Consumer Shopping Behaviour in Relation to Factors Influencing Impulse Buying: A Case of Superstores in Karachi, Pakistan

Abstract

The significance of understanding impulse purchasing in retail stores was first acknowledged in the marketing literature over fifty years ago. Impulse purchase illustrates any purchase, which a consumer makes throughout it was not planned. This study aimed at highlighting the impact of external and internal factors that influence consumer impulse buying behaviour at super stores in Karachi. This paper contains two variables, i.e. Dependent variable “Consumer impulse buying behaviour” and Independent variables namely external factors (Visual merchandising, Shopping environment and Promotional activities), internal factors (Gender, Credit card and Hedonic motivation). This study attempts to explore the association exists between the variables implicated. This research is quantitative study because there is certain population, among them we tapping the responses of 265 respondents to get their relevant opinions pertaining to our topic. This research examined that consumer’s impulse buying behaviour in super stores are favourable in Karachi. Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) tool is used for data analysis. The outcome of the present study verifies that there is a pivotal relationship between visual merchandising, promotional activities, shopping environment, gender, credit card and hedonic motivation with consumer impulse buying behaviour. Consumers are more likely to buy impulsively when they see the colourful surroundings and calm environment not just motivating the consumers to buy involuntarily but also build excitement inside the consumer’s minds. Visual merchandising and hedonic motivation and shopping environment have an important role-play for consumer’s impulse buying. The availability of credit cards and promotional offers also somehow influence consumers for impulse buying.

Keywords: Visual Merchandising, Hedonic Motivation, Promotional Activities.