MENUWhat is Happy Buying?
The basic concept
Every buying experience has a psychological outcome. Once the purchase has been made, we think, believe and feel about it in a certain way: good or bad. Happy Buying is when we feel pleased about the purchase and the overall buying experience. It is important to note that our buying experience is not merely about the product or service that we buy, but is also influenced by other factors. We’ll elaborate on this point in a subsequent article.
A matter of scale
Satisfaction is not happiness. A satisfying experience may not be deemed as Happy Buying. Satisfaction is merely a condition of acceptance. Satisfying outcome means your basic need or intended desire has been fulfilled. A happy outcome on the other hand is about joy, pleasure and delight.
For example, you go to a store to buy a shirt. From your past experience, you have clear expectations. You know what kind of shirt you need (and would get), and around what price. When you go to the store, you see a variety of shirts on display that meet your expectations. Buying one of those would certainly make you satisfied. Mission accomplished!
However, beside these shirts, you find a few others in the corner, that seem a bit different. You become curious and take a closer look. The fabric looks much finer, stitching perfect, style trendy and the price, almost the same as others. You hurriedly put your hand in your pocket and make the payment to close the deal. You wear a pleasant smile as you return home. Now that’s a happy buying experience!
In some cases however, ones expectations are set at a higher level, or the anticipated item is deemed important or is of strong liking. In that case, meeting requirements (satisfaction) also yields happiness.
Other Manifestations of Happy Buying
Feelings are subjective and may not be apparent in some cases, especially to others. There are other behavioural manifestations of a Happy Buying experience:
- A cheerful mood (at least for a while)
- Enthusiastically show the item and talk about it with your friends and family
- Showing off; not just the product but at times, your “intelligent” choice or decision
- Want and tend to return to the outlet again (a very important element for sellers)
- Sharing the experience with others (including social media posting these days)
- Having a positive image about the brand, outlet or seller
- Referring other buyers/clients to the brand or business
