Even if you are the most sensible shopper, matters of the heart will make you reject thriftiness and go all out, splurging like the proverbial drunken sailor. Brides-to-be, those indulging in a bit of retail therapy to feel better, and even those bereaved, will fall under this category. In fact, research can back the fact that people are reluctant to seek cost-saving options when buying what they consider important – like an engagement ring, desserts for a birthday party, or things to commemorate loved ones.
A new study led by the University of Colorado Boulder, published in the volume of ‘Judgment and Decision Making’, is the first to examine the implications of this phenomenon. It is now proved that common emotional behaviour when shopping for love, whether romantic or platonic, makes people buy things that they would usually consider too expensive. What’s more, even when they come across a less expensive alternative, which is equally good, they choose the more expensive of two items. They also don’t look for lower prices, nor do they negotiate when the things they’re buying are symbolic of love.
In fact, says Peter McGraw, lead author of the study and associate professor of marketing and psychology at CU-Boulder’s Leeds School of Business, “People’s buying behaviour changes when they’re making purchases out of love because it feels wrong to engage in cost-saving measures.” People abandon cost-saving measures when it comes to sentimental buys because they want to avoid having to decide what is the right amount of money to spend on a loving relationship.
In the study, the researchers asked attendees at a Boulder wedding show about their preference between two engagement rings. The attendees nearly always chose the more expensive ring when deciding between a more expensive ring with a bigger carat and a less expensive ring with a smaller carat. In fact, people tend to be so easy with their money while buying for loved ones, whether for weddings, birthdays or anniversaries, that they might find themselves in a precarious financial condition later.
Another interesting fact is the choice of products when they are bought out of love: People prefer handmade products to machine-made. A previous study, which appeared in the ‘Journal of Marketing’, has found that machine-made products, despite being of very good quality, and relatively cheaper, lose out to their handmade counterparts. This is because people feel that the bulk-produced are missing the key ingredient of ‘love’. “Handmade products,” says the study, “might be perceived to contain and transmit the artisan’s ‘essence’ in the form of his or her love for the product in a way that machine-made products cannot. The customer then sees the handmade product itself to be literally imbued with love.”
Study participants in this particular research were instructed to imagine that they were in the market for a gift for someone with whom they had a close relationship. They were given a list of items including ceramic mugs, soap, leather goods, and stationery, which were described as machine-made. They were then shown images of the handmade equivalents, some labelled ‘Made with love’ or accompanied by heart-shaped graphics and other visual love cues. All the participants favoured handmade items when they were making a purchase for a loved one, and many were willing to pay up to 17% more for handmade items in general. People seemed to believe that the creator’s love for the handmade product had somehow transferred to the product itself, and that the product now contained love. This was the case even when the customer did not personally know the creator or even who the creator was.
Another commonly observed fact that seems to count when shopping for your loved one is that handmade products are fewer than machine-made and hence become unique. There seems to be more attention to detail, creativity, and care compared to an item that is bulk produced. Each item appears to be carefully and thoughtfully crafted with materials that are hand-selected. Sometimes, the product comes with information on how it was made or who the artisan was and you know that they have enjoyed creating their wares. The product holds that positive energy. This brings about a ‘heart-connect’ with the item, adding to its charm. You’re sending your loved one the message that they are special, and worth the time and thought spent in creating that gift. After all, what can feel better than receiving something that tells you that you are one of a kind?
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