Indulging without good reason can make you happier

New research has found that some consumers are happier after an indulgent purchase if there is no good reason for it.

A team of marketing academics led by Francine Espinoza Petersen from ESMT Berlin business school conducted a number of studies examining the emotional responses and subsequent happiness levels of consumers.

They found that while previous research and lay theory suggest that having a reason to indulge will make for a happier customer, consumers with ‘low self-control’ are actually happier when they have no reason to indulge at all.

In one study, a group of 175 students completed an online study designed to measure the predicted effect on happiness and the satisfaction with the purchase as a consequence of happiness.

The results showed that consumers with high levels of self-control were happier after indulging with a reason for doing so, whilst those identified as ‘low self-control’ individuals were happier after indulging without reason. Consumers with high levels of self-control tend to be more rational and disciplined, therefore valuing reasoned-indulgences. Consumers with low self-control, on the other hand, tend to be more relaxed and easy going, thus enjoying spontaneous indulgences.

“Our findings send a few clear messages to companies. Firstly, marketers should be aiming to communicate better based on personality types. If you are pushing a typical ‘because you are worth it’ message or something like Chrysler’s ‘luxury feels better earned’ tagline you may be alienating a sizeable portion of your potential consumer base who don’t identify with that message. If a brand is more likely to have low self-control, or frivolous, customers, promoting spontaneous indulgence, as with Lexus recent ‘dare to be spontaneous’ campaign, may be a more effective strategy.”

“In addition to this, because the happiness post-purchase influences the ongoing satisfaction of that purchase, targeting the consumer message more accurately could actually result in lower levels of consumer returns and an increase in positive word-of-mouth promotion.”

For more information or to speak with Francine Espinoza Petersen, please contact Natalie Bishop of BlueSky PR at natalie@bluesky-pr.com or on +44 1582 790709