A Study on the Psychological and Behavioral Characteristics of Consumer Impulse Buying.

Sang-Jo, Kim(Department of Business Administration Graduate School of Pusan National University)

Spontaneous or impulsive buying is a pervasive and distinctive aspect of consumer's shopping life style and also a focal point for considerable marketing management activity. Despite of importance of impulse buying behavior in consumer behavior, there is little consensus about what impulse buying actually is and what influences such behavior. Also because of varied and complex aspect of such behavior, impulse buying behavior research is in need of an adequate theoretical framework to guide empirical investigation.

Also, most of the studies on the impulse buying behavior have been plagued by a number of definitional and operational problem. This shortcoming results from researchers not having incorporated the psychological context underlying consumer's impulse buying behavior.

Applying this propensity of consumer behavior to the marketing strategy, I think, the research in impulse buying behavior should be committed much more precisely.

This study, therefore, addressed unsolved issues by providing',

(1) A defining of the impulse buying behavior

(2) An understanding of the psychological characteristics of impulsive purchaser

(3) An investigation of the behavioral aspects of impulsive purchaser

(4) An interpretation of how situational variables impact and are impacted by impulse buying behavior

(5) An investigation of the linkage between consumer's impulse buying behavior and demographic variables

By means of logical analysis and research, 4% citizen in Pusan selected as samples and surveyed through questionnaires.

The findings showed that the impulsive purchase group had higher leveled stimulus pursuit tendency and the hypothesized relationships between consumer's behavioral variables with impulse buying behavior were generally established, only excepted the variable of exploration through shopping.

The linkage between situational factors and impulse buying showed that certain types of situational variable are more closely related to impulse buying behavior. The result suggested that impulsive purchase group be more influenced sensory factors than epistemic factors at decision making time, for example, distinctive design and style of brands, colors, etc..

The relationships between consumer's impulse buying behavior and demographic variables should make it easier to identify segments with the consumer's impulsiveness level. Younger, not-married, and female seem to have higher impulsiveness. But, The level of education, income average, disposal-income average, and types of job do not affect the propensity of impulse buying behavior.