What is the difference between an impulsive purchase and an unplanned purchase

Suggest a new Definition Proposed definitions will be considered for inclusion in the Economictimes. Generic Strategies Michael Porter developed three generic strategies, that a company could use to gain competitive advantage, back in These three are: cost leadership, differentiation and focus.

Infomercial Definition: An infomercial is a form of advertisement which is aimed at educating the customer about a product or a series of products via television in the form of a program. Infomercial typically lasts longer than a regular advertisement and thus is more detailed.

Description: Infomercials are good for those products which require detailed explanation about their features as they can run as a regular length television program. In the print media, infomercials appear as a separate supplement. Infomercials are able to directly connect with its consumers on a real-time basis. They create that connect with the potential customer to make an enquiry about the product or place an order.

A toll-free number is generally aired on the television channel as part of an infomercial with the product code to help customers order that particular product. Another important feature of an infomercial is that it appears during off-peak hours, as compared to regular advertisements which appear during peak hours. One possible reason is that advertisement rates are generally lower around off-peak hours and because infomercials require more time, it comes out to be economical for them. There is no defined category of products that use infomercials as part of their strategy to woo customers.

Products ranging from clothes, cosmetics, sarees, home improvement, kitchen items, shoes, gym equipment, etc. One of the major feature of infomercials is the reach and because of the way it is communicated, it makes an instant connect with consumers across regions. Homeshop 18 is one example which runs infomercials.

It is a hour television channel which only airs infomercials. Apart from that, it has some more shows which run on other channels such as Colors or Sony. Definition: Impulsive buying is the tendency of a customer to buy goods and services without planning in advance.

When a customer takes such buying decisions at the spur of the moment, it is usually triggered by emotions and feelings. Description: Impulsive buying can't be categorized for one specific product category. Impulsive buying can be seen in products such as chocolates, clothes, mobile phones and in big-ticket items such as cars, jewellery etc.

Impulsive buying means making an unplanned purchase. It is based on an irrational thinking. Marketers try to tap this behavior of customers to boost sales. There is a great likelihood that customers end up making a purchase of products after entering the hypermarket without any actual intent of doing so. Many mobile phone-makers tend to exploit this trait in customers by introducing products which can be an add-on gadget for their mobiles such as fitness bands, watch etc.

Related Definitions. Browse Companies:. Unplanned Purchase vs. Impulse purchase. However, unplanned or impulse purchase has been considered a significant and important form of shopping action, yet today researchers continues to uncover different aspects and predictors causing unplanned buying.

Unplanned or deliberate buying is an integral part of contemporary shopping behaviours and hedonic pleasure is strongly associated with impulse purchase.

A large number of research articles are available on impulse buying behaviour based on western countries. In Indian context elaborate studies on impulse, purchase is not that common. According to a study done by Welles , nine out of ten buyers occasionally shop on impulse. Various researches have reported that a steady growth trend is observed in unplanned buying not only in western countries but also in eastern emerging countries.

In emerging economies like China, Brazil or in India impulse-purchasing trend is increasing. Along with the development of Indian economy, a cultural transformation fr om future oriented to present oriented attitude also play a vital role in the rapid growth of unplanned purchase. Ballenger et al.

Question arises here, whether there is a difference between unplanned buying and impulse buying. Let us have a close look on the similarities and dissimilarities between them-. Unplanned purchase normally bought by considering a future need.

An impulse purchase is also an unplanned purchase but here the motive might be different. Here the shopper is influenced by some irresistible promotional offers and the motive for purchase is hedonistic pleasure or for gaining immediate self-gratification.

Situational variables like money availability, time availability have direct influence on impulse purchase intention and as well as on amount of purchase. Unplanned purchase also can be motivated by promotional strategies, especially store display or price offers but here the future need or price sensitivity dominate the purchase motive. However, mostly the impulse purchase is hedonically complex.

List of Partners vendors. Who doesn't love a great sale? Hitting the shops, looking for a bargain and buying things that are aesthetically pleasing may be considered a benign retail therapy by some, but for others, shopping can turn into an addiction , not unlike drug and alcohol addictions.

Experts who have looked into the issue say that there is an important distinction between compulsive shopping and impulse buying and it lies with the internal motivation , or reason, for the making the purchase. A compulsive shopper will plan the shopping experience as a way to avoid or relieve uncomfortable internal feelings, such as anxiety.

Compulsive shoppers are also more likely to experience negative consequences as a result of their shopping than impulse buyers, such as running into financial difficulties, having arguments with family members, and experiencing problems with work life. This is how shopping addiction develops. According to Shopaholics Anonymous, a support group to help shopping addicts recover, there are several different types of shopaholics.

They include:. Like those addicted to other substances and behaviors, shopping addicts often become addicted to the behavior because of the way they feel while shopping. For these people, the act of shopping releases endorphins and dopamine in the brain, creating pleasurable sensations that become addictive. Some experts estimate that 10 to 15 percent of the U. Because shopping is an activity that everyone must engage in, to some extent, it can be difficult to tell when shopping has crossed the line into addiction.

Many people love to shop and even spend more than they should, but these traits don't make them addicts. To tell whether your shopping or someone else's shopping has spiraled out of control, pay attention to these signs:. Treating shopping addiction often requires a multidisciplinary approach, involving professional therapy , medication when indicated, and peer support.

While there is no "cure" for shopping addiction, many shopaholics are able to regain a sense of control and improve their finances and relationships as a result. Maintaining progress is essential since shopping is part of everyday life and cannot be avoided and, thus, the temptation is always present.