Impulse Buying

Spur of the moment, unplanned decision to buy, made just before a purchase. Research findings suggest that emotions and feelings play a decisive role in purchasing, triggered by seeing the product or upon exposure to a well-crafted promotional message. Such purchases ranges from small (chocolate, clothing, magazines) to substantially large (jewelry, vehicle, work of art) and usually (about 80 percent of the time) lead to problems such as financial difficulties, family disapproval, or feeling of guilt or disappointment. See also cognitive dissonance.(by business directory) the decision-making process for consumers is anything but straight forward. There are many factors that can affect this process as a person works through the purchase decision. The number of potential influences on consumer behavior is limitless. However, marketers are well served to understand the KEY influences. By doing so they may be in a position to tailor their marketing efforts to take advantage of these influences in a way that will satisfy the consumer and the marketer (remember this is a key part of the definition of marketing). Impulse buying may be influenced by internal states or traits experienced by consumers, or by environmental factors. Researchers have attempted to determine if people who frequently engage in this behavior have some common personality traits. Other researchers have suggested that internal states and environmental cues can serve to trigger the impulse to purchase.

REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

1-For over fifty years, consumer researchers have strived to form a better definition of impulse buying. Early studies on impulse buying stemmed from managerial and retailer interests. Research in this vein placed its emphasis on the taxonomic approach to classifying products into impulse and non-impulse items in order to facilitate marketing strategies such as point-of-purchase advertising, merchandising, or in-store promotions. This approach is limited by a definitional myopia, which simply equates impulse buying to unplanned purchasing (Bellenger, Robertson, and Hirschman 1978; Kollat and Willet 1967; Stern 1962). 2-Previous studies have treated the impulse buying tendency as a generalized consumer trait consistent across product categories. This study extends previous conceptualizations and treats impulse buying tendency as context or product category specific. The results indicated that a product-specific conceptualization of the impulse buying behavior was a better predictor of actual impulse purchasing behavior when compared to general impulse buying tendency for two product categories. In addition, involvement was found to be an important variable impacting consumers' tendencies to

purchase products of a particular product category on impulse. Implications and areas for future research are also addressed.( The product-specific nature of impulse buying tendency by Michael A. Jonesa, Kristy E. Reynolds, Seungoog Weunc and Sharon E. Beattyd) 3-Contemporary high levels of consumer debt and bankruptcy suggest reconsideration of hypothesized middle-class delay of gratification. Theories of self-identity in postindustrial society propose that norms supporting impulse control and delay of gratification have weakened in favor of present-oriented expression of impulse. Previous research on socio-economic status, delay of gratification, unplanned and impulse buying is reviewed, and a conceptual model differentiating akratic impulse buying from compulsive impulse buying is proposed. Survey data from a US national sample of adults with a self-reported measure of impulse buying are analyzed and a logit model fit to the data. The results do not fit the middle-class delay of gratification model: Higher levels of impulse buying were found to be associated with some college (or other post high school) educational experience, controlling for age and gender; family income was not found to be related to impulse buying.( Socio-economic status, delay of gratification, and impulse buying by Michael Wood 1997 ) 4-In response to this definitional problem, researchers began to focus on identifying the internal psychological states underlying consumers impulse buying episodes (e.g., Rook 1987; Rook and Gardner 1993; Rook and Hoch 1985). Impulse buying was redefined as occurring "when a consumer experiences a sudden, often powerful and persistent urge to buying something immediately. The impulse to buy is hedonically complex and may stimulate emotional conflict. Also, impulse buying is prone to occur with diminished regard for its consequences" (Rook 1987, p. 191). In the same vein, Hoch and Loewenstein (1991) explained the impulse buying as a struggle between the psychological forces of desires and willpower. 5-The concept of impulse buying is discussed and characterized as encompassing purchases with high emotional activation, low cognitive control, and a largely reactive behavior. A study is conducted to investigate whether emotions causing impulse buying can be identified empirically by interview data and observation of the mimical expression of buyers and nonbuyers.( Impulsive consumer buying as a result of emotions by Peter Weinberg and Wolfgang Gottwald 2002) 6-This study compared three samples offemale consumers (textiles and clothing [TC] and non-TC students and older non-student consumers) on four impulse buying dimensions and planned buying, other shopping behaviors, and demographic characteristics. The study also identified possible predictor variables of impulse buying. Non-student consumers were most likely to be planned buyers while students were most likely to be impulse buyers. Comparisons of the three groups of consumers on

