The Identity Informative Power of Activity Facilitating Purchases

Extant research suggests experiential purchases are more identity informative than material purchases. Building on this discourse, this research expands on the intricacies of how consumers integrate purchases into their life’s activities. Specifically, activity facilitating purchases – a purchase type distinct from the material-experiential continuum – are explored. Activity facilitating purchases are made with the intent of integrating them into one’s consumption practices or hobbies. Through three studies, activity facilitating purchases are shown to be more identity informative than material purchases. However, activity facilitating purchases are equally informative as experiential purchases. Researchers are encouraged to continue to explore the role activity facilitating purchases have on consumer identity construction. Practitioners may want to conduct interviews or surveys to identify the identity relevant meanings customers find in their activities and then align their brand values with these meanings.