a research project byIzyaan Siddiqui
Is it worth it?
The price is clear before you click “buy.” The value might not be clear until afterward. I surveyed 30 people about how their purchases held up, then 15 more for a second round, and used what they said to build a short tool that helps you pause before money moves.
start here
the question I'm working toward:
Does a pause change the choice, or only how someone explains it afterward?
people in Round One
rated the week-later mark below what they expected
named at least one marketing influence
in Round Two rated it below what they expected
The goal was never to get everyone to say no. It was to make sure the yes is really theirs.
Izyaan
What 30 buyers said
seven things I found in Round One. pick a flag, or tap a line on the receipt.
Take the pause
answer a few questions before you buy. your receipt prints as you go.
Your answers stay in this browser tab. Nothing is sent to me or anyone else, and there are no group results. At the end you can copy your receipt or save it on this device.
One week later
come back about a week after taking the pause. this site doesn't send reminders, so set one yourself.
The project
where it stands, how I designed the tool, and what I'm thinking about it.
Evidence so far
Cashier: Izyaan
30 people, Sept 17–24, 2026. One response each, ratings partly recalled.
15 new people, Sept 28 to Oct 26, 2026. Same questions as Round One.
Works on this site. Answers stay in the visitor's browser; nothing is collected.
People use the pause before a real purchase, then check back a week later.
Round Two results
Higher hopes, same landing.
Round Two expected more from their purchases than Round One (8.5 vs. 7.8) and ended up in almost the same place a week later (5.5 vs. 5.6). Each line is one person.
swipe the chart sideways to see all of it
Self-reported satisfaction, 1 to 10, from 15 people. Red lines ended below expected.
Round One vs. Round Two
Both rounds answered the same Google Form. Round One is 30 people from September; Round Two is 15 new people, all but one from October 26.
I got used to the item and it became normalized.Round Two respondent
The problem
Buying is often built to feel urgent. Pausing usually isn't. A lot of apps and stores make buying, betting, trading, and collecting feel time-sensitive:
- limited drops
- countdowns
- streaks
- betting odds
- resale hype
- social status
Most money advice shows up as a warning, usually after the decision is already made.
So the tool asks: what am I really getting, what am I risking, and who benefits if I act right now?
Principles
- Price is not the same as value.
- Scarcity is sometimes manufactured and sometimes real.
- Owning something can be temporary.
- Excitement can shift judgment.
- Someone besides the buyer usually makes money from a purchase.
- A useful purchase, fun, self-expression, or fitting in with friends can be real value.
Ideas for later versions
Not built yet: versions for middle schoolers on Roblox, teens and sports betting, sneaker resale, Depop shopping, and in-game purchases.
From findings to questions
How each finding shaped a question in the tool. This is my reasoning about the design, not feedback from participants.
What I expected at the start
I went in thinking marketing would be the main reason people buy things, and that most people would regret their purchases pretty quickly. I figured the drop in satisfaction would show up right at checkout.
What surprised me
Personal identity came up way more than ads, with 20 of 30 people saying the item fit who they are. The drop barely happened at checkout and showed up a week later instead, and Round Two expected even more but still landed in the same spot.
What I changed in the tool
My first version had questions that kind of assumed buying was a mistake, so I rewrote them to be neutral and added questions about who benefits and what it costs besides money. I also split the follow-up so satisfaction with the item and satisfaction with the decision are measured separately.
What is still uncertain
Every rating came from one response, so the one week later numbers are people's guesses, not real check-ins. I still don't know if the pause actually changes what someone does or just how they explain it afterward.
What I would test next
I want 10 to 15 people to use the pause before a real purchase and then check back with them a week later. That way I can compare what they said they would do with what they actually did.
One-page project summary
What the project is, the main finding and its limits, the tool, and where testing stands. Open the downloaded file in a browser, then print it and choose Save as PDF.