ABSTRACT
The materialism-loneliness trap crystallizes out of the consumer's motivations towards materialism and consumption. In order to sustain the level of happiness the consumer needs to participate actively and be conscious of the purchase process. In order to sustain the level of happiness the consumer needs to participate actively and be conscious of the purchase process. A loneliness-stricken materialist consumer disturbs his social connectivity and sharing prospects. Materialism in its own way refurbishes and balances social support. Research literature identifies social giving, experiential consumption, green consumption, active environmentalism, religiosity and planned-purchase decision-making as means of reducing materialistic motives and sustaining the level of happiness. Satisfaction from purchase and happiness from consumption is rarely achieved because the consumer's value system and motivations have already been disturbed. When the consumer eventually perceives loneliness, they indulge in more consumption, trying to create a feel-good factor, using material goods as a substitution feature.
