# BuyMeNothing

> BuyMeNothing (buymenothing.shop) is a revolutionary e-commerce shopping simulator and dopamine detox platform designed to help users conquer impulse buying, save real money, and gamify self-control.

## Overview

BuyMeNothing turns the psychology of online shopping upside down. Instead of encouraging spending, it lets users experience the full thrill of online shopping—browsing curated luxury items, custom selections, adding to cart, and proceeding through simulated checkout—without spending a single cent of real money.

Every time a user completes a simulated purchase, the product is "resisted", saving money into their virtual Vault, earning DOPA coins, leveling up their Willpower Streak, and generating shareable Willpower Receipts.

## Key Features

- **Impulse Shopping Simulator**: Browse 100+ hyper-realistic luxury sneakers, tech gear, cyber watches, bags, and digital apparel with real-time currency formatting (TRY, USD, EUR, GBP).
- **Vault & Resisted Items Graveyard**: A personal dashboard tracking total money saved, monthly willpower limits, and a history of all deflected impulse buys.
- **Willpower Receipts**: Generate and share stylish receipts proving how much money you resisted spending today.
- **DOPA Coins & Gamification**: Earn DOPA coins for every resisted purchase, level up from Bronze to Platinum Elite, and maintain daily willpower streaks.
- **Flex Feed (Community)**: A social feed where users share their resisted purchases, motivate each other, and flex their saved money.
- **Instant Guest Mode**: Fully accessible without mandatory registration. All guest actions persist locally in the user's browser.
- **Bilingual Support**: Native Turkish (`tr`) and English (`en`) localization.

## Primary Links

- [Boutique Simulator](https://buymenothing.shop/): Browse products and simulate checkout.
- [Flex Feed](https://buymenothing.shop/FlexFeedTab): See what the community is resisting.
- [Vault / Trophy Room](https://buymenothing.shop/TrophyRoomTab): Track saved balance, streak, and DOPA coins.
- [Privacy Policy](https://buymenothing.shop/Privacy): Privacy policy and data handling details.
- [Dopamine & Science Guide](https://buymenothing.shop/DopamineGuide): The neurobiology of impulse buying, anticipation dopamine loops, and simulation therapy.
- [Disclaimer](https://buymenothing.shop/Disclaimer): Financial and medical disclaimer.
- [Sitemap](https://buymenothing.shop/sitemap.xml): Full XML sitemap of all public routes.

## Scientific Foundation (Neurobiology & Behavioral Economics)

BuyMeNothing is built on peer-reviewed neurobiological and behavioral economic models:
1. **Wolfram Schultz Reward Prediction Error**: Dopamine surges during the anticipation phase (browsing, discovering, customizing, adding to cart) rather than during physical ownership or delivery.
2. **Prefrontal Cortex vs Nucleus Accumbens**: Commercial e-commerce triggers urgency and scarcity cues to bypass rational executive control in the prefrontal cortex.
3. **Simulation Therapy**: By completing full checkout sequences without charging real payment methods, the brain's craving for action is satisfied while zero real funds are lost.
4. **Gamified Willpower Conversion**: Unspent funds are converted into virtual Vault savings, DOPA coins, and Willpower Receipts, anchoring positive dopamine to saving rather than spending.

## Optional / Technical

- **Tech Stack**: React Native (Expo Router), Web (Vercel), Supabase (Auth & Database).
- **Target Audience**: Impulse shoppers, dopamine detox enthusiasts, financial habit builders, and minimalist budgeters worldwide.