other shopping behaviors and demographic variables further supported the proposition that these groups made up different market segments. The TC students may represent young consumers especially interested in apparel. Multiple regression analyses revealed that impulse buying behavior could be predicted from other shopping behaviors and demographic variables, especially for the student groups. The findings provide a conceptual and empirical analysis of impulse buying and identify how specific variables are related to each of four dimensions of impulse buying.( Impulse Buying Behavior of Apparel Purchasers by Yu K. Han,George A. Morgan,Antigone Kotsiopulos and Jikyeong Kang-Park) 7-Current theories in economics, marketing, and psychology fail to explain underlying reasons for impulse buying and, crucially, why certain goods (e.g., clothes) are bought impulsively more than others (e.g., basic kitchen equipment). We propose and examine a social psychological model, which predicts that people impulse buy to acquire material symbols of personal and social identity. We predict that consumers will differ systematically in the goods they buy on impulse, and in their reasons for doing so, depending on their attitudes towards shopping, and also along important social categories, such as gender. Specifically, our theoretical model - drawing on a social constructionist model of material possessions (e.g., Dittmar, 1992) and symbolic selfcompletion theory (e.g. Wicklund and Gollwitzer, 1982) - leads to three sets of hypotheses: (i) some consumer durables are more likely to be bought on impulse than others, and there may be gender differences in object choices, (ii) differences will emerge in the buying considerations (e.g., functional, emotional, symbolic) that are used for impulse and planned buying, and (iii) magnitude of self-discrepancies will predict relative impulse buying frequency and the buying considerations used, if the individual uses consumption as a self-completion strategy. These predictions were expected to hold particularly strongly for individuals high in compulsive shopping tendencies. We test our model in a questionnaire study with a sample of British consumers (n = 61). The results lend support to all three sets of hypotheses. The implications of these findings are discussed with respect to economic and consumer theory, and the treatment offered to the increasing number of addicted shoppers.( Objects, decision considerations and self-image in men's and women's impulse purchases by Helga Dittmar a,Jane Beattie b and Susanne Friese c 1999 )

Articles
Impulse Buying Can Be a Good Thing When To Walk On The 'Impulse' Wild Side By Donna L Montaldo, About.com Guide Buying things on impulse is usually discouraged against in most articles you read on smart shopping but sometimes it may actually be a good thing. Understanding how

grocers set up the stores in order to tempt shoppers with impulse items will help even the most frugal shopper to enjoy a little walk on the 'impulsive' wild side. Other areas in a grocery store pushing impulse items: Displays at the end of the aisles. Announcements of price specials over the store intercom. Samples that are being cooked and entice us with the aroma and sizzling sounds. Fresh baked goods that have strong aromatic powers over consumer impulses. Introductory low prices on new products.

A Golden Window for Impulse Buying By Stephanie Clifford Apr 1, 2006 Time to Shop: Retailers have long thought that shoppers are less impulsive when they enter a store, and become more impulsive the longer they shop. Early Browsing: In one experiment, researchers asked two groups of consumers to weigh various impulse buys. Members of Group A were offered an alluring product, like a great sweater, and asked to rate their interest. Having shopped for a While: Group B was offered the sweater and, later, another impulse buy. In this test, 73 percent were less interested in that second item, whether or not they liked the sweater initially. Approaching Checkout: Though a consumer's "natural tendency to behave impulsively has dwindled" as she gets ready to pay, a retailer can rekindle a shopper's interest through clever signage and other promotions. Last Chance to Buy Something: The loss of self-control is different from impulse buying, Dholakia says. So wavering dieters, and not the occasional snacker, would buy candy at the supermarket checkout.