When a person is motivated by the desire to bring joy to someone else through a purchase, this is referred to as altruistic buying. This can manifest as buying a gift or a shared purchase, such as equipment or a trip. Recognizing these altruistic motivations plays a crucial role in marketing strategies and advertising messages. This consideration is particularly emphasized in campaigns launched before festive periods, such as the holiday season.

For example, when altruistic motivations toward children or grandchildren are identified, they will be featured in advertisements. In-store salespeople can also incorporate altruistic motivation into their sales pitches and arguments to better meet customer needs. Furthermore, the very design of products can be influenced by this motivation: gift sets are a concrete example of products specifically designed to satisfy consumers’ altruistic motivations.

It is important to distinguish altruistic motivation from other types of purchasing motivations, as it is based on the desire to please others rather than on personal needs.