The Purchase Cube: A Three-dimensional Typology of Purchase

Behaviors
(Baumgartner 2010)

 Why there are several types of purchase scenarios?

 What are the different types of purchases?
 What are the managerial implications?

 Concept-New typology is added which describes different types of

purchases based on the notion that consumer faces different purchase
scenarios with respect to make buying decisions.

 Methodology-Purchase is a multidimensional phenomenon-three

dimensions as cube.
X axis- Functional purchases vs. symbolic purchases
Y axis-Low purchase involvement vs. High purchase involvement
Z axis-Spontaneous Purchases vs. Deliberate Purchases

Types of Purchases- Eight types of purchases as per the combination of XYZ.

1. Functional-Low-Spontaneous: Casual Purchase Behavior ((e.g., buying a
product out of convenience, mindlessly, or without thinking much about it).

2. Functional-High-Spontaneous: Promotional purchase behavior (e.g., buying

a product because the price is good or because it’s on sale).

3. Symbolic-Low-Spontaneous: Impulse purchase behavior (e.g., buying a

product to satisfy instant gratification)
 4. Symbolic-High-Spontaneous: Exploratory purchase behavior (e.g., buying
something because of a desire for variety, out of curiosity, or simply to give
it a try)

5. Functional-Low-Deliberate: Repetitive Purchase Behavior (e.g., buying

something out of habit, because of loyalty to the brand, or due to
familiarity).

6. Functional-High-Deliberate: Extended purchase decision making (e.g.,

making a purchase based on the performance, quality, or value of the
product, buying something because the purchase solves a problem, making
a purchase based on a careful comparison of the available options)

7. Symbolic-Low-Deliberate: Hedonic purchase behavior (e.g., buying

something because of a desire for sensory gratification, because it’s fun or
because a person simply wants the product).

8. Symbolic-High-Deliberate: Symbolic purchase behavior (e.g., buying

something because of social motivations such as status or social approval,
or because of psychological motivations such as a desire to project a certain
self-image)

Managerial Implications:
 IMC
 Segmentation
 Marketing strategy
 Design omnichannel
References:
 Baumgartner, H. (2002): Toward a personology of the consumer. Journal of Consumer Research, Vol. 29,
September, pp. 286-292.
 Baumgartner, H. (2010): A review of prior classifications of purchase behavior and a proposal for a new
typology. In Malhotra, N. K. (Ed.), Review of Marketing Research, Vol. 6, pp. 3-36.