If you stand in the checkout line of any discount store, you'll see a very odd assortment of items on display: disposable razors, batteries, ballpoint pens, playing cards, trail mix, USB drives, and so on. Retailers call these items "impulse buys," meaning that although people may not come to the store looking for cards, pens, or trail mix, when they see them near the checkout, they'll buy them. An attitude researcher might say that people buy these items because __________.
A) consumers' attitudes toward such utilitarian items are emotionally based
B) these items reflect people's social identity concerns, so they will deliberate quickly about whether to purchase them
C) attitudes toward these items may be highly accessible
D) intentions are relatively unimportant when people engage in deliberative behaviors like purchases

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The question is asking why people buy impulse items, and choice C states that attitudes toward these items may be highly accessible. Attitude accessibility refers to the ease and speed with which an attitude comes to mind. In the context of impulse buying, it suggests that people may have pre-existing positive attitudes toward these utilitarian items, which makes them more likely to purchase them without deliberation when they see them near the checkout. Choice A is incorrect because while emotions may be involved in attitude formation, it doesn't explain why people would buy these specific items at checkout. Choice B is incorrect because there is no evidence suggesting that people think about their social identity when making impulse purchases. Choice D is also incorrect because impulse buying is not a deliberative behavior.

If You Stand in the Checkout Line of Any Discount