Woman shares the simple trick to avoid falling prey to predatory marketing on social media: 'I always feel regret'

TikTok user Lexi posted a video addressing the sense of urgency social media influencers bring followers about trending clothing items. She urged her followers to wake up and embrace deinfluencing by taking a minute to think about the products in a realistic way.

The scoop

Lexi shared with her followers "the easiest way to deinfluence yourself out of buying trendy clothing."

@lexitay_ How I deinfluence myself out of trending clothing items #parke #clothing #fashion #deinfluencing ♬ original sound - Lexi | Cooking & Sourdough

She acknowledged being sucked into wanting new clothing items as they go viral on TikTok, feeling the need to buy in before they sell out. She did not like how FOMO was influencing her purchases before she took a minute to think.

Lexi talked about how some influencers use photography to make clothing more appealing and urged her followers to stop and think before making a purchase. She suggested searching similar items on resale sites such as Depop, saying, "There is something about seeing a piece of clothing just simply laid flat on a bed … that just takes the allure away from a trendy item." 

She reminded followers that wanting an item because other people want it is not a good reason to purchase something. Making impulsive purchases can be a waste of money and often results in a purchaser not using an item as much as they think they will, especially if they are urged by social media users to quickly purchase the next trending article of clothing.

Taking time to ask yourself if and why you really want a clothing item is important. 

Lexi warned against adopting a cult mentality and conceded to being influenced into thinking a purchase would have some great impact on her life. 

How it's helping

Deinfluencing helps the mental health and pocketbooks of individuals and can also have a positive impact on the planet. 

Unwanted clothing that is discarded contributes to the vast amount of waste in landfills. The production of clothing causes pollution and wastes limited natural resources, and chemicals in the fabric itself can leach into the ground and air once items are thrown away. 

Which of these factors would most effectively motivate you to recycle old clothes and electronics? Giving me money back 💰 Letting me trade for new stuff 👕 Making it as easy as possible ⚡ Keeping my stuff out of landfills 🗑️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Recycling options such as donating, reselling, and upcycling help reduce these impacts. And by thinking about purchases before making them, we can reduce waste. 

There are even ways to make a profit when you have unwanted items. Some stores will give consumers credit when they return used items such as clothing and electronics.

The Cool Down has a page of tips, with a forum for you and other readers to share comments, to help you decide what you can do with items you no longer use when you are decluttering your home. 

What everyone's saying

Commenters on Lexi's video seemed to be relieved and expressed their thanks for her post.

"This is SO true!!!" one said. "I always feel regret for those purchases that are not thoughtful!"

Someone else suggested, "Just stop looking at tiktok for 1 week and the fomo will go away instantly."

"Thank you for this reminder," another grateful follower wrote.

Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.