What is it that drives our shopping decisions?

From the power of packaging to the impact of influencers, five experts discuss why we buy what we do

I’ve always wanted to be the kind of consumer whose every purchase is backed by a substantial amount of research. For instance, before I buy a bag of coffee beans, I want to study where it’s sourced from, read reviews to learn more about its taste or texture and evaluate whether its packaging is kind to the environment. The reality of how I shop, however, isn’t quite as meticulous. While I’m working towards becoming a more thoughtful consumer, my decisions often end up being swayed by a slew of other factors. And if you, like me, have found yourself in this conundrum, you’re probably curious to know what’s causing it. To better understand why we buy what we buy, we spoke to five experts from various fields who let us in on what shapes the contents of our shopping carts.

The e-commerce edge

Let’s talk about a familiar occurrence: You’re on an e-commerce website in search of a very specific item but one thing leads to another and before you know it, you’re checking out a long list of products you didn’t know you needed. This scenario is primarily fuelled by two key components of most websites–the user interface (UI) and the user experience (UX)–terms that can seem daunting to the not-so-tech savvy amongst us. “Simply put, the UI is the structure of the website–it’s your journey from entry to exit. The UX is about improving and enhancing that journey. This could involve leading the consumer to products with a similar purpose, strategically placing discounts or showing the usability of products through videos,” explains Shrey Doshi, founder of creative agency Yellow.

As human beings, we are creatures of habit and convenience. So if the UI/UX design of a platform is intuitive, it inevitably prompts purchases. “When solutions are easily available to the audience, they are more likely to shop. The UI/UX should be thought about through the lens of a customer and should take into account their habits. A small thing like changing the colour of the ‘buy’ button could have a catastrophic impact on the conversion rate,” says Pavan Punjabi of Makani Creatives, an advertising agency based out of Mumbai.

The power of packaging

While online shopping portals have many ways to lead us to an item which wouldn’t have otherwise caught our attention, products that line the shelves of brick-and-mortar outlets continue to leverage one marketing medium–packaging. Often, what’s on the outside matters just as much as what’s on the inside. “Packaging attracts consumers to the shelf, tells the brand’s story and builds connections–it could be used to bring the audience back to the brand through a webpage or a social media page. Moreover, it’s also a way to upsell a brand. For example, a box for headphones could talk about the other products that the company has,” says Punjabi.

The kind of packaging that drives sales, adds Doshi, has a few indispensable ingredients. “Clutter-breaking colours, transparency with clear information on the front rather than hidden behind [the packaging of] the product and reusability are the elements of effective packaging. Apart from these, the Instagrammability of the packaging also adds to the product’s appeal. When we launched D’you or Ice Cream Works, we noticed that people were attracted to the appearance and overall experience before they even tried the product,” says Doshi, who has created the packaging for brands across several industries from beauty to food.

The impact of influencers

There is, however, another factor which is increasingly impacting what we buy both online and offline. For a long time now, brands have turned to social media’s most familiar faces to up the awareness and credibility of their offerings. Influencers are becoming more and more important to the success of a product.

“Influencer-led marketing drives product discovery, builds brand advocacy and enables a two-way dialogue. For us, it has fueled a surge in certain categories such as beauty and fashion,” says Gitanjali Saxena, business head of Tata CLiQ Luxury. Additionally, when it comes to e-commerce, influencers also increase sales by revealing aspects of a product that the audience wouldn’t have access to unless they purchased it. For example, in the case of skincare, they delve into details about effectiveness or ease of application. Shivanee Dutt, director of curation at e-commerce giant Myntra, attests to the importance of influencers but also highlights that their purpose might eventually evolve. “The role that an influencer plays will only grow. However, their form of relatability and scale of influence may change. This is the obvious shift from influencer to ‘genuinfluencer’ to creator. You might not have influencers who are selling something to you but you might have influencers who are in it for the narrative,” she says.

Buying a sense of belonging

Other than introducing us to influencers, social media platforms have also moulded buying behaviours in more subtle wayS. Not only do they routinely acquaint us with the kind of products that have acquired cult status but also allow us to display that we own them and, therefore, in some way, say that we belong. “We live in a social world and, for many, what a product says about them is important. They assess whether it makes them look cool or whether they can brag about it,” says Punjabi. Sharanya Rao, category lead at eBay India cross border trade, shares a similar opinion. “Customers love buying products with brag value–that could mean a truly unique product that becomes a conversation starter or one that’s not unique at all but owning it allows them to fit in with their peer groups or not have the fear of missing out,” she adds.

The path ahead

While few are immune to the effects of social media, there’s one group of consumers in particular that’s influenced by it more than others. It’s not uncommon to come by studies which suggest that Gen Z frequently shop on Instagram and for Instagram. But, according to Dutt, there’s another kind of Gen Z shopper that’s also on the rise. “There’s a second set of Gen Z consumers emerging who are looking at slower and sustainable practices in lifestyle and products. They gravitate towards unusual, typically homegrown brands that have their own narrative–they have a different story to tell and are rooted in some form of collective voice of consciousness,” she says.

Rao also predicts a greater emphasis on sustainability and storytelling in the future. “There will be a move away from a discount-led approach where customers use online channels for their variety and convenience. In addition to this, customers are becoming increasingly conscious of the need for a sustainable supply chain and purchase cycle. They will opt for brands with meaning and will look to remain loyal to the ones that they can relate to,” she concludes.

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