Conceptual differences between adolescent and adult impulse buyers

Abstract

Purpose -There have been recent calls for research into the impulse shopping behaviours of adolescent consumers -an important topic because adolescents are: an increasingly important market segment; a segment which has recently been empowered by the availability of easy credit; and which is increasingly targeted by strategic marketing collateral. This paper responds to the call by aiming to focus on the impulse shopping behaviours of adolescents.Design/methodology/approach -The research is qualitative in nature and utilises lengthy mini focus group interviews of both adolescent and adult consumer shoppers. The verbatim transcriptions are then subjected to both manual and automated textual analysis to derive conceptual and thematic maps of each group's discussions in relation to impulse shopping.Findings -Consistent with recent neuropsychological literature on adolescents, the findings show clear differences between adolescents and adults in relation to impulse shopping. Significant differences were found in the areas of antecedent moods, shopping purpose, and the range of perceived constraints which may moderate impulse shopping behaviour. The research also shows that impulse buying among adolescents is a behaviour which is undertaken often in response to stress and/or a need for mood amelioration and further that their conceptualisation of impulse shopping is only distantly related to a deficient set of perceived constraints when compared to adult shoppers.Practical implications -This improved understanding of the bases of adolescent impulse shopping will assist in the design of educational programs to reduce the frequency of adolescent financial problems.Social implications -There may be a reduction in the number of adolescents facing resultant financial hardship.Originality/value -This is the first such study which reports the belief structures of adolescent impulse shoppers versus adults.

Empirical measurement of the financial socialisation of children by parents

“…Van Campenhout (2015) cites Webley’s (2005, p. 194) finding that children show significant progress in their understanding of economics when they are between 6 and 12 years of age. There is a discernible difference between the financial attitudes and behaviours of youth consumers relative to adult consumers, with Brici et al (2013) finding adults to be more aware of financial constraints and budgets than youth. Adults and youth were also found to associate different emotions with impulse spending.…”

Measuring young consumers’ sustainable consumption behavior: development and validation of the YCSCB scale

“…Research in both groups has its merits. It has produced important insights into the conditions and factors affecting teenagers’ consumption choices (Lee, 2016; Perera et al , 2016), revealed incongruences between attitudes toward sustainable consumption and respective practices (Hume, 2010; Hitchings et al , 2013; Francis and Davis, 2015) and allowed the analysis of distinct, often problematic tendencies like impulsive shopping (Brici et al , 2013) or compulsive consumption (Xu, 2008) among teenagers. However, research from both fields has largely failed to provide a sophisticated foundation of what should be analyzed as teenagers’ SCBs.…”

Drivers of Impulse Buying at Retail Stores: Mediating Role of Customers’ Loyalty

“…When designing the stores, retailers may consider the factors such as young and adults characteristics that motivate the impulse buying. It is evident that adults understand their situation even during the impulse buying when compared to young consumers (Brici et al, 2013).…”