Ask someone why she bought her last item and she’ll probably offer a practical explanation. She needed it. She liked it. It was on sale. The answer may be true, but it’s rarely complete.

A customer might buy a jacket because it makes her feel more capable. She might spend hours researching a product because she needs reassurance. She might pursue a limited-edition release for the satisfaction of getting something others couldn’t. The product matters, but so does what the purchase allows her to feel, express or prove.

That was the central theme behind fashion psychologist Shakaila Forbes-Bell’s keynote at the 2026 Women in Retail Leadership Summit: consumers buy for emotional, psychological, environmental and social reasons they may not fully recognize themselves.

For retail leaders, that raises a more revealing question. Instead of only asking what customers want, brands should ask what customers are trying to accomplish through what they buy.

Customers Are Buying Identities

Most people have experienced the confidence that comes from wearing the right outfit for an important moment. However, clothes may do more than reflect how someone feels. They can influence how she behaves.

Forbes-Bell introduced the concept of “enclothed cognition,” which explores how clothing affects behavior based on the meaning associated with it. In one study she shared, participants wearing Superman T-shirts performed better during physical tasks than those wearing plain shirts. Wearing a symbol of strength appeared to help them feel stronger.

A customer may not simply be choosing something that reflects who she is. She may be choosing something that helps her become who she needs to be.

People also move between different identities: who they are, who they aspire to become, how they present themselves, and how they want others to see them. Brands can earn a larger role in customers’ lives when they show how the same product supports those different versions of the self.

Demographics Don’t Explain Motivation

Two customers of the same age, income and location can approach a purchase in completely different ways. One won’t buy until she has read reviews and compared every option. Another wants novelty and surprise. A third is motivated by connection, while another enjoys earning exclusive access or securing the best deal.

The four shopping archetypes explored during Forbes-Bell’s session capture those differences:

  • Scholar shoppers seek research, reassurance and social proof.
  • Sensation-seeking shoppers value novelty, surprise and anticipation.
  • Emotional shoppers are motivated by connection, belonging and self-expression.
  • Sports shoppers enjoy competition, exclusivity and the feeling that they earned something.

These aren’t permanent labels. The same person may research one purchase like a scholar and pursue another like a sports shopper. That’s what makes the framework useful. It encourages retailers to segment customers by what’s driving the decision, not simply by the characteristics listed in their profiles.

Efficiency Isn’t the Only Thing Customers Value

Retailers have spent years making shopping faster. Yet speed isn’t always the same as pleasure. Music, lighting, scent, store layout and digital design can all influence how a customer feels and behaves. Even waiting can add something to the experience. The anticipation of an online order may be part of the emotional reward.

This doesn’t mean brands should make shopping difficult. It means not every moment of friction is inherently negative. Surprise, discovery and a feeling of earned access can make a purchase more satisfying.

The better question isn’t simply, “How do we make this faster?” It’s, “Which parts of this experience feel rewarding, and which ones just get in the way?”

Look Beneath the First Answer

Customer feedback remains essential, but brands can’t rely exclusively on what shoppers say. Most people won’t describe a purchase as an attempt to feel stronger, gain approval, or express an identity. They’ll simply say they liked it.

The opportunity is to listen to that answer and then look beneath it. What does the customer want to feel? Which version of herself is she expressing? Does she need reassurance, connection, recognition or discovery?

The brands that answer those questions will understand more than what their customers buy. They’ll understand what those purchases do for them.