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From Insight to Impact: Understanding the Forces Behind Impulse-driven Shoppers

Many shoppers walk in a store with a list and leave with more than they planned. Impulse buys are driven by value, convenience, and in-the-moment influence. Solutions like Liquid Data Engage™ help retailers understand these behaviors and uncover the patterns behind spontaneous decisions.

This post is the second in a series on eight shopper profiles.

Today’s focus:

Impulse Ivan - the kind of shopper who comes in for diapers and walks out with a case of beer.

What drives shoppers like Ivan?

Ivan is the kind of shopper retailers love. He’s spontaneous, open-minded, and easily influenced by the right product in the right place at the right time. He’s not driven by a strict plan. Instead, he’s driven by curiosity, mood, and visual or emotional cues.

Ivan is motivated by:

Emotional triggers: Bright packaging, novelty products, and seasonal items often catch his eye.
In-the-moment decisions: He reacts to what's in front of him and how it makes him feel in that instant.
Cross-category connections: Ivan doesn’t always stick to a single aisle. A diaper run could turn into a snack or beverage purchase if the setup makes sense.
Environmental cues: A well-designed atmosphere — including music, lighting, and sensory cues — can strongly influence how Ivan shops.

How can retailers encourage impulse shopping from Ivan?

To capture shoppers like Ivan, retailers need to design digital and physical environments that spark curiosity and fuel discovery. With the right tools and timing, even the most unplanned purchases can be part of a smart strategy.

1. Use data to optimize product placement and flow

Ivan’s journey through the store isn’t linear. His purchases are often inspired by what he sees and where he sees it. Strategic product placement can dramatically increase the chances of impulse buying.

For example, Liquid Data Engage identifies what products are most frequently bought in a basket. This enables retailers to see product pairs that may not be so common. A retailer using these insights knows to place a small, refrigerated case of grab-and-go cold brew coffee next to trending healthy snacks in those aisles. Ivan, initially just browsing, grabs both. The coffee is what catches his eye, and the healthy snack feels like a smart companion.

2. Cross-sell with behavioral insight and context

Ivan’s basket often includes both diapers and beer — an unexpected combination at first glance, but one that’s well documented and reflects a deeper behavioral pattern. It likely represents young fathers making quick diaper runs on their way home who grab a small reward like beer for themselves along the way. While these items aren’t traditional complements, their consistent co-occurrence reveals a routine that data analytics can surface and retailers can confidently use to inform merchandising and layout decisions.

Strategy: Use shopper data to find logical product pairings and to uncover the routines and motivations behind them. Some combinations, like beer and diapers, reveal behavioral context. Others, like beer with tortilla chips and salsa, point to occasion-based intent. In those cases, build intuitive displays like a “Game Day Essentials” endcap near the beer aisle featuring chips, dips, and themed cups. Ivan, stopping for beer before a casual hangout, spots the setup and tosses a spicy mango salsa into his cart — a decision shaped by relevance, not pressure.

3. Leverage limited-time offers and seasonal themes

Ivan is highly responsive to urgency and novelty. Limited-edition flavors, seasonal packaging, or get-it-before-it’s-gone messaging can be effective in driving spur-of-the-moment purchases.

Tip: Highlight seasonal products in high-traffic areas to tap into moments of curiosity and delight. In October, a retailer features pumpkin spice-flavored popcorn in festive fall packaging near the checkout, marked with a “Here for a Limited Time” sign. Ivan, in for a quick errand, notices the seasonal flavor and adds it to his cart, drawn in by the novelty and seasonal vibe rather than a hard sell.

4. Optimize the digital e-commerce shelf for discovery

Impulse isn’t limited to in-store shopping. Ivan shops online too, and he can be just as spontaneous in the digital space. Whether browsing a mobile app or clicking through an email, he’s drawn to visuals, bundles, and recommendations.

Imagine Ivan clicks on a toddler car seat in a retailer’s app. The site’s recommendation engine can immediately surface a “Summer Travel Essentials” bundle below featuring a backseat organizer, portable snacks, and a toy for the road. The visual appeal and theme-based grouping prompt Ivan to add two items to his cart on the spot.

Identify your Impulse Ivans and the right retail strategies

Impulse Ivan might not plan his purchases ahead of time, but his behavior is far from unpredictable. When retailers use data to understand how he moves, what catches his eye, and what triggers a purchase, they can design spaces and campaigns that turn impulse into impact.

With Circana’s Liquid Data Engage, retailers can identify their Impulse Ivans and activate strategies that make impulse purchases more likely. From product placement to digital recommendations, Liquid Data Engage helps retailers go beyond assumptions and turn spur-of-the-moment behavior into measurable results. Learn more about the other shopper profiles Circana can help you discover and engage.