Topic+Four


 * Group Position **


 * Question to consider for research:**
 * Where does your group stand regarding this issue? What position are you going to be advocating? What would you like to have your target audience do about it?

At the turn of the century with the change and use of technology, the people have significantly transformed. One dynamic aspect of this change is how one dealt with shopping urges and situations. Impulse buying occurs when one “gets caught up in the hype of a situation and you buy something without thinking much about it” (MoneyStuff!). This group has a split stand regarding this issue. We believe that impulse buying is a negative option but given the capitalist society in which we currently live in, it is for the most part unavoidable. In this paper, we will state some of the tips and guides to avoid impulse buying along with a quick overview of what impulse buying is and who it affects. Also, we will better clarify our position regarding this important issue by giving a short in-depth analysis.

Impulse buying is perhaps best defined as the “purchase habits of consumers who buy goods or services at the beginning point of conduct" (Zanella). Impulse is a drive, an urge to do something without thinking before and during an act. Many stores will use such tactics as ‘clearance sale,’ 10% off, or use workers to directly contact the customers, influencing the customers’ decision making process. “Believe it or not, many stores count on impulse spenders, and actually arrange their products accordingly” (Zanella). They would place items you need at the back of the store, while the fronts would be filled with new products or products on sale. Also, the way the store’s aisles are made and the signs around the store can strongly attract impulsive buyers. The best strategy is to “become aware of the buying environment,” (Zanella) no matter in which age or sex group you belong to. However, the most used solution impulsive buyers are told is: to maintain a budget and control your cash flow. This is excellent and proper advice. **But** we believe this key advice is not so effective. People, in general, do not like to be told or directed on how they should spend their own money. Thus, the issue then becomes not about how much money one spends, but rather why one buys- particularly focusing on what and when one buys.

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For some people, shopping can be a major stress reliever, and spending money can boost a person’s mood significantly. Money is a source of power, and the ability to spend it makes a person feel empowered. Impulse buying is fueled by the uncontrollable urge to spend money, most often on unnecessary items. (Zanella) ====== That is to say that buying can relieve stress, enhance mood, give a sense of more superiority and power, and can possibly change the person committing the act of buying, to act differently after purchasing the product. But theses are all positive traits. Essentially “impulse buying is not always bad, provided you have the money.” In addition, our research indicates that three significant things must be met when conducting a transaction. These are: compare items for price and quality, keep all receipts, and check out the warranty. Hence, we have established that impulse buying may not be such a bad thing on two key criteria: that one controls his/her impulse to buy further, avoiding an unwanted habit and to not purchase on credit- either you have the capital required to buy the product(s) or you do not. Avoid to purchase at times can also be helpful, as your money can have a bigger use than just temporary desire.

Impulse buyers can be anyone anywhere. We all may think differently, but in the process of shopping, we can establish similar habits and character traits. This paper is predominantly targeted at the youth. The youth are a substantial portion of the market. Given this, they are also in certain areas the biggest impulsive buyers. The reasons why are evident. The youth can be easily influenced- due to their limited knowledge on how the market works and the affects of marketing – or their desire for a product solely based on what they see and hear from their fellow friends, TV, celebrity recommendations, etc. Another large factor is that the youth have ‘spare’ income to spend. We would like this target audience group (the youth) not be so eager and aggressive when shopping. Also, they should avoid getting credit cards; otherwise they may build a mountain of debt before it is too late to manage. We want to address that impulse buying is controllable and that being **informed** is the best weapon to counter that impulse to buy. In the neXt part, we will state how we reached a split stand regarding this issue.

In this capitalist system, the pressure to become impulse buyer is ever so great. Impulse buying can be considered unavoidable at times. Often we see something on sale and then there automatically becomes a great desire to buy because we feel that the sale is only temporary. In these hard economic times, saving is always beneficial. For these reasons this group has a split stand on the issue of impulse buying. The many factors listed above all translate to how impulse buying is wrong, but one must also consider exterior factors. For instance, when a new technology surfaces, an extreme impulse buyer would most likely buy it right away. However, if one gives the product some time for the price to drop and then buys it, is it still considered buying on impulse given that the buying is mostly determined by desire and initial satisfaction versus the need for the product? As stated, our overall objective is to inform and make the target audience aware of marketing strategies and their influences. Resist the urge to buy on impulse for temporary satisfaction- be informed of your surroundings and act ethically and responsibly in your current environment.

__Additional Information__ from: Zanella Vanessa, //"//How to curb impulse buying tendencies" When shopping, take into consideration the following:

1. Is the purchase going to serve useful to you in some way? 2.Are you buying it because it makes you feel better? 3.Is the item serving as some sort of reward? 4. If the item is something you want rather than need, perhaps you should consider waiting to buy the item until you've thought about it some more. 5.If you really can use the product or have need for it, then the purchase can be justified.

References:
"Impulse Buying," MoneyStuff!, 

Kondrat Alla, "How and Why to Avoid Impulse Buying," Suite101.com, 

Rachel B, "Learn to Avoid Impulse Buying," eHow, 

//"//What Causes Customers to Buy on Impulse?," E-Commerce White Paper, User Interface Engineering, 

Zanella Vanessa, //"//How to curb impulse buying tendencies," eSSORTMENT, 2002 Pagewise, 