Online retailers benefit from 'buying under the influence'

Online retailers benefit from 'buying under the influence'
Tags: Consumer Behavior, Online Retailing, Psychology
April 13, 2008

Los Angeles Times: BUIs — those who buy under the influence — may be the Internet's dirty little secret. And with retail e-commerce up 19 percent to $136.4 billion in 2007, it's not shocking to realize that some people are boozing and browsing. The appeal of the BUI is as clear as a shot of Stoli. With every glass, inhibitions and judgment soften. Much like drunk-dialing an ex, the impulse to buy becomes an urge that quickly blurs into a must. Suddenly, that $850 David Yurman amethyst and 18K gold ring doesn't seem like a silly splurge. It's a reward.