Work

Impulsive Buying and Sustainable Purchasing Behavior in Low-Cost Retail: Evidence from Multinomial Discrete Choice Models in Metropolitan Lima

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: This study analyzes the determinants of impulsive buying behavior in low-cost retail stores in Metropolitan Lima, with particular emphasis on psychological, economic, social, and personal factors. The research draws on survey data collected from 380 consumers aged 18 to 39 belonging to socioeconomic levels B and C who had made recent purchases in discount stores. Data were gathered through a structured and validated instrument and examined using ordinal logistic regression and multinomial discrete choice models. The dependent variable, impulsive buying, was measured through three dimensions—remembered, suggested, and pure—while explanatory variables were classified into low, medium, and high categories. The empirical results demonstrate that psychological and economic dimensions exert a strong and positive influence on impulsive consumption, whereas social factors show no significant effect. Personal factors, though less consistent, also reveal a positive role. Diagnostic tests, including robustness checks, confirm the stability of the estimations. Beyond its marketing relevance, the findings contribute to the sustainability debate by highlighting how understanding impulsive behavior can guide the design of retail strategies that foster responsible consumption, reduce the risks of over-spending in vulnerable households, and support inclusive and resilient consumption practices. Thus, the study links the analysis of changing consumption patterns with broader sustainability goals in emerging urban contexts.

Source: Sustainability

DOI: 10.3390/su17188395

Authors: Luis Eduardo García-Calderón, Augusto Aliaga-Miranda, Esther Rosa Saenz-Arenas, Wesly Rudy Balbin-Ramos, Héctor Raul Valdivia-Mera

Institutions: Universidad Científica del Sur, Universidad Tecnológica del Perú, Private University of the North, Peruvian University of Applied Sciences

Language: English

Topic: Consumer Retail Behavior Studies

Subfield: Marketing

Field: Business, Management and Accounting

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Responsible consumption and production

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,896