By Patrick Fitzmaurice, Principal, The Capre Group
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Key Concepts: 1. Despite economic pressures, shoppers still treat themselves to impulse purchases; 2. The #1 reason shoppers buy on impulse is because a product is "in my path." |
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Despite budget pressures and economic worries, the majority of shoppers are still making unplanned purchases in-store. Only 23% of the shoppers in a recent survey of ours did not purchase anything on impulse.
Shoppers are most likely to make impulse purchases in two categories:
• Grocery (36%); and
• Clothing & Apparel (19%).
But why?
What makes shoppers purchase things on impulse? The key things that drive impulse purchases vary across categories.
The leading reasons are:
• It was on sale/it was a good deal (42%);
• I wanted to treat myself (38%);
• I wanted to try it (26%);
• It met a need that I had (21%); and
• It looked new and exciting (16%).
“Sale” was not listed as the primary reason across categories except in Clothing & Apparel, where sale is by far the most significant factor driving impulse purchases (53%).
Take notice!
What made shoppers notice an impulse item? On top of the list is that an item was “in my path.” So, literally being in shoppers’ paths tops the list, along with having appropriate signage or a noticeable display.
These are just some of the findings our company has tracked over the past several years in our WAYPOINTS studies. For more studies like these, please feel free to visit The Capre Group website.
Patrick Fitzmaurice has worked with companies such as Unilever, Nielsen and Donnelley Marketing. He is currently a principal at the Capre Group, a consultancy that drives development of general marketing and shopper marketing strategies with clients including The Coca-Cola Company, Cargill, Chick-fil-A and Hershey.
