Problem:
Jokes about ‘retail therapy’ in popular culture testify to the idea that our spending habits tend to have significant emotional roots. In fact, a 2012 BMO study found that 59% of the study participants make impulse purchases, and over half regret the elective spending that they do.
Solution:
Centsus connects consumers, financial decisions, and emotions to help them spend happier. Using a web-based tool, consumers use emoticons to rank how they feel after spending, making them aware of how financial decisions impact emotions.
Test Results:
A group of 24 individuals piloted Centsus through four phases: completion of a pre-survey; registration on Centsus, and entering transactions and emotions over a four week period; receipt of two Centsus Insights e-mails; and, completion of a post-survey.
Increasing consumers’ awareness of emotions while spending empower consumers to make better financial decisions. Integrating with existing online banking, mobile banking, and personal financial management (PFM) vendors provides the best option for engagement and ease-of-use for consumers.