Impulse buying is not only about sales and marketing. It’s about our personality traits, emotions, self-identity and self-control.

Brands and marketers understand how these facets of the human psyche a�ect shopping habits; especially over the holidays.

Everyone makes impulse purchases

$20.00$10.00

Well, at least over90% of us do

88% of impulse buys areprompted by a sale

Buyers are 23% morelikely to make impulsepurchases on an unplannedshopping trip

Buyers are 13% lesslikely to make impulsepurchases on a plannedshopping trip

time for a shopping spree

THE HOLIDAYS ARE HERE!The �ychology of Impulse Buying

TRANSPORTATIONmakes a difference

Arriving at a store by footinstead of by car decreasesthe change of impulsepurchases by 44%

SENSESplay a big role in purchase

Buyers are heavily influenced byatmosphere–smells, sounds andsights–while shopping

Buyers average 3 impulsepurchases in 40% ofshopping trips

Negative emotions such asanger, guilt, boredom, or stressoften contribute to impulse buys

Up to 5% of adults areaddicted to impulseshopping

Impulsive buying dropsby 53% when buyers areshopping for forgottenitems or immediatenecessities

Up to 20% of grocerybills are from impulse buys

Single adults make 45%more impulse buys thanmarried adults

�y are we compelled to purchase?

Does shopping make people happier?

Studies suggest a link between common

personality traits and impulse buying

Studies show that impulse buying is correlated

with positive emotions

Some people may be more prone to impulse buying as

a result of negative emotions

Those who equate possessions with success are more

susceptible to impulse buy

Ways to market There are many ways to trigger impulse buying. Here are the top 3

1 . ITEM TYPES

IMPULSE BUYS TEND TO BE

2 . PRODUCT PLACEMENT

PRODUCT PLACEMENT

Location is everything

Shoppers are more likely to

purchase small holiday gifts

around the register

3 . PROMOTION

PROMOTION

Discounts and sales draw

major attention

Placing non-sale items next

to sale items makes them

more attractive

Sale�ice!

IT’S THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR… TO SHOP.

�at’s driving your impulses?Sourcesuie.com/publications/whitepapers/ImpulseBuying.pdfkent.ac.uk/kbs/documents/res/working-papers/2011/234_2011.pdfselfgrowth.com/articles/Five_Life-Changing_Facts_About_Impulse_Buying.htmlpsychologytoday.com/blog/consumer-behavior/201303/five-reasons-we-impulse-buybiomedcentral.com/1741-7015/9/90/abstractindependent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/depression-rates-higher-in-wealthy-countries-study-finds-2326414.htmlhibbertmcgee.com/increasing-impulse-purchases-buying/betabait.com/the-impulse-shopping-fact-sheet/

$

chocolate

2 for 1

Impulse Purchases are rarely things we need, instead

they are usually things that make us feel good

Psychologists link impulse purchases to a sense of

- Control - Empowerment - Boosting self-esteem - Self-regulation

Loss Aversion isNOT WANTING TO MISS OUT

Loss aversion is the human characteristic of

trying to avoid future negative feelings

We are highly motivated by sales because we feel

bad if we miss an opportunity

Strategically placed sale items trigger

our fear of loss

DelusionYEP… NOT KIDDING

We buy things on sale and disregard any

previous outcomes

We buy gym equipment thinking it will cause us

to work out - it doesn’t

We purchase a new car thinking it will make us

happier - it doesn’t

The impressionOF SAVING MONEY

We are hardwired to accumulate items over time

The ideas of “value” and saving is highly motivational

Marketers play on this innate motivation through

sales, packaging, and wording like "30% more"

Small

Inexpensive

Fulfill a need or desire

The PleasureOF PURCHASING