The Psychology of Buying: How color impact the shoppers buying decision

CartyLabs
4 min readDec 27, 2022

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Color psychology is the study of how colors influence our thinking, sentiments, emotion, and behavior pattern. Color plays a significant role in the buying decision of consumers. According to research, certain colors can evoke certain emotions and associations in consumers, which can influence their purchasing decision. It can influence buyers emotions, perceptions, shopping intention, and purchasing behavior.

The Psychology of Buying: How color impact the shoppers buying decision
Color psychology is the study of how colors influence our thinking, sentiments, emotion, and behavior pattern. Photo by Sean Sinclair on Unsplash

Here are a few examples of how color can influence purchasing decisions:

The Color of the Top 100  Brands in the world
The Color of the Top 100 Brands in the world
  1. Emotional response: Different colors can evoke different emotions in people. For example, red can be associated with passion, love, and excitement, while blue can be associated with calmness and trustworthiness. Companies often use colors that are associated with the emotions they want to evoke in their customers.
  2. Perception of quality: Consumers often associate certain colors with certain qualities. For example, black is often associated with luxury and sophistication, while white is associated with purity and cleanliness.
  3. Brand recognition: Companies often use specific colors to represent their brand. For example, Coca-Cola uses red, while Starbucks uses green. These colors can help consumers easily recognize and remember a brand.
  4. Cultural associations: Different cultures have different associations with certain colors. For example, red is often associated with luck and happiness in Chinese culture, while in Western cultures, it is often associated with danger and caution. It is important for companies to consider cultural associations when choosing colors for their products or marketing materials.

Colors in Marketing Psychology

Different colors are associated with different emotions, and this can influence a person’s decision to purchase a product.

Here are some common associations with colors in marketing psychology:

  • Red: Excitement, Energy, and Passion
  • Orange: Fun, Friendly, and Approachable
  • Yellow: Optimism and Happiness
  • Green: Nature, Growth, and Calmness
  • Blue: Trust, Reliability, and Professionalism
  • Purple: Creativity, Attractive, and Mystery
  • Black: Luxury, Sophistication, Calm, Neutral
  • White: Purity, Cleanliness
Colors in Marketing Psychology
Pic Credit: Persuasion nation

Gender Color Preference

Some research suggests that there may be some general trends in color preferences among different genders and age groups. For example, some studies have found that men tend to prefer brighter, bolder colors, while women tend to prefer softer, more muted colors. Additionally, research has found that older people tend to prefer warmer, softer colors, while younger people tend to prefer brighter, bolder colors.

However, these trends should not be taken as absolute, as there is a great deal of individual variation in color preferences. People’s preferences for colors can be influenced by a variety of factors, including their personal experiences, cultural background, and the context in which they are viewing the colors. While there is some research on how people’s preferences for certain colors may vary by gender and age, it is important to note that individual preferences for colors can vary greatly and should not be used to make generalizations about a person’s characteristics or behaviors.

Best color for the Call To Action Button

There is no one “best” call to action (CTA) button color that will work for every situation. The color of your CTA button should be chosen based on the design and branding of your website or product, as well as the specific action you want the user to take.

Here are a few things to consider when choosing a CTA button color:

  1. Contrast: Make sure the color of your CTA button stands out from the rest of the page. This will help draw the user’s attention to the button and make it easier for them to find.
  2. Branding: If you have a specific color palette for your brand, consider using one of those colors for your CTA button. This will help reinforce your brand and make the button feel like a natural part of your website or product.
  3. Action: Different colors can evoke different emotions and associations. For example, red is often associated with urgency and can be a good choice for a CTA button that requires the user to take immediate action. Green is often associated with growth and can be a good choice for a CTA button that leads to a sign-up form.

Ultimately, the best CTA button color is the one that works best for your specific situation. It’s a good idea to test different colors via A/B testing and see which one performs the best.

Conclusion

Overall, According to Inc, color plays a significant role in the buying decision of consumers. It can influence their emotions, perceptions, and purchasing behavior. Companies should carefully consider the colors they use in their products and marketing materials to effectively appeal to their target audience. It is important to keep in mind that color psychology is a complex and multifaceted field, and it is important to consider the full range of factors that can influence how people perceive and respond to different colors.

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