How long does this quiz take?

This quiz takes about 2-3 minutes to complete.

Are my responses private?

Yes, all answers are anonymized and confidential.

Can I take this test more than once?

Yes, you can retake the test any time to see how your results may have changed.

Will this quiz diagnose a shopping addiction?

No, this test is not a diagnostic tool, but it can highlight patterns that may warrant further reflection or professional support.

Can my results help me change my spending habits?

Yes, understanding your tendencies can be a helpful first step toward developing healthier shopping and financial behaviors.

Discover how shopping urges and spending habits may be impacting your emotional and financial well-being.

Excessive Buying Scale

Understand your relationship with shopping and spending with this short quiz.

By Mark Travers, Ph.D. | Last Updated: December 18, 2025

Reviewed by Jourdan Travers, LCSW

Shopping can be enjoyable and even therapeutic for many people, but for some, buying becomes difficult to control and starts to interfere with daily life. The Compulsive Shopping Tendencies Test is designed to help you reflect on how often shopping urges, spending habits, and buying-related thoughts affect your emotions, time, and finances.

This self-assessment is informed by psychological research on excessive buying behaviors and focuses on patterns such as impulse purchases, emotional relief from shopping, and difficulty stopping once the urge arises. While it is not a diagnostic tool, it can offer meaningful insight into whether your buying habits may be moving from occasional indulgence toward something more disruptive.

If shopping feels tied to emotional coping or fear of missing out, you may also find it helpful to explore our Fear of Missing Out Scale or the Financial Infidelity Scale to better understand related patterns that sometimes overlap with compulsive spending.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does this quiz take?: This quiz takes about 2-3 minutes to complete.
Are my responses private?: Yes, all Excessive Buying Scale answers are anonymized and confidential.
Can I take this test more than once?: Yes, you can retake the test any time to see how your Excessive Buying Scale results may have changed.
Will this quiz diagnose a shopping addiction?: No, this test is not a diagnostic tool, but it can highlight patterns that may warrant further reflection or professional support.
Can my results help me change my spending habits?: Yes, understanding your tendencies can be a helpful first step toward developing healthier shopping and financial behaviors.

Compulsive Shopping Tendencies Quiz: Take The Test

Step 1: Rate Your Shopping Behaviors

For each statement, indicate how much the behavior applies to you on a scale of 1 (Not at All) to 5 (Extreme). For best results, answer honestly and trust your first instinct.

1. I spend more time shopping than I intend to.

2. I purchase items that strain my budget or finances.

3. I feel guilt, anxiety, or distress related to my shopping habits.

4. My buying behavior has caused financial problems for me.

5. Shopping urges interfere with my work, relationships, or routines.

6. Thoughts about shopping distract me from responsibilities or daily tasks.

7. I feel strong urges to buy things even when I know I do not need them.

8. Once I start shopping, I find it hard to stop myself.

9. I go shopping to relieve stress or change my mood.

10. I find myself justifying or hiding purchases from others to avoid criticism or concern.

Step 2: Enter Your Demographics

Provide your age, gender, region, and first name for a detailed report comparing your results to others.

What is your age?

What is your gender?

What region of the world do you live in?

What is your first name?

Step 3: Submit Your Excessive Buying Scale Answers

After completing all questions, click below to send your responses to Mark Travers, Ph.D. All answers are anonymized and confidential.

References

Kyrios, M., Fassnacht, D. B., Ali, K., Maclean, B., & Moulding, R. (2020). Predicting the severity of excessive buying using the Excessive Buying Rating Scale and Compulsive Buying Scale. Journal of Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders, 25, 100509.

Disclaimer

This scale is designed for educational purposes and is not a substitute for professional diagnosis or treatment.