How Does Shopping With Others Influence Impulsive Purchasing?

Author: Luo, Xueming
Source: Journal of Consumer Psychology; 2005, Vol. 15 Issue 4, p288-294, 7p, 2 charts

Summary:

This research examines how the presence of others influences impulsive purchasing. Impulsive purchasing is defined as consumer’s unplanned purchase. It accounts for as much as 62% of supermarket sales and 80% of all sales in certain product categories. This research suggests that the presence of others in a purchasing situation is likely to have influence on the decision. Whether the others are peers or family members, consumers may believe that others’ opinions and behaviors are reliable. They may use others’ behavior and their purchases as visible indicators of socially desirable activities. Researchers also evaluate two factors which affect the situation; (a) the inherent susceptibility to social influence and (b) the structure of the group (cohesive vs. not cohesive). (a)Susceptibility to influence is defined as an individual’s willingness to accept information from other people. Effects of peers’ presence and family members’ presence on impulsive purchasing will be greater when people are susceptible to influence. (b)The effects of the presence of others are likely to be greater when the group (peers or family) is cohesive.

This research examined these possibilities with 2 experiments. In study 1, participants were assigned randomly to one of four situations of a 2 (family members vs. peer friends) × 2 (high-cohesive group vs. low-cohesive group) design, with a fifth, solo shopping control condition. In study 2, the effect of susceptibility to influence was tested according to the results of study 1.

Results of study 1 and study 2 show that the presence of peers increases the urge to purchase, but the presence of family members decreases it. This difference is greater when the group is cohesive and when the individual is susceptible to social influence.


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