I have been studying the effects of consumerism for my dissertation for a few months now and I'd love to gain some new insights from you all!
I have specifically studied the journey of why you might want to acquire certain products, how you feel when you get them and the long-term effects of relying on material possessions for happiness/positivity.
The next stage of my dissertation is to relay any opportunities that I found in my research and turn them into a business concept that could be launched successfully.

My key findings/conclusions so far are;
1 - consumers gain more pleasure out of aiming to acquire a product than actually getting it
2 - it is now socially preferred to share possessions rather than own them
3 - having materialistic goals may represent a feeling of lack of control in other aspects of that consumers life
4 - there are blurred perceptions of what consumers now consider a 'luxury' compared to a 'necessity'

I am considering creating a new website/forum in which all types of consumer can share their stories, advice and positivity to create an online community that appreciates freedom and experiences over possessions. It will also contain inspirational images, blog posts and suggestions of how you can gain more from your life with less 'stuff' - much like The Minimalists.com but more visual and interactive

SO WHERE DO YOU COME IN?
I'd love to know more about your lifestyle, why you aspire to purchase certain possessions, where do your values lie, and if you feel constrained by the possessions in your life.
A few example questions that you could answer are as follows;
Do you consider yourself a mindful consumer?
Have you ever thought about all of the possessions in your life that hold no real value or are just a distraction from what is really important?
Do you want to change your purchasing habits in the future? If so, why and how?
Do you look at blogs and forums for advice around the topic of consumer or simple living? And if so, are they helpful? What are you looking to get from them?

But if you have any other comments, experiences that you'd like to share surrounding this topic or even advice, I'd love to hear from you!

Also, if you have a few minutes please fill out my survey about how market influences may be making you spend - https://elle10.typeform.com/to/FquPgR