buyer's remorse
/ˈbaɪərz rɪˈmɔːrs/
Very CommonThe regret you feel after buying something, usually when the excitement wears off.
Sometimes used immediately after a purchase, sometimes days later when the item arrives and falls short of expectations.
Real-world examples4 examples
| # | Example | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | buyer's remorse hitting before the confirmation email even arrived | The regret came on so quickly that the purchase had barely been completed. | x, 2024 |
| 02 | it arrived. it's fine. severe buyer's remorse anyway. | The item is objectively fine but the purchase still feels wrong in retrospect. | reddit, 2023 |
| 03 | bought the concert ticket on impulse. buyer's remorse until i actually went and then zero regrets. | Regret before the experience, followed by satisfaction after. | tiktok, 2023 |
| 04 | spent $400 on a gadget i used twice. buyer's remorse is a permanent resident now. | A significant purchase that went unused, and the regret is not going away. | instagram, 2024 |
Use it when
- You feel regret immediately or shortly after making a purchase.
- Something arrived and did not live up to how it seemed when you bought it.
- You realize after buying that you did not actually want or need it.
- The excitement of the purchase wore off and left nothing behind.
Do not use it when
- You are satisfied with the purchase but someone else thinks you made a mistake.
- You regret not buying something.
Buyer's remorse vs retail therapy regret
buyer's remorse
Buyer's remorse is regret about a specific purchase not living up to its promise.
VS
retail-therapy-regret
Retail therapy regret is specifically about buying things to feel better emotionally, and then feeling worse.
Origin and context
The term comes from consumer psychology and has been used in both academic and everyday contexts for decades. It spread widely online as people began processing their purchasing decisions publicly on social media.
- First seen
- pre-2000s
- Confidence
- high
Cite this page
Use this stable URL to reference the entry.
https://slang.fyi/buyers-remorseUpdated: 2026-08-28License: CC BY 4.0