How we decide what to buy: Insights on what drives customer purchasing behavior

We interviewed people in the week-long field research to find qualitative data points to understand what drives decision-making that leads to the purchase of products. At ScaleFactor Consulting Labs, for the research, we looked at various factors such as product perception, association, sensory experience of the products.

The following insights were derived from data points that emerged during the research:

While people are conscious about the products they purchase, and trust and transparency drive their decision-making. They actively seek information to try and form an informed opinion about the product

People actively look for information about products, nutrition, handling, and consumption when they’re purchasing a product for the first time. Diet-conscious consumers need to see nutritional facts upfront which fosters a positive association and enables their decision-making.

A functional label layout that makes all the necessary information about nutrition, handling and consumption easily accessible and discoverable empowers the customer’s decision-making.

Associated visual language plays a large role in the intuitive positioning of products

Target personas have an affinity to a certain visual language. They tend to pick up products faster when they notice products that associate with that visual language that’s been tweaked and experimented on but still stay in line with the associated visual language.

Discovery is a key facet that drives people’s curiosity to interact, experience, engage with new products

People are curious about unfamiliar and exotic names that drive them to want to find more about the origin of the product. Discovery adds to the consumer’s personal story of their experience with the product which is unique to them. The first experience a customer has with the product will create strong associations in the minds of people.

The product should make the consumer engage with it and find imaginative ways to uncover the joy of discovering what the product means to them.

Scarce availability works in favor of products that invoke nostalgia

Nostalgia is a powerful emotion that can influence impulsive purchase decisions. As much as they like exploring new things, people also love revisiting familiarity and memories from the past too. The product offers a sense of comfort to the consumer which adds to the feel-good factor.

At the point of purchase, choosing a product over competitor products is impulse-driven

Impulse can be influenced by information about the product communicated at different levels through various mediums. Advertisements, store presence, and also by watching an adopter interact with the product. These mediums communicate in different ways to give the customer power to make an informed decision. With a lot of products competing on the same shelf space, customers hate feeling left out.

The decision they make by choosing a product should be satisfactory enough so that they don’t second guess their purchase decision over a competitor product. That’s where packaging and consumption experience comes in.

Brands should craft an experience for customers through suggestive copy, visuals, and marketing, suggesting how one can make the most out of the product

Suggesting the best way one can enjoy it is for first-time buyers who wish to use the product for the best experience the product has to offer. How consumers choose to make the product a part of their consumption as part of their discovery process.

Positive experiences associated with the product leads to brand retention, loyalty and nostalgia.