There are several strategies that can be used to encourage unplanned/impulse purchases, and we have all fallen victim to them at some point.
The class text book lists the 5 things that can encourage these ‘unplanned’ purchases:
- Merchandise complementary products together
- Encourage ‘add-on’ purchases
- Create an emotional charged atmosphere
- Make things easy to buy
- Provide a discount
I believe that this method of sales is 100% morally correct. People that argue otherwise are just upset about good business.
Almost all of the examples mentioned in the text are actually giving the customer a deal, helping them have a better experience and in a lot of cases save money in the long run. Sure offering a pair of socks to a customer that just purchased shoes may seem morally wrong, but from personal experience the socks are usually at a discount…or maybe I am just lucky. Regardless, complementary goods are often useful or enhance the experience of the product that has just been purchased and many a time save you a second trip to the store.
Not enough for you, well lets look at ease of purchase. I have an amazon account, when I need a new ‘something’ I search and push purchase. The key to that sentence is NEED, I don’t search through amazon just to look, I go on when I am in need of something. This is where I may differ from others but at the end of the day people who buy things online shouldn’t be angry that the online company stores their information, they are the ones that push the purchase button. If the company somehow looses that info, or it gets stolen, now that is angry to get annoyed. Online companies are just providing good business, smart business, there is nothing morally wrong with it.
I could go on and explain how all of these methods are just good business, but that may be a little boring for all of us.
At the end of the day this is my opinion, everyone is entitled to their own, I just feel like if a company can get you to buy something they are doing their job!
ZacDalby 