Impulsive buying and shopping motivations in emergent and mature markets

This research examines the influence of shopping motivations on impulse buying behaviour and compares these effects in emergent and mature markets. Shopping is becoming a gradually hedonic activity worldwide with an increasing number of multichannel buying opportunities. Unexpectedly, the research on the relations between shopping motivations and impulse buying does not exit, yet. Impulsive buying behaviour is a widely recognized phenomenon in mature markets. It is even estimated that 40 percent of all money spent is through impulse buying. While impulse buying has been much studied in mature markets, especially in the U.S., there have been a few studies in emergent markets. Data were collected from 520 female shopping mall visitors in four countries representing two mature markets (the Netherlands and Germany) and two emerging markets (Turkey and Russia) and analysed with structural equation modelling. There were significant differences in the effect of gratification, adventure, value, and quality seeking motivation on impulse buying, but not the ones of role play, social and idea. Adventure and gratification motivation influenced positively impulse buying both markets. Value motivation negatively influenced impulsive buying in mature markets, but opposite of it in emerging markets. Value motivation was not hedonic in mature markets; however it was both hedonic and utilitarian value in emerging markets. The effect of quality seeking motivation on utilitarian value was only significant in emerging markets. We additionally discuss several implications for marketers.