Analysis of consumer purchase intentions using functional near-infrared spectroscopy(fNIRS): A neuromarketing study on the aesthetic packaging of Korean red ginseng products

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PURPOSE: This study investigates the consumer behavior patterns for Korean red ginseng products using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), a neuroimaging device. By measuring brain activities, we aim to develop neuromarketing techniques and provide insights into consumer purchasing decisions influenced by the aesthetic features of product packaging. METHODS: Using an fNIRS device, we measured the hemodynamic responses of 50 healthy participants within the prefrontal cortex (PFC) during virtual purchase-response paradigm experiments. These experiments consisted of two scenarios depending on the purpose of purchasing red ginseng products; purchasing for self-consumption and purchasing as gifts for others. These two purchase scenarios were designed to elucidate the relationship between two purchasing scenarios and aesthetic product packaging. RESULTS: We observed distinct differences in purchasing behavior between the two scenarios influenced by the packaging of red ginseng products. We found significantly higher prefrontal ∆HbO activation during the gift-giving condition (Task 1) compared to self-consumption (Task 2). Survey results also indicated greater purchase intention (M = 4.35) and great packaging satisfaction (M = 4.18) in Task 1 (p < 0.01) compared to Task 2. No significant differences were observed across gender or age groups. These findings suggest that packaging has a differentiated effect depending on the purchasing context. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings highlight the need for customized marketing strategies while proposing separate packaging designs for self-consumption and gifts. This study demonstrates the potential of neuromarketing technology based on fNIRS in predicting consumer behavior and improving marketing strategies. SIGNIFICANCE: Understanding the neural mechanisms of purchasing decisions enables Korean health functional food companies to align their marketing strategies with consumer preferences, thereby enhancing both sales performance and customer satisfaction.