An interesting and foundational paper on this topic is by Joseph Barry Mason and Mayer L. Mayer, published in the Journal of Marketing .
: High-income shoppers were significantly more likely to make their final purchase decision at home rather than being influenced by a salesperson in-store. Modern Perspectives on Appliance Buyers people who buy appliances
For a more contemporary look at how people buy appliances today, you might find these research areas equally compelling: An interesting and foundational paper on this topic
: Most buyers (73%) had already tentatively decided what to buy before they ever stepped foot into a retail store. Modern Perspectives on Appliance Buyers For a more
While decades old, this study offers a fascinating "time capsule" into the psychology of appliance shopping that still echoes in modern retail. Here are some of its most interesting findings:
Consumers make their homes smarter, with a focus on security
: A 2025 empirical study on Indian consumers noted that wives predominantly influence home appliance purchasing decisions (37.6%), followed by children and then husbands.