Buy Blocker

What is Buy Blocker?

Buy Blocker is a free Chrome extension designed to interrupt impulse purchases on shopping websites. When you click common purchase actions such as “Buy Now,” “Add to Cart,” or “Checkout,” it prompts you to pause and confirm before proceeding.

The extension’s core purpose is to help you create a short moment of reflection so you can decide whether you still want to buy, save an item for later, or cancel.

Key Features

• Popup on purchase buttons: Detects clicks on common purchase buttons and shows a confirmation prompt before you continue.
• Multiple nudge modes: Choose from Normal (quick confirmation), Box Breathing (16-second guided breathing), or Math Mode (solve a simple math question) to add different levels of friction.
• Keyword triggers (any language): Reacts to built-in purchase keywords and lets you add or remove your own trigger words/phrases from the extension settings.
• Save items for later with a timer: Saves items for user-selected durations (e.g., 3 days, a week, or a month). After the countdown, items move to a “trash” folder for a period before permanent deletion.
• Whitelisting and quick switching: Add trusted sites (e.g., grocery stores or utility companies) to a whitelist so Buy Blocker won’t interrupt there, and switch the extension on/off in one click.
• Local-only storage: The extension stores saved items locally on your computer and states it does not collect data about what you shop for, what sites you visit, or personal information.

How to Use Buy Blocker

1. Install Buy Blocker from the Chrome Web Store by selecting “Add to Chrome.”
2. Open the extension settings to choose a blocking mode (Normal, Box Breathing, or Math Mode).
3. Review the trigger keywords: keep the defaults or add your own phrases (in any language) and remove ones you don’t need.
4. Optionally set up a whitelist for sites where interruptions would be annoying, then leave the extension enabled.
5. When you click a purchase action on a supported site, follow the prompt to either continue, save the item for later (with the set countdown), or cancel.

Use Cases

• Reduce “autopilot” buying on product pages: When you click “Add to Cart” or “Buy Now,” the popup forces a short pause so you can re-check whether the item is actually needed.
• Use timed saving for deferred decisions: Save an item for 3 days, a week, or a month, then revisit later when the countdown ends and items move through the extension’s trash flow.
• Stay calm during checkout: If you notice you buy when stressed or rushed, Box Breathing adds a 16-second breathing exercise before you can continue.
• Disrupt quick impulse with a lightweight challenge: In Math Mode, solve a simple math question to break momentum without fully blocking the purchase.
• Avoid interruptions for routine essentials: Whitelist frequently used sites like grocery or utility providers so the extension does not interrupt those purchases.

FAQ

How does Buy Blocker work? Buy Blocker detects when you click purchase buttons on shopping sites and shows a popup asking if you really want to continue. Depending on the selected mode, you see a quick confirmation, a 16-second box breathing exercise, or a simple math question. You can continue, save the item for later, or cancel.

Will Buy Blocker block every purchase? No. It prompts you each time, and you can choose “Continue Anyway” to proceed immediately.

What modes are available? The extension offers three modes: Normal (quick confirmation), Box Breathing (16-second guided breathing), and Math Mode (solve a simple math question). You can switch modes in the extension settings.

Can I customize the trigger keywords? Yes. Buy Blocker includes default purchase keywords, and you can add your own trigger words/phrases in any language or remove defaults from the settings.

Does Buy Blocker collect my shopping data? The site states that Buy Blocker does not collect data about what you shop for or what sites you visit. It also states it stores everything locally on your computer.

Alternatives

• Budgeting or spending-tracking tools: These focus on monitoring spending after the fact rather than interrupting checkout in real time.
• Website blockers / focus extensions: Browser tools that limit access to shopping sites can reduce browsing, but they don’t provide the in-checkout pause, keyword triggers, or save-for-later flow described by Buy Blocker.
• Password or checkout friction tools (checkout delays, approval flows): Some tools add extra steps before purchase, but may not offer the specific keyword-based detection, whitelisting, and multiple reflection modes included here.