Abstract
In today's consumer contexts, especially in increasingly digital and electronically mediated marketplaces, retail therapy has become a major form of emotion-regulation activity. This study synthesizes data from 24 peer-reviewed journal papers to give a systematic evaluation of the literature on retail therapy literature published during 2000 and 2025. The review incorporates findings from several theoretical frameworks, methodological techniques, and consuming situations using the SPAR-4-SLR methodology. The analysis identifies circumstances in which retail therapy may become maladaptive while highlighting it as a complex phenomenon with roots in hedonic drive, compensatory consumption, and mood regulation. The findings show significant theoretical pluralism, a strong dependence on cross-sectional survey designs, and a little application of behavioral and longitudinal techniques. Key study needs pertaining to technology environments, cultural contexts, and long-term consequences are also identified by the review. This study provides an organized framework and future research agenda for advancing theory and practice in consumer psychology and retail management by combining disparate data.