, +60%
Coming in last is a holiday abroad with 393 points out of 500 (+37%). Those who plan on jet-setting this year reported high levels of excitement and happiness but were pushed down the table as feelings of worry and nerves due to its current uncertainty.
Interested in the reasons behind our vast improvement in positive feelings, money.co.uk spoke exclusively to Lee Chambers, psychologist and wellbeing consultant, to uncover why shopping makes us happy.
“Online shopping has the ability to make us happy through several different mechanisms. Firstly, even in a world of plenty, we are still evolutionarily designed to consider scarcity. Because of this, acquiring new items, especially when discounted or limited, tends to make us happy, the feeling we have satisfied a need and potentially averted a future threat.
Shopping is also an exercise in control. We select from millions of items precisely what we want, and especially in the uncertain times we live in, we know we will get exactly what we have purchased, and it will be delivered straight to us. This control of selection and guarantee of receipt is powerful, as it becomes a defined event. We also build a level of expectation and anticipation from the moment we press the purchase button, as we believe we now have ownership over the item but have a delay until it is with us physically.
From a cultural perspective, we have been conditioned to see shopping as a reward, either an investment in ourselves or for the satisfaction of others. Shopping is likely to activate the nucleus accumbens in our brain, releasing dopamine and motivating us to repeat the behaviour. Buying printed media taps into our desire to better ourselves, gain knowledge, understand the world around us and provide stories and entertainment that can take us on a journey. And let’s not forget how lovely they look on your bookshelf on a video call, as books have become a decorative symbol over the past year.
And why do we keep buying? Our brain is adaptive, and shopping can relieve stress, provide entertainment when bored and give us a hit of dopamine. The rewarding feeling will keep us finding new things to purchase, especially since our excitement and anticipation fade once we’ve received the item.”
Catherine Hilley, mobiles expert at money.co.uk, said: “Our research reveals how small purchases can increase customers’ emotions in a positive way, something we all need after the past 12 months. With an average 63% increase in positive emotions noted across all top 10 purchases, it seems that shopping online for items such as houseplants, trainers and candles are sparking a lot more joy at the moment, than booking a holiday, which comes with a lot of added uncertainty.”
For more information, please see the blog post for the full rankings and a breakdown by sex, and age: https://www.money.co.uk/mobiles/online-shopping-joy
Evoplay, the award-winning game development studio, has announced its latest partnership with leading Baltic operator Optibet, part of Entain, marking a strategic expansion in Lithuania and Estonia.
Through the agreement, Optibet now offers over 70 of Evoplay’s premium slot titles to its customers in both markets, including popular games such as The Greatest Catch Bonus Buy, Elven Princesses, and Fruit Super Nova.
Optibet, part of global gaming giant Entain, is a trusted operator across the Baltics, providing Evoplay with a solid foundation to grow its presence in the region.
This exclusive partnership underscores both companies’ commitment to delivering top-tier gaming experiences and increasing engagement within these key markets.
Ihor Zarechnyi, CBDO at Evoplay, said: “We’re thrilled to partner with Optibet, a trusted name across the Baltics, to bring our games to players in Lithuania and Estonia.”
“This collaboration marks an important step in our commitment to expanding in regulated markets and offering tailored experiences that resonate with local audiences.”
Janis Bariss, Entain Head of Gaming Baltics & Nordics, said: “Optibet is dedicated to providing our players with the best in gaming entertainment and partnering with Evoplay allows us to deliver an exciting range of content that adds real value to our portfolio.”
“Evoplay’s innovative approach and diverse game selection will be a fantastic addition to our online casinos in Lithuania and Estonia, and we’re looking forward to seeing the impact it has on our audience.”
The post Evoplay expands Baltic presence with new Optibet collaboration appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Revolver Gaming is delighted to announce the appointment of Simon Hammon as its new Board Advisor.
With an illustrious career in the gaming and iGaming sectors, Simon brings an exceptional depth of expertise to support Revolver Gaming’s growth ambitions in the online gaming sector.
