Marketing is a fascinating intersection of technical disciplines, like SEO, and psychological factors that influence the decisions customers ultimately make.
You can craft the perfect marketing strategies to reach your target audience, but at the end of the day, customer behavior will reveal whether the strategies worked as intended.
This brings us to the concept of consumer buying motives.
Buying motives come in various forms, including rational and social buying motives.
Today’s post explores the buying motives that particularly apply to online consumers.
In other words, what considerations and motivations drive consumers to shop online?
Understand your target audience through buying motives
Buying motives are crucial to identify the best marketing strategies for effectively targeting your audience.
Broadly, there are two types of buying motives reflecting different consumer considerations before making a purchase: social and rational buying motives.
Want to learn more about understanding target audiences? Check out my post on personalization and segmentation.
Rational buying motives – where logic prevails
Rational or functional buying motives are based solely on practicality or logical reasoning.
These purchases fulfill a need that is practical or functional, without any added social value for the consumer.
Social buying motives – where emotions take the lead
In contrast to rational motives, social buying motives are driven by emotions.
Broadly, there are four types of social buying motives:
- Veblen motive
- Snob motive
- Thrifty motive
- Bandwagon motive
Veblen motive
The Veblen motive is based on a desire to attain a certain economic status.
Consumers purchase high-priced items, such as luxury brands, to signal wealth and social standing.
Snob motive
The Snob motive arises from a desire to stand out.
Consumers seek unique products, like limited editions, to express individuality.
Thrifty motive
The Thrifty motive reflects a desire to invest in products at great prices.
This includes bargains, second-hand purchases, or anything that signals financial prudence.
Bandwagon motive
The Bandwagon motive reflects a need to purchase popular items.
Consumers buy products that are widely admired or owned to gain social approval.
When rational and social motives intersect
While social and rational motives are often framed as opposites, they frequently interact.
For example, imagine needing a new phone and choosing between a high-end brand and a budget brand, each offering different features.
Here, a combination of considerations comes into play: the necessary functions of the phone versus the social status associated with the brand.
Price, functionality, and social status merge, leading to complex consumer decision-making—a common scenario for many customers.
The goal is to capture these customers by marketing the product (in this case, the phone) using strategies that resonate during their decision-making process.
Want to know how to capture your target audience’s attention? Read my post on the SOR model.
Why are buying motives important?
Every customer has a motive for making a purchase. From a marketing perspective, understanding these motives is essential to tailoring strategies that resonate with the target audience.
For instance, if your target segment is driven by the Snob motive, mass-marketing exclusive or unique products might not be effective.
On the other hand, if your segment is motivated by the Bandwagon motive, emphasizing positive reviews and product popularity can be highly effective.
Does your advertising resonate with your target audience? Learn more in my post about the AIDA model.
Key characteristics of the buying journey
Every target audience has unique characteristics, and understanding their buying journeys reveals similarities and differences between them.
For example, consumers motivated by the Veblen motive or the Thrifty motive may approach purchases differently but share a tendency to spend significant time deliberating.
Thrifty consumers scour multiple websites for the best deals, while Veblen consumers carefully consider high-priced investments.
This post provides an overview of key traits in different online buying motives. If you have experience with these buying motives, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below!
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