New Trend Lets You Shop Till You Drop... Without Actually Buying Anything

For some people, online shopping is about getting something new.

For others, it's about the thrill of clicking "Buy Now" at 11:47 p.m. while wearing pajamas and making questionable financial decisions.

Now there's a new trend in South Korea that aims to help people curb shopping addictions without giving up the dopamine rush.

A growing number of apps are offering fake online shopping experiences.

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Users browse products, compare prices, read reviews, fill their carts and even enter payment and shipping information, just like a real shopping site.

Some apps will even provide fake shipping updates so users can follow the imaginary journey of their imaginary purchases.

There's just one difference.

Nothing is ever ordered.

No money changes hands. No package arrives at your door. No mysterious box shows up three days later that leaves you wondering, "What did I buy this time?"

The goal is to satisfy the psychological urge to shop without actually spending money.

Experts say the concept could help some people who are addicted to the process of shopping rather than the products themselves. In other words, people who get more excitement from clicking "Complete Purchase" than they do from opening the package.

South Korea is one of the world's biggest online shopping markets, and concerns about compulsive spending have helped fuel interest in the apps.

Whether the trend catches on elsewhere remains to be seen, but for anyone who's ever received a credit card statement and experienced immediate regret, the idea may have some appeal.

Of course, for people who love actually receiving things in the mail, a fake package might not quite do the trick.