Considered Purchases: One Journey; many paths
June 2025, By Nicola Church
If you think about everything you’ve bought in the last month, you’ll know that some purchases were quick to make. Like which sandwich to buy at lunchtime or which toothpaste to add to your weekly shop. These are impulse purchases where the decision was easy because you’ve done it before, the cost is relatively low, and the decision won’t result in significant consequences.
On the other hand, there were probably some decisions which took a bit longer – perhaps you pondered over whether to buy a new dress or wanted to buy a new dishwasher and then realised how much research was needed into different (and sometimes pointless!) new features. Any decision that takes time, emotional involvement, and financial commitment is a considered purchase. It’s not just about cost – it’s about care. From designer goods to consumer electronics, these are the purchases that involve careful research, emotional tension, and often, brand trust.
One Journey, Many Paths
Not everyone enjoys the journey to a considered purchase – some thrive, enjoying the research and looking at every option; others hate it and want to make a purchase as quickly as possible. Our research uncovered five unique personas that define how people approach considered purchases:
- Cautious: Prone to stress, needs clarity and reassurance
- Anticipator: Loves the research journey and seeks joy in the process
- More to Life: Wants efficiency, values time
- Just Do It: Decisive and goal-driven
- Impulsive: Emotion-led, especially in luxury categories
What makes this even more complex is that personas can shift depending on the product category. Thinking back to our earlier example, a buyer might be impulsive about a new dress but highly cautious about buying a new dishwasher.
Emotion Drives the Experience
Beyond logic and research, considered purchases are deeply emotional, and if brands fail to acknowledge these emotional touchpoints, they risk losing customers halfway through the journey.
In this month’s Insight Lens, we explore each persona in depth, uncovering how brands can support each persona effectively by tailoring their messages, platforms, and purchase experiences. We provide clear guidance on the nature of messages, preferred research, and purchase channels to tailor an experience that taps into the emotional needs of each persona.
Why It Matters More Than Ever
In the UK alone, billions spent each year on considered purchases such as holidays, consumer electronics and luxury goods, meaning the stakes for getting this right are huge. The difference between a lost lead and a loyal customer could be as simple as the right message at the right moment. In a noisy market, understanding your customers’ emotional and practical needs isn’t just a nice-to-have – it’s a competitive advantage.
To learn more about Considered Purchases, download your FREE copy of MM-Eye’s latest Insight Lens here Downloadable Reports – MM-Eye. We’d love to talk more, so contact us today at info@mm-eye.com or use the form below to book a consultation.