Influence of impulse buying behaviour of women consumers in Kerala

Abstract

The impulse buying behaviour is a common customer phenomenon that has significant effects on people, businesses, and the whole economy. The rationality of customers in market places has been forgotten since time when more alternatives have come to exist. This results in impulsive buying characterised by spontaneous and often unplanned purchase of goods or services without deliberation or prior decision making. This behaviour may take different forms such as picking up a chocolate bar at the grocery store checkout to purchasing high value items that were not planned for like designer clothes or expensive gadgets. The study of impulsive buying behaviour is crucial in the field of consumer psychology and marketing because it helps to understand why people make these spontaneous purchases from a psychological perspective. This information can be used by businesses to enhance their marketing intelligence and sales, and also strategic implications are made on how they can attract consumers into their stores for improvement in sales. In addition, comprehending the impacts of impulsive buying assists people to have more informed choices and better management over their finances. Impulse-buying is fast gaining popularity globally with an unexpected percentage of global customer population now admitting to most of their purchases being done impulsively, according to a 2023 survey. This marks remarkable growth from the last year’s figure when only 59% reported such behaviours. It is however quite worrying due to the financial impact since currently an average person spends R.S.300 every month on impulse purchases up from 2020. These impulsive purchases are not limited to one platform, with nearly three out of four shoppers making unplanned buys in physical stores, but online impulse shopping is also on the rise, with over half of shoppers confessing to making an unprepared online purchase in the past month. It's worth noting that women are more prone to impulse buying than men, as a recent study by Invest in 2023 found that 58% of women admitted to making an impulse purchase in the past week, compared to 48% of men (Source: Statista., 2023). The most common categories for these spontaneous purchases include clothing, food, and electronics. Impulse buying often involves credit card use, leading to potential debt and financial troubles, and it's more likely to happen when individuals are stressed, tired, or hungry. Moreover, social media and the convenience of online retailers play a pivotal role in attracting consumers to make impulsive decisions, reinforcing the need for greater self- awareness in the face of this purchasing phenomenon