The New Consumer: From Keeping Up to Standing Out
On a Saturday afternoon, Ishan, a college student, opens Instagram and sees the same pair of sneakers for what feels like the fifth time that day. A creator is wearing them in a “day in my life” video. A friend has posted a picture of the same pair. Another reel calls them the season’s must-have. By the time Ishan opens a shopping app, the purchase almost feels inevitable. Then he pauses. Do I actually want these sneakers, or have I simply seen them enough times to believe that I do? He closes the app. Nothing was bought. Nothing was posted. Yet this small decision captures a subtle shift in the relationship between identity, social influence and consumption: perhaps keeping up is no longer the only way to participate. For years, Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) has been a powerful force in consumer behaviour. If everyone has the latest phone, wears the same sneakers or visits the same café, not participating can create a sense of being left behind. But what happens when a consumer bec...