Simon Hammon is a seasoned leader in the gaming industry, having previously served as CEO of Relax Gaming, where he played a pivotal role in driving the company’s growth and cementing its position as a leading content aggregator and developer. Prior to his tenure at Relax Gaming, Simon held the role of Chief Product Officer (CPO) at NetEnt, where he oversaw the development of an award-winning portfolio of games and spearheaded major innovations in the sector.
“We are thrilled to welcome Simon to the Revolver Gaming team,” said Ryan Lazarus, CEO at Revolver Gaming. “His extensive experience at the helm of industry-leading organisations like Relax Gaming and NetEnt makes him uniquely qualified to help us strengthen our position in the iGaming landscape. Simon’s insights and strategic vision will be invaluable as we continue to push the boundaries of game design and expand our global presence.”
As Board Advisor, Simon Hammon will work closely with Revolver Gaming’s leadership team to refine the company’s strategic direction and expend its position in the fast-evolving iGaming industry. Under Simon’s guidance, Revolver Gaming aims to broaden its market reach, enhance its product portfolio and delivery service, and solidify its collaborations with operators across the globe.
“Revolver Gaming has established a strong foundation for growth and is a hidden gem on the verge of breaking through to the next level,” said Simon Hammon. “The company has a well-earned reputation for creating innovative and highly engaging games, and I’m thrilled to join at such an exciting tipping point. The talent and vision within Revolver Gaming are exceptional, and I look forward to helping the team realise its ambitions and achieve its full potential.”
The post Revolver Gaming Welcomes Simon Hammon as Board Advisor appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Innovative indie developer invites players to stack up towering wins in an all-new cyber punk-themed slot released via the SwinttStudios partnership programme
Get ready to hit the neon streets of a space age city in Babel Builder Accumulator – the new cyber punk-themed slot from up-and-coming software provider, Samurai Studio, where scaling towering megastructures can lead to colossal wins of up to 8,082x the bet.
The third Samurai Studio game to be released via the pioneering SwinttStudios programme, Babel Builder Accumulator is a five-reel, 20-payline slot set in a gritty, urban landscape. Featuring a pulse-racing, techno-inspired soundtrack and high-tech cast of androids and augmented humans as its symbols, the game really does an outstanding job of conveying a dystopian future.
Of course, this rampant advancement of technology is not without its perks – and Babel Builder Accumulator boasts a couple of standout features to help players stay ahead of the game. First of all, on any given spin Mirror Reels can trigger to turn two or more columns into identical copies of each other, significantly boosting the odds of landing multiple matching payout combinations.
Secondly, landing three or more scatter symbols in any position will activate the Accumulator Bonus. Whenever this happens, players will be granted three free re-spins with an initial in-game multiplier of 1x, 3x or 5x depending on the number of triggering scatters. With the reels now only displaying prize symbols worth between 1x and 50x the selected bet, whenever players land a prize, not only will the re-spin counter reset, but they’ll also fill one section of the progress metre.
Once six sections have been completed, a random multiplier of 1x, 3x or 5x will be added to the accumulator total – which can reach a maximum of 30x – with this process repeating until no new prizes arrive and the re-spin counter hits zero. In this manner, the feature can be prolonged indefinitely for truly epic wins, and players can also enter the bonus directly for an additional bet.
David Mann, Chief Executive Officer at Swintt, said: “We’ve already been treated to some incredible releases from Samurai Studio – and Babel Builder Accumulator might be the best yet!
“Featuring an eye-catching cyber punk aesthetic, atmospheric soundtrack and an incomparable Accumulator Bonus where players can scale their way to maximum wins of 8,082x their bet, the game really does have all the makings of a modern slot and we’re delighted to be able to use our existing network of casino partners to help Samurai Studio reach new audiences worldwide.”
The post Samurai Studio shoots for the stars in Babel Builder Accumulator appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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