Compulsive buying: An examination of the consumption motive

Abstract

Recently, attempts to define the scope of compulsive consumption, a form of aberrant consumer behavior, have resulted in a proliferation of consumption behaviors identified as manifestations of compulsive consumption. However, Nataraajan and Goff (1992) indicated that this proliferation of studies has been marred by definition and measurement inconsistencies and proposed a typology that more appropriately distinguished various forms of compulsive consumption. There has also been a concomitant increase in research into the characteristics that distinguish compulsive from noncompulsive consumers (e.g., d'Astous, 1990; Faber & O'Guinn, 1988; Scherhorn, 1990). The current study adopts the definition framework presented by Nataraajan and Goff (1992) to generate and test hypotheses concerning one particular form of compulsive consumption: compulsive buying. Specifically, the study examined consumption behaviors, hypothesized to be exhibitive of consumers' consumption motives, as a method of differentiating compulsive from noncompulsive buyers. Consistent with the hypotheses, it was found that compulsive buyers were more likely to return products, to exhibit greater concern for store return policies, and to report higher return volumes than noncompulsive buyers. In addition, the compulsive buyer was not found to have significantly higher levels of nonstore purchases (i.e., teleshopping, direct mail, and direct sales) than noncompulsives. These findings were supportive of the Nataraajan and Goff (1992) assertion that various manifestations of compulsive consumption can be distinguished on the basis of the consumption motive. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.