Impulse Buying Explained: Why You Buy Stuff You Don’t Need

We’ve all gone to the store to buy one thing and ended up with full bags of stuff we didn’t plan to buy. That’s impulse buying, an interesting phenomenon that affects us more than we think. In fact, studies show that about 40-80% of consumer purchases happen because of this. (Rodrigues et al., 2021)

Impulse buying happens for many reasons, especially psychological ones.

Emotions

Feelings such as stress, boredom, or excitement can push someone to shop. Emotional states (like anxiety, low self-esteem, or mood swings), sensory experiences in stores, and persuasive marketing messages all strongly influence impulse purchases. People who buy impulsively often share psychological traits such as higher levels of anxiety, depression, or compulsive tendencies.

FOMO

People buy things without thinking because they don't want to miss out on a good deal or a limited-time offer. We also may buy things we didn't want to because of social pressure and give in to the feeling of “fitting in”.

Thinking It’s a Great Deal

Sales, discounts, and “buy one, get one” offers trick the brain into believing you are saving money, even if the purchase is not necessary.

Reward System

People also often get items that bring instant gratification, especially when they are feeling down or sad. The dopamine rush makes the brain feel a sense of reward. Impulse buying is triggered by sudden, strong desires that are difficult to resist, even if the long-term consequences are regret or wasted money.

How can I reduce impulse buying? 

• Make sure to have a shopping list

• Wait 24 hours before buying non-essentials

• Keep in mind the question, “Will I actually be using this during the next month?” 

Impulse buying gets the best of us, but being aware of why it happens can help you shop smarter and save money.

Works Cited

Co, H. W. (n.d.). The psychology of impulse buying. https://www.achca.org/index.php?option=com_dailyplanetblog&view=entry&category=senior-living&id=112:the-psychology-of-impulse-buying

Rodrigues, R. I., Lopes, P., & Varela, M. (2021). Factors affecting impulse buying behavior of consumers. Frontiers in Psychology, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.697080