Consumer characteristics associated with compulsive buying

Ronald E. Goldsmith, Leisa Reinecke Flynn and Elizabeth B. Goldsmith

Journal of Multidisciplinary Research, 2015, vol. 7, issue 3, 21-38

Abstract: Compulsive buying is part of overall consumer spending in the U.S. and can be a personal problem for those whose financial resources cannot support it. The present study describes three psychological traits that appear to promote compulsive buying. Data from a survey of 464 U.S. college students show that compulsive buying relates positively to brand engagement in self-concept and to status consumption, but negatively to being frugal. In this study, females and younger buyers show more compulsive buying, but income does not relate to the focal concept. The findings suggest that while demographic characteristics might explain or predict compulsive buying, it is primarily a psychological phenomenon. Still, compulsive buying is only one element of a constellation of individual differences that predispose some consumers to buy compulsively.

Keywords: compulsive buying; college students; consumer behavior; status consumption; brand engagement; frugality (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D1 D12 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015-01
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:jmr:journl:v:7:n:3:y:2015:p:21-38

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