Triggering the Unplanned: The Role of Product Demos in Shaping Shoppers’ Impulse Buying

In today’s dynamic retail environment, impulse buying has become a widespread consumer behaviour, often driven by a mix of sensory and psychological triggers. This study examines the impact of product demonstrations as a key driver of impulse purchasing among shoppers. Grounded in consumer behaviour theories and principles of experiential marketing, the research investigates how live demonstrations influence unplanned buying decisions while shopping. Data were gathered through a structured questionnaire administered to 434 shoppers from organised retail outlets across randomly selected hypermarkets in 3 districts of Kerala. Quantitative analysis, including descriptive statistics and regression techniques, was used to study the relationship between exposure to product demonstrations and impulse buying frequency. The findings reveal a significant positive association, indicating that product demonstrations effectively stimulate impulse purchases. The study concludes that live demonstrations enhance consumer engagement, mitigate perceived risk, and instil a sense of urgency, all of which contribute to increased spontaneous buying. These insights provide practical implications for retailers and marketers seeking to refine product demonstration strategies and influence shoppers’ purchase behaviour.