"Good Luck Spray", "Tree Hole in the Mind", "Einstein's Brain", ...... Recently, a variety of virtual emotional products have swept the major e-commerce platforms, and sales have been rising.
After a breakup, you will receive careful guidance from strangers when you order a "lovelorn companion", when you buy a "cloud supervision" service when you prepare for the exam, a supervisor will always keep an eye on your learning progress, and when you are bored, you will start a "virtual mosquito", and the store will start to launch a "buzzing" offensive against you......
Unlike ordinary online shopping, virtual emotion products do not need to be shipped, and consumers may receive a blessing, an expression, a companionship, or just a vision. Although it seems nonsensical, some young people are tired of it, and those emotions that have nowhere to put seem to have found a channel, and many consumers in the comment area have reported "great value for money" and "next time".
Why are virtual emotional products marketable, and is it worth paying for emotions?
Source: Kale Pictures Photography/Ning Ying
1. Did "Einstein's brain" work?
"'Einstein's brain', after taking a picture, it will automatically grow into your brain, and those who have bought it will say that it ......is easy to use" In 2023, "Einstein's brain" was selected as one of Taobao's top ten products of the year, becoming the first virtual commodity to be included in this list over the years.
Media searches found that more than 100 stores are selling "Einstein's brain", with prices ranging from a few dimes to a few yuan, and the one with the highest sales volume sold more than 80,000 orders. After placing an order, the reporter received a blessing of more than 700 words: May the light of wisdom illuminate your way forward, and may your creativity and insight shine like stars......
Screenshot from an e-commerce platform
Under the fierce competition, many merchants have played new tricks, launched subdivided products such as "social brain", "interview brain" and "learning brain", and some stores have launched "Confucius's brain" and "Lu Xun's brain" that are "more suitable for the physique of Chinese babies".
What is more creative than the product itself is the consumer's message.
Some consumers left messages: "brain cells," "a divine power," and "begging for a lottery"; some people asked, "Does it work?" and replied: "I can take care of myself in life," "I scored more than 10,000 points in the college entrance examination," and "I am researching superconductors."
According to media surveys, the virtual emotional goods on the platform can be roughly divided into four categories according to emotional needs. The first is the blessing type, such as "Good Luck Spray" and "Einstein's Brain", the second is the entertainment type, such as "Wild Tyrannosaurus Rex" and "Virtual Mosquito", the third is the healing type, such as "waking up the love brain" and "Soul Tree Hole", and the fourth is the companionship type, such as "waking up and sleeping" and "cloud overseer".
According to the analysis of social psychology experts, at present, emotional value has become an important factor that cannot be ignored behind young people's pay. Young people pursue the maximization of emotional value, businesses boldly innovate the mining of emotional resources, and under the joint promotion of the supply side and the demand side, the "emotional economy" is constantly unlocking new consumption scenarios.
2. Provide spiritual comfort and emotional outlets
"Electronic prayers are very popular, and this is the fashion of our 'post-00s'. After a job interview, while anxiously waiting, Wang Xi bought a "good luck spray" and left his wishes for the merchant to help "cast spells". "In fact, it's to buy peace of mind, looking at the auspicious words sent by the customer service, the anxiety and anxiety can be alleviated, if I can pass, I must go to the comment area to make a wish. Wang Xi said.
Screenshot from an e-commerce platform
"How's the progress?", "Can you finish it tonight?", "Don't look at your phone"...... Recently, Qiao Ze, who was studying hard for the CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) exam in May, spent more than 300 yuan to buy a month's "cloud supervision" service. Every night at 7 o'clock, he and the supervisor meet on time, and the other party supervises him through video for 3 hours of self-study, and checks the completion according to the study plan he has made.
"I have to go to work during the day and have trouble concentrating at night, so it's better to have someone to pull it. For Joze, the supervisor is more like a friend who will not be impatient, "when I fall into self-doubt, he will encourage me when I am tired, and when I desert, he will 'wake up' me, the time of preparing for the exam is monotonous and lonely, and it is easier to persevere with company."
also spent money to buy "emotions", as well as Guan Chen, who had just started "North Drift". In an unfamiliar city, a strict leader, whenever she is frustrated in a new environment, she will place an order for a "heart tree hole" and confide in customer service. "I don't want my family to worry about it, and I don't have friends around me who are in the same situation, so I need a 'trash can' for my negative emotions. The voice on the other end of the phone was always gentle and amiable, and after crying like a vent, Guan Chen had the courage to start again.
"Emotional consumption is demand, and social mentality is the starting point. Experts said that nowadays, the pace of life is accelerating, value choices are becoming more diversified, young people will inevitably be confused and anxious in various value collisions, and virtual emotional goods provide psychological comfort and emotional outlets to a certain extent.
In addition, with the upgrading of consumption from "existing to excellent", the young generation is relatively saturated with material requirements, and their demand for emotions is getting higher and higher, and they pay more attention to the emotional experience provided by goods. As "digital natives", they use digital technology to seek emotionally personalized experiences as a way to express themselves, express their individuality, and seek cultural identity.
3. Commodities can be virtual, and rules cannot be missing
The "Tree Hole of the Heart" leaks consumer privacy, and the "Lovelorn Companion" provides bad services in disguise...... As a new form of business, "emotional consumption" not only stimulates the vitality of the market, but also exposes some problems and loopholes that cannot be ignored.
Experts said that some virtual emotional products play a "sideball" of law and morality, which not only violates social order and good customs, but also has a negative impact on young people's outlook on life and values. It is urgent to introduce relevant laws and regulations to establish a more effective complaint and early warning mechanism, so that emotional consumption has laws and regulations to follow, and reduce market risks and consumer disputes.
A lawyer said that the regulatory authorities should clarify the entry standards for virtual emotional goods and the upper limit of the price of a single product as soon as possible; e-commerce platforms should strengthen the review of the shelves of virtual emotional goods, and standardize the display of goods, transaction content, after-sales service, etc.; merchants should strengthen self-discipline and not make false or misleading publicity, and should remind consumers of the particularity of the goods they buy, so as to protect consumers' right to know.
Industry insiders believe that the popularity of virtual emotional products reflects that young people are actively seeking emotional support, which prompts us to improve the social psychological service system, strengthen mental health education and guidance for young people, build a more comprehensive and real interpersonal support system, and help them establish a more confident, peaceful, calm and optimistic attitude to life.
"Virtual commodities can only temporarily meet the emotional needs of individuals to be accompanied, cared for, and comforted, and it is difficult to achieve high-quality emotional comfort. Experts suggest that young people should grasp the boundaries of emotional consumption, enhance their awareness of consumer risk prevention and bottom-line thinking of information security, and avoid indulging in false emotions and not being able to extricate themselves, falling into the whirlpool of digital emotions and affecting their rational lives.
(Perspective Society Comprehensive Workers' Daily, Jiupai News Report)
Editor: Liu Songling
Proofreader: Li Xuying
Review: Gong Zimo