Every consumer is different—and those differences show up in how, when, and why they buy.
Some people like to shop online, and others prefer browsing aisles in person.
Some customers spend days or weeks researching a product, while others make a snap decision at checkout or the moment something catches their eye.
That spur-of-the-moment decision is called an impulse purchase.
Believe it or not, more people do this than you might expect.
Have you ever bought something impulsively?
We’re willing to bet you have.
In fact, 36% of Americans say they’ve made an impulse buy.
And it’s not always small change.
If someone tosses a magazine or a candy bar on the belt at the grocery store, that’s impulsive—but it’s minor.
The bigger opportunity is this: 54% of consumers have spent more than $100 on an impulse purchase, and 20% have spent over $1,000.
Those numbers should perk up the ears of any marketer or retailer.
Consider a universal category everyone buys:
Clothes.
Here’s data comparing planned and impulse clothing purchases grouped by age and household income:
Impulse isn’t limited to one generation or income bracket.
You might assume Gen Z buys more impulsively than older shoppers.
But that’s not what the data shows.
The gap between Gen Z and Boomers for impulsive spending is small—only about a few percentage points in the example above.
Whether you run a brick-and-mortar shop or an ecommerce website, you can increase your revenue by intentionally appealing to impulse shoppers.
Impulse buyers are everywhere.
Your job is to position your brand, products, and campaigns so the “yes” feels easy in the moment.
Here’s how to do it.
Understand the psychological characteristics of impulsive consumers
Younger shoppers often make quicker decisions—but age alone isn’t the driver.
Why do people buy on impulse?
It comes down to psychology and decision styles.
According to marketing experts Bryan and Jeffrey Eisenberg, buyers can be grouped into four personality categories.
Impulse buyers map closely to the “spontaneous” modality—more emotion-led than methodical.
They respond to visual cues (like standout color schemes), bold value props, social proof, and simple paths to purchase.
Studies suggest impulse buying is closely tied to gratification and mood regulation.
People seeking a quick reward or social approval are more prone to act in the moment—often without fully weighing long-term tradeoffs.
Most shoppers exhibit these tendencies at least occasionally.
Your task as a marketer is to ethically design for those moments—surfacing relevant, low-friction offers right when motivation spikes.
Do this well, and you can turn casual browsers into happy buyers without being pushy.
Focus on the right products
Start by choosing the products most likely to convert on impulse.
Prioritize items with strong margins, clear utility or delight, and lower perceived risk (price point, ease of return, familiar brand, or lots of reviews).
If you sell hundreds or thousands of SKUs, don’t guess—use your data.
Which SKUs have high view-to-add-to-cart rates, strong conversion from email or social, or frequent attachment as add-ons? Those are your impulse candidates.
Buyer segments matter too. The chart below shows differences by gender—useful as a starting point, but always validate with your own analytics and merchandising tests.
Take a look at how men and women shop impulsively:
Define your primary impulse audience and merchandise accordingly.
For example, if you’re targeting gift-givers, spotlight quick-win items that look premium but don’t require sizing—think candles, accessories, or home decor. If your segment is parents, highlight kid-friendly add-ons and bundles that make life easier.
Not every item should be marketed as an impulse buy.
Necessities largely sell themselves. Save prominent impulse placement for “nice-to-have” accessories, upgrades, and complementary add-ons.
Say you operate a home furnishings store.
Your core shoppers—new homeowners—need beds, couches, and tables. Those are planned purchases. The impulse opportunities are the accents: ottomans, throw blankets, a second lamp, wall art, or an extra TV for the guest room.
Look at this bedroom set from Bed Bath & Beyond:
Pieces like the painting, accent lighting, throw pillows, rug, and faux florals are classic impulse candidates that complete the look without heavy decision-making.
A customer might come in for sheets and leave with a framed print and a vase—because you made it easy to visualize the upgrade.
Create FOMO (fear of missing out)
Time-boxed promotions are catnip for impulse shoppers.
Limited-time discounts, one-day coupons, low-stock signals, and “exclusive today” bundles push decisions over the line.
