Why We Buy: The Science of Shopping

Author Paco Underhill is an environmental psychologist, founder of the international market research company Envirosell, and author of three books on marketing, including Why We Buy. That book, revised in 2009 to account for fast-paced changes in retail technology and the rise of e-commerce, has been translated into 27 languages. Underhill believes there is much more to the way people buy things than simple cost-benefit analyses. Instead, shoppers tend to purchase what appeals to them, makes them feel good, and is convenient to buy. Underhill lays claim to the invention of shopping science; however, he credits William Whyte’s research into urban spaces as a main influence. 

William Whyte, a journalist who became a researcher during the mid-20th century, studied how people interact with public spaces—parks, squares, streets, and the like—using video cameras to learn in detail how visitors used features such as benches, fountains, and grassy areas. Whyte wrote a number of influential books, including the bestselling The Organization Man and several on urban spaces. He also coined the term “groupthink,” which describes how people in organizations often choose conformity over good decision making. In 1974, Whyte founded the Project for Public Spaces, which works to build community by improving places where people can gather.