Impulse buying is when you buy something without giving it much thought or planning ahead of time. It usually happens without planning, based on feelings, wants, or outside factors rather than making a smart choice. People can buy things on the spot both online and in real stores.
According to a recent study that was published in the Journal of Marketing, persons who drank a free espresso drink right before entering retail outlets spent roughly 50% more money inside than people who drank decaffeinated coffee or water.
Caffeinated customers were found to spend 30% more on average and were far more inclined to buy non-essential things in addition to spending more money overall.
Dipayan Biswas, an associate professor of marketing at the University of South Florida, is the study’s lead author. “While moderate amounts of caffeine intake can have positive health benefits, there can be unintended consequences of being caffeinated while shopping,” she said in a statement released to mark the study’s publication.
In other words, people wanting to rein in impulsive spending should refrain from drinking caffeinated beverages before going shopping.
Another experiment involving internet shopping involved university students who were given the option of choosing their purchases from a list of products while caffeinated or not with coffee.
Both in-person and online formats, coffee drinkers and non-drinkers were equally likely to buy kitchen equipment or notebooks, but caffeinated buyers were significantly more likely to buy luxuries like scented candles or massagers.
“Caffeine is a potent stimulant that causes the brain to release dopamine, which energizes both the body and the mind. This results in a more energized state, which heightens impulsivity and reduces self-control, according to Biswas.
Caffeine use consequently increases impulse buying in terms of the quantity of products bought and the amount spent.