The psychology is simple: “If I don’t act now, I’ll miss this deal.”
Once you know which products to feature, build urgency into the message and the UI.
Use copy that signals scarcity or deadlines, but keep it honest—shoppers can sniff out fake urgency.
Take a look at this promotional email from GetResponse:
Keywords that trigger FOMO include:
- Only 500 accounts remaining
- Don’t miss out
- 40% off
- Summer sale
Bring the same urgency to your web and store experiences.
For ecommerce, try countdowns on deal pages, “X left in stock” indicators, and cart-reserved for 10 minutes timers for hot items.
For retail, use end-caps and window signage that highlight “today only” offers and bundle pricing.
Take a look at this Banana Republic online exclusive sale:
It doesn’t just say 40% off.
The phrasing online exclusive and today only adds urgency and nudges a quick click.
Even shoppers who didn’t plan to buy may decide the savings are too good to pass up.
That’s the power of thoughtful scarcity.
Learn how to place items strategically
Placement is everything—online and in-store.
Even with the growth of digital shopping, many impulse purchases still happen in physical locations.
But ecommerce has made major gains, and digital merchandising can spark just as many “why not?” add-ons.
Once you’ve identified the best impulse products, make them unmissable.
On an ecommerce site, feature them on the homepage, category tops, and product pages as “Complete the look” or “Frequently bought together.”
Don’t bury them three clicks deep—surfacing them early is the point.
You want a visitor to land, see something compelling, and buy without friction.
Check out the SAXX homepage example:
Products are front-and-center with clear sale messaging and limited-time language—perfect for impulse discovery.
For retail locations, bring impulse items to end-caps, freestanding tables, and the point-of-sale area.
Place small add-ons near checkout where dwell time is highest.
Cross-merchandise around likely audiences: display giftable accessories near men’s apparel, kid-friendly add-ons near women’s sections, and seasonal items along high-traffic paths.
The goal: make the easy “yes” physically easy to grab—or one click away.
Simplify the buying process
Once a shopper decides to buy on impulse, don’t give them time to reconsider.
Streamline every step from product page to confirmation.
In-store, avoid multi-step processes that require separate trips or complicated pickup logistics for impulse items.
If a product is display-only and requires warehouse pickup or a second location, it’s not ideal for impulse merchandising.
Have you ever been inside an IKEA store?
IKEA’s showroom-to-warehouse flow is brilliant for planned purchases, but it adds steps—steps that can interrupt an impulse.
For impulse items, make pickup immediate and effortless.
Online, reduce checkout to as few clicks as possible with guest checkout, wallet options (Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal), address autofill, and one-tap payment on mobile.
Offer buy-now-pay-later sparingly, surface shipping speeds early, and avoid forcing account creation before purchase.
The faster the path, the higher the conversion for impulse-friendly SKUs.
Provide ease of access to customer support
Responsive support gives shoppers confidence to complete the purchase—even on a whim.
Staff your floor so associates can proactively answer questions and point out promotions without being intrusive.
Train teams to mention add-on bundles, limited-time offers, and return options at just the right moment.
Online, make policies obvious and reassuring.
Clear shipping timelines, transparent fees, and easy returns reduce risk perception and drive more checkouts.
Take a look at the impact these policies have on encouraging online sales:
If customers know shipping is free (or fast) and returns are painless, they’re far more likely to try something now.
Round it out with live chat, fast email responses, and phone support during peak hours so help is always one tap away.
Conclusion
You can meaningfully lift revenue by thoughtfully encouraging impulse purchases—without resorting to gimmicks.
Most shoppers make snap buys sometimes. Your job is to meet them with relevant products, honest urgency, and a frictionless path.
Focus on the right SKUs, merchandise them prominently, and use limited-time offers to create FOMO.
Place impulse items where attention is highest, both online and in-store.
Keep checkout fast and simple, and make support and policies crystal clear.
Apply these tactics consistently and watch average order value—and satisfied, repeat customers—grow.