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July 2, 2024
Guest Writer, Bizrate Insights
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Impulse buying often conjures up scenarios from brick-and-mortar stores: gum and candy by the register or chocolate syrup next to the ice cream aisle. But with people spending around 25% more than they plan to online, there’s evidence for digital shops to leverage impulse buying too. In ecommerce, shoppers make unplanned purchases during quick, intent-driven micro-moments: while comparing products on their phones, checking reviews in-store, looking for a deal, or adding one more item before checkout. For online retailers, these moments create opportunities to increase revenue, improve the customer experience, and build loyalty when recommendations are relevant, useful, and ethical.
Intent-driven actions where people turn to a device — typically a smartphone — to learn about, experience, or buy something. People expect to find the right information quickly.
Unplanned purchases often made on a whim or added to a cart immediately before checkout, potentially triggered by personalized shopping experiences, especially in a digital ecosystem.
This blog explores the psychological and situational factors that drive impulse purchases, as well as the basic trends and prevalence of impulse buying. It connects specific types of micro-moments with relevant opportunities for impulse buying and strategies for how merchants can shape them. With actionable insights, this report provides a game plan for ecommerce businesses to ethically incorporate impulse buying as part of the customer journey.
While the prevalence and patterns of impulse buying ebb and flow with economic conditions, the behavior accounts for 40% to 80% of all purchases. But not all unplanned purchases are impulsive: customers could simply need an item they didn’t put on their shopping list. So, what factors influence the impulsiveness of last-minute add-ons?
Impulse buying is often driven by emotional triggers that meet the power of temptation. Individuals see an item they believe will benefit their current emotional state. Without thought, they purchase it. Different emotions drive specific impulse purchases.
A shopper is upset his house plants keep dying and impulse buys a soil moisture meter.
A woman just learned she’s going to have a niece and purchases the first baby clothes she sees.
A person had a difficult day at work and impulse buys a sweet treat on the way home to soothe.
Impulse buying driven by heightened emotions is sometimes called “retail therapy,” where a person uses shopping to ease distress. One survey found that consumers reported splurging to seek comfort, relaxation, and reduced stress more than any other reason. Research also shows that anticipation releases the feel-good chemical dopamine. So, when customers anticipate clicking the buy button for an impulse purchase, they get a quick burst of excitement.
In addition to emotions, scarcity heuristic — feeling that a product is rare or limited — can activate impulse buying. This occurs during natural disasters or supply chain disruptions, as seen with personal protective equipment, cleaning supplies, and toilet paper during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Social proof is another cognitive bias that drives impulse buying. People are influenced by others — if they see other people have an item, they are primed to impulse buy it when they see it next. This occurs with trendy items, such as when Stanley released its colorful Quenchers tumblers that gained a viral following on Instagram and TikTok.
Environmental and social cues — how customers interact with an ecommerce space — also impact impulse buying behavior. Unexpected needs can be triggered by:
The ease of the shopping experience, including website layout, user experience, and checkout, can guide impulse shopping. For example, 27% of Americans indicated they were more likely to impulse buy an item if the website showcased a “buy now, pay later” option.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, top impulse spending categories included clothing, vehicles, coffee, books, and takeout. Post-pandemic, impulse purchases shifted to more basic need or household items, such as cleaning supplies, toilet paper, and canned food.
As inflation has grown, this change to “wiser” impulse purchases has remained. In 2023, 39% of customers reported impulse buying necessities compared to 19% for luxuries. Finding a good deal on needed items can drive impulse purchases when people have a savings mindset.
As of 2024, nine in ten Americans own a smartphone and 15% of adults access the internet only through their phones, meaning they don’t have home-based broadband service. This widespread mobile use has increased micro-moments in customers’ everyday lives. People take quick glances at their smartphones to check the time, respond to a text, review their calendar, or scroll social media.
Additionally, 91% of smartphone owners use their devices to look up information they need or that interests them in the moment or during a related task. These mobile micro-moments — instances where an individual wants something right away — are ripe for impulse purchases, and typically fall into four categories: Learn, Visit, Buy, and Do.
People reach for their phones when they have a question and want to learn something:
In these micro-moments, customers aren’t necessarily looking to buy something. Instead, an interest popped into their mind, and they moved to do some related research and discover something new. Depending on their search results, they may make a related impulse purchase:
People use their smartphones when they want to go somewhere. They might search:
Sixty-nine percent of leisure travelers search for vacation ideas during spare time, such as waiting in a line or for public transportation. Almost half then book their chosen travel through another channel.
By understanding what customers need when looking to go somewhere, ecommerce businesses can present items that pair with the mood or intent, such as bathing suits or sun hats for people researching beach destinations or common garden supplies for someone looking for nearby greenhouses.
People grab their phones when they think of something they need to buy or need help figuring out where, how, or what to buy. In fact, Bizrate Insights surveyed 1,000 people in April 2024 to learn about their mobile shopping habits and found that 93% consult their smartphones while in physical stores. Viewing product options (50%) and checking product ratings and reviews (42%) were the top reasons for doing so.
These micro-moments of consulting a mobile device for purchasing recommendations can pair with impulse buying in a variety of ways, such as:
In these micro-moments, people recognize they need something but may be unsure how to start. Targeted recommendations can offer solutions and foster impulse buying:
With thoughtful tactics and brand development, impulse purchases can become an effective strategy in the ecommerce space.
