Dopamine websites are the internet’s bleakest new obsession

We’ve all lost track of time looking at homes we can’t afford on Rightmove, or browsing for what to watch on Netflix.

The act triggers a release of dopamine in our brain, which is a feel-good neurotransmitter that makes us crave a reward. In this case, that might be finding the perfect TV show to binge, or spotting our dream property.

But now Gen Z has found a new way to experience that same rush, with an online trend that originated in South Korea.

Dopamine websites are taking the internet by storm, and while some claim they’re ‘satisfying’, others are finding the idea quite bleak.

What is a dopamine website?

Essentially, these are fake websites that allow people to chase the dopamine hit they get before making a purchase, be it ordering a takeaway or shopping.

However, the key difference between these and regular websites is that you’re not actually spending any money, and your order will never arrive.

The whole experience is gamified from start to finish, allowing you to satisfy your cravings without indulging.

For instance, one such website called FoodNeverComes, looks a lot like delivery apps such as Deliveroo or Just Eat, and works similarly. On the site, you can browse food options, customise an order, pick the type of delivery you want, see all the delivery costs and fees, read reviews, and even ‘track’ your food via a virtual courier.

Other popular examples of dopamine sites include a smoking simulator app, which allows people to enjoy the social aspects of a ‘smoke break’ in a virtual room with strangers, without actually having to smoke.

There are also ‘quiet spaces’ that simulate office life, and ones for online shopping, that let you fill up your cart and check out without actually spending a penny. 

How does it work?

According to Psychology Today, these sites allow people to use symbolic experiences to satisfy emotional needs.

They explain: ‘The mind is constantly running simulations of possible futures. We imagine what an experience will feel like, how it might improve our lives, and how we will feel once we get there. Those simulations can generate real emotions even if the event itself never occurs.

‘The experience activates memories, expectations, preferences, and possibilities. Browsing a takeout menu can be enjoyable even without placing an order.’

Should we be concerned?

Cathrine Jansson-Boyd, a professor of consumer psychology at Anglia Ruskin University, says that the dopamine websites are ‘an interesting development’ and their biggest appeal is ‘anticipation’.

However, she warns that, as well as a spike in dopamine, users might also experience some negative effects.

She tells Metro: ‘While the sites certainly can increase dopamine levels, they may also lead to a bigger dip in disappointment when nothing ever materialises.

‘It may lead to frustration as it generates a gap between expectations and reality.

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‘As a result, people might find themselves engaging more in the use of dopamine sites to feel good again. Thus, it could become a repeating pattern similar to addiction to computer gaming.’

Much like with the practice of window shopping, people using these sites may also experience feelings of envy or inadequacy, because they can’t actually afford the items they want.

Cathrine adds: ‘Prolonged exposure to desirable goods can activate a cycle of desire, leading to feelings of inadequacy or envy, which may increase materialistic values and lower overall well-being.

‘There is evidence that digital window shopping can lead to addiction-like effects on the brain. However, window shopping can be a harmless activity, but it can also become an obstacle to well-being.’

What do people think about them?

A 25-year-old office worker, known only as Kim, told The Korea Times he used the dopamine websites as a way to relieve stress.

‘There are many times when I crave food late at night, but hold back to save money. It feels like a real delivery app, so I somehow keep looking at it. I don’t end up ordering anything, but it feels like it relieves a little stress,’ he said.

And over on social media, several people were in support of the sites as a tool to prevent them from making impulse purchases and getting into debt.

Reddit user u/yepthisismyusername shared: ‘If it works, this is great. Very much “no harm done” as I see it. Something that can give the dopamine of addiction with none of the pitfalls is a great thing.’

While u/TheAmazingBildo admitted: ‘I would love this. Not because I’m a shopping addict, but because I’m too poor to buy anything for real.’

However, not everyone thought the trend was positive, as some saw it as a sign that consumerism is out of control.

u/LongMelford proclaimed it was ‘end-stage capitalism’, as u/middaymoon found the sites to be ‘extremely grim’.

And u/Smooovies agreed, saying: ‘This is like that food where you season rocks and lick the flavor off lol. Capitalism has literally consumed the ability to consume.’

A few people also thought it felt ‘dystopian as f***’, like something out of an episode of Black Mirror, and said they’d stick to the traditional method of ‘window shopping’ in the physical world instead.

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