Viral Chinese app lets strangers vote on purchases to stop impulse buying

Ahead of China's Double 11 shopping event, a viral WeChat mini-programme called "Wallet, Please Wait" aims to curb impulse buying. This free tool operates similarly to corporate finance procedures, outsourcing everyday purchase approvals to the crowd. Users submit detailed purchase requests, including the item, price, justification, and alternative options.

These requests can be shared privately with family or posted publicly in a "plaza," where approvals or rejections are decided once a voting threshold is met. Voters must explain their reasoning behind the decision.

In one instance, an unemployed individual living on savings received approval for a 60-yuan (US$9) barbecue dinner from strangers, with one voter cautioning not to be too hard on themselves given their already tough financial situation. However, other requests have sparked contrasting opinions. A 15,000-yuan (US$2,240) iPhone ticket resulted in a 6-to-6 deadlock between those supporting the upgrade and others advocating for a cheaper screen repair.

Despite its simple functionality, the mini-programme gained significant attention. Within nine hours of its launch, it amassed over 10,000 users and later attracted more than 300,000 participants, generating approximately 370,000 purchase requests. The tool was developed in just eight days by an AI-assisted developer identified as "Huoshan" from Shanghai. After the mini-programme's viral success, its development was transferred to Huoshan's company's R&D team.

The mini-programme's developer revealed that it was inspired by her own experience with impulse spending, often buying unnecessary items and regretting them immediately afterward. Some users attribute the platform's effectiveness to the absence of social politeness that often hinders candid feedback among acquaintances. Friends and family may hesitate to criticize or possess differing financial standards. In contrast, anonymous peers can provide more straightforward opinions without personal biases.

Xiaoxin, a Shenzhen-based user, shared that merely filling out a request creates a pause in the decision-making process, potentially preventing the initial impulse to purchase. Beyond budgeting, the tool has also turned into an unexpected platform for casual, anonymous connections. Comment sections frequently combine practical advice with playful banter.

One user humorously rejected an iPhone purchase request, stating, "Denied. If I can't have it, nobody gets it." Another discussion about a Nintendo game card received candid reviews from fellow players.

Sociologist Li Chunling from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences told Dazhong News that the mini-programme reflects the growing "new frugality" among Gen Z consumers, who are prioritizing deliberate spending on essentials over non-essentials. However, some analysts caution that crowd-sourced votes should be considered advisory, warning that excessive reliance on outside approval might undermine individuals' confidence in their decision-making abilities.

The rise of this tool aligns with China's Double 11 festival, an annual shopping event initiated by Taobao in 2009, which generated 1.6 trillion yuan (US$239 billion) in online gross merchandise value last year. Taobao is owned by Alibaba, the parent company of the South China Morning Post. This year's event took place between October 15 and November 13.