The 6 Shopping Personality Types

Whether you’re selling or buying on SheepBuy, it can pay to take a moment to consider the 6 different personality types for shoppers.

As a buyer, it can help you determine your own pattern and enable you to make smarter shopping decisions. As a seller, it can help you better meet buyers’ needs and habits to grow your business.

So what are the 6 kinds of shopping personalities?

The Bargain Hunter

These shoppers are after the lowest price possible for any purchase they make. That means searching for coupons, signing up for discount books and online codes, and taking advantage of store sales.

As a seller, you can target these shoppers by making sure to regularly offer promotions and publicizing them. If you are a bargain hunter, be aware that you may sometimes be wooed into buying an item just because it’s at a discount and not because you actually want or need it.

The Extensive Researcher

Before making any decision, particularly big ones, these shoppers are on the hunt for as much information as they can gather. They likely subscribe to Consumer Reports, pay close attention to online reviews, and scour related blogs before making the purchase.

Sellers can help feed their need for information by providing as much of it up front as possible. Provide a thorough product description, and link to outside resources when it makes sense.

The Impulse Buyer

These shoppers make decisions based on spur-of-the-moment feelings. The look and feel of a product can motivate them to purchase it, and often price is less of a concern. They need to have it – regardless of the cost.

For these types of buyers, branding is important. You want them to feel connected with your company and your product. Use emotive language that’s written to connect with their feelings and desires. If this buying personality describes you, you may be more likely to make purchasing decisions that don’t fit your budget. Be aware of impulse buys that you can’t afford.

The Focused Buyer

These shoppers don’t enjoy browsing and researching. They want for the experience to be over as quickly as possible – in and out. When they head to a website to purchase an item, they’ll buy just that item: nothing more, nothing less.

Sellers can help motivate them to purchase their products by making the experience as smooth as possible. If they encounter a roadblock or slowdown with you, it’s unlikely they’ll be a repeat buyer. If this shopping personality describes you, consider taking the time to “window shop” a bit more. You may find that you get better deals and discover new items.

The Negotiation Expert

The price tag is just a challenge to this shopping personality. They’ll haggle for anything and everything, even if the price seems reasonable. You are more likely to encounter this type of shopper if you are selling services rather than goods, but that’s doesn’t necessarily mean you won’t occasionally run into this type with your online retail store.

As a seller, you need to know your “rock bottom” number. Make sure you don’t get pushed into a price that doesn’t turn a profit for you. As a buyer, be aware that some goods and services aren’t up for negotiation, and sometimes paying full price is worth it for the quality.

The Loyal Buyer

These shoppers have stores and brands that they love, and they stick to them. They’re likely to sign up for newsletters and updates from their favorites and have more set shopping patterns.

As a seller, if you’re lucky enough to develop a following of loyal buyers, you can help increase sales by developing your relationship with them through social media and newsletters. By maintaining communication, you can keep them informed of new updates and product releases, and they’re more likely to buy than the average consumer. If this shopping personality describes you, try to break free of your habits now and then; you just might discover a new product or brand that suits you better.