Cues on apparel web sites that trigger impulse purchases

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to investigate the external cues on apparel web sites that encourage impulse buying.Design/methodology/approach – Focus group interviews were first conducted to identify potential external cues on apparel web sites. The findings from the focus group interviews were then used to create an appropriate coding guide. A content analysis of 60 apparel web sites was then conducted to assess the extent to which external trigger cues of impulse buying are available on apparel web sites.Findings – From the focus group interviews, four mutually exclusive thematic categories, consisting of 20 external trigger cues of impulse buying, were identified; sales, promotions, ideas, and suggestions. A content analysis of these external impulse buying cues was presented. A correlation analysis indicated a positive relationship between retailers' web sales and the amount of external cues present on their web sites.Research limitations/implications – The findings from the study suggest tha...