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'My Fifty Shoes Are All Different!': Exploring, Defining, and Characterizing Acquisitive Buying
Psychology & Marketing
  • Mousumi Bose Godbole, Fairfield University
  • Alvin C. Burns
  • Judith Anne Garretson Folse
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1-2013
Disciplines
Abstract

Why does someone buy the tenth pair of black shoes or the fourteenth white t-shirt? Typically, extreme buying is associated with negative feelings and consequences: issues of self-control, guilt, and financial problems are common among compulsive, impulsive, excessive buying, fixated buying, and hoarding. However, through two studies, the authors describe “acquisitive buyers,” who exhibit an extreme yet controlled acquisition process for items in a chosen product category. In his/her mind, these items are minutely differentiated and enrich the inventory, and there is logical justification that every purchase enhances his/her preparedness for anticipated specific product use occasions. Materialism, positive perfectionism and variety-seeking in a particular product category are some of the characteristics of these buyers. The studies also help distinguish acquisitive buying from other types of extreme buying and mainstream buying.

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Published Citation
Bose, Mousumi, Alvin C. Burns, and Judith Anne Garretson Folse. “'My Fifty Shoes Are All Different!': Exploring, Defining, and Characterizing Acquisitive Buying." Psychology & Marketing vol.30, no.7 (2013): 614-631.
DOI
10.1002/mar.20632
Peer Reviewed
Citation Information
Mousumi Bose Godbole, Alvin C. Burns and Judith Anne Garretson Folse. "'My Fifty Shoes Are All Different!': Exploring, Defining, and Characterizing Acquisitive Buying" Psychology & Marketing Vol. 30 Iss. 7 (2013)
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/mousumi-godbole/4/