Understanding Consumer Goal Setting Behavior and Impulsive Buying

Volume : VII, Issue : VII, July - 2018

Dr. Saju Eapen Thomas

Customers buy products or services because they have problems for which they are seeking solutions. Hence any

buying process should be construed as a logical decision making process which require goal setting and goal

striving behaviors. Such goal setting behavior is initiated by unful􀃶lled needs, wants and desires. This article draws attention to some of the

note-worthy research work on goal setting and goal pursuit behavior by consumers and also delves into the three tiered goal hierarchy

model. In this model, goals and their attributes can be represented as frames consisting of ‘􀃸exible, loosely organized bodies of knowledge‘.

The hierarchy starts with super ordinate goals which are linked to next levels of lower order goals. The goal setting and goal pursuit behavior

mentioned in the early part of this article is related to conscious goods. Impulsive buying behavior is representative of unconscious goals in

humans. Hence, impulsive buying depict the other end of the spectrum, wherein buying of goods is on the basis of spur of the moment

decision making. This article also looks at the role of affect in triggering impulsive buying behavior.