Not all micro-moments promote impulse buying — some can hinder it. For every second delay in a website’s loading time, there’s a 12% reduction in conversions. If your site is not optimized for mobile shopping, you’re not meeting the customer’s need for immediacy when they reach for their phone to learn, visit, buy, or do.
To encourage impulse buying, optimize your website and channels for mobile:
The “Rule of 7” posits that customers must see your brand at least seven times before they’ll make a purchase. Research shows that if a person experienced something positively in the past, they’ll be more impulsive with buying it in the future. While impulse buying seems spontaneous, brands capitalize on the event by building relationships with customers over time.
To do so, anticipate when and where customers will have micro-moments with your brand and what they’ll want in that scenario:
What questions might your customers ask? What are their interests and demographics? What are their pain points and behavior patterns?
Where does mobile fit in? Take the journey yourself and note where you’d ask for more information. Identify potential barriers to purchase.
Use Google Trends to see when and how frequently people search for your brand, products, or related topics.
Review Google Analytics to pinpoint which search queries lead traffic to your site and which sites are top referrers to your brand.
In recent years, mobile-based searches for “product reviews” have increased more than 35%. When someone uses their phone to research a product or choose a brand, ensure your company stands out with user-generated reviews. Include these on your product pages and encourage them on top review sites and social media platforms.
Pair product reviews from real customers with additional social proof that others are buying, and therefore, see value in your product. Highlight the number of people who have bought your product in the last 24 hours on product pages or include text like, “Someone in Washington bought this 30 minutes ago!”
One-third of customers with a smartphone buy from a brand other than their first choice because it provided the right information when they needed it, and 75% choose brands that regularly deliver information that is useful and relevant to their target audience.
For example, the outdoor recreation company REI produces a wealth of resources — from blogs to how-to videos — about camping, hiking, kayaking, and other outdoor activities. Someone searching for how to use trekking poles could easily land on its page and make a purchase given the company’s status as a subject matter expert.
Provide relevant content that helps customers make final decisions. Consider what customers are experiencing and searching for, and then be the advisor they need in the moment.
Brick-and-mortar stores promote impulse buying by enticing all five senses. Ecommerce shops can use physical stimuli and product placement to evoke these senses and encourage add-ons:
Research shows that people who make impulse purchases seek novelty and experience positive emotions when finding new things. Innovate your products to provide items that surprise and delight customers. Include recommendations for new goods to try, suggest a unique experience, or share an unexpected secondary use for your product.
Seasonal items tap into current feelings and needs. They’re also inherently time-limited, creating urgency to get them while they last. And holiday-related items serve as helpful last-minute reminders — Don’t forget mom this Mother’s Day! — while driving impulse sales.
Trendy items are also good to spotlight for add-on purchases, as it’s likely people have seen them already. That familiarity and social proof primes customers to add them to their cart. Try framing these as “treat yourself” purchases.
Sixty-seven percent of consumers have reported impulse buying when an item was on sale, with 58% saying they only impulse buy when items are on sale. Highlight deals and special promotions to encourage this, such as:
For conditional promotions, like earning free shipping when meeting a minimum purchase amount, suggest lower-priced, relevant items to fill the cart. Digital Commerce 360 and Bizrate Insights surveys have shown the power of free shipping offers to encourage buying, with 76% of respondents indicating free shipping as the top attribute they look for with online retailers.
Urgency gives customers a deadline for making their purchase, driving quicker action. Use language to communicate time limits that encourage impulse buying:
Bold and bright colors also draw attention to urgent messages, such as using red to highlight sale items. Meanwhile, limited edition products activate scarcity heuristic.
Promote a surprise treat with delivery to move customers through checkout. This gives them the excitement of making the initial impulse purchase, as well as the anticipation of receiving their mystery gift when the package arrives.
Facilitate later micro-moments with a thoughtful unboxing experience. Include a thank you card with a QR code customers can scan for:
Since impulse buying is rooted in emotional triggers and reward-seeking behavior, customers may detach from logical decision-making around their budget or actual needs. This can lead to regret or feeling manipulated if companies don’t design opportunities in an ethical way.
There are several ways to wield impulse buying in a conscientious manner:
Helpful impulse purchases remind customers of what they actually need. Pair items that will lead to a better overall experience.
Studies show that spending money on others makes people happier. Promote impulse purchases meant to be gifted.
Customers are four to six times more likely to buy from purpose-driven brands. Show how you make a difference.
Make your return policies, warranty information, and other processes clear and easy to find for consumers.
Reminding customers about their upcoming subscription and opportunities to adjust it builds trust and avoids appearing sneaky.
Consumer protection is your responsibility. Ethical marketing and sales can increase revenue by lowering returns, boosting sales through personalization, and nurturing long-term relationships.
Increased smartphone use has ushered in an era of micro-moments that demand immediacy. When brands know their customers’ needs along the purchasing journey, they can meet them with purposeful recommendations and memorable experiences that drive impulse buying. Micro-moments can boost revenue and foster brand loyalty over time.
With proven solutions for measuring the entire customer life cycle, Bizrate Insights partners with ecommerce brands to elevate their approach to encouraging impulse purchases and providing an overall excellent customer experience.
For a PDF download version of this report: Download Now
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