What is the term for post-purchase anxiety regarding whether a purchasing decision was correct?

The term that best captures post-purchase anxiety regarding whether a purchasing decision was correct is commonly referred to as buyer's remorse. This phenomenon occurs when a consumer experiences regret or anxiety after making a purchase, particularly if they begin to question whether the product or service they acquired was the right choice. Buyer’s remorse can stem from concerns about the cost, doubts about the necessity of the item, or comparisons to alternatives.

Cognitive dissonance, while related, refers more broadly to the mental discomfort experienced when holding conflicting beliefs or values, which might be a component of buyer's remorse but does not specifically capture the post-purchase aspect. Post-purchase evaluation denotes the broader process consumers engage in when assessing their satisfaction with a purchase, and decision fatigue refers to the diminished ability to make decisions after a long session of decision-making, which does not specifically address the feelings after a purchase has been made.