Well, as I understand it, it is proven that consumerism has to do with psychological factors; and the marketing has explained it very appropriately in all its breadth: The colors, the smells, the sounds, the words, the tone of voice, the level of lighting, the subliminal messages, and even the prices that touch certain amounts (such as $9.99 , $1.99, $99.99, etc.), influence people's purchasing decisions so that they buy things that they don't really need, or that they need and can get at a cheaper price. This is so, and large companies know it.

Thus, the differential value or real quality that exists between the different products that people buy preferring over others is generally minimal, null, or already decidedly subjective. But most people have a hard time understanding all of these things.

I personally think that the only solution for not being consumerism prey is to become conscious consumers. This means, among many other things, being able to distinguish what we need to buy, and trying to buy it at the best possible price and of the best possible quality, based on the budget we have for such a matter. Perhaps this way we will not have the best of the best, but for sure the best that we can afford given our purchasing power and in direct relation to our personal needs.