Pay it Forward

Pay it Forward -- WHILE CONSUMING

“If you can’t feed a hundred people, then just feed one.” Mother Teresa

One of the perks of working at a coffee shop is that I get to closely observe consumers behavior everyday. The other day this couple came in and after purchasing their coffee, they offered to buy the girls coffee behind them. This happen all the time at a coffee shop, but in this instance the girl had no clue who this couple was. This simple act of random kindness started a chain reaction where people kept buying the drinks of those behind them, which probably last for 30 minutes or so. Who could know the motives of the couple but the fact that others joined in was amazing.

Why do we buy?

“Every man dies, not every man really lives.” William Wallace

This act made me think of why people come in and spend five dollars on a coffee drink when they could make something similar for a fraction of the cost. I would like to think that customers come into City Brew because we care about them and try to provide them with a service they can't find at home. The truth is that people in their busy lives are unconsciously searching for single moments that will open their eyes to life.

Besides the couple at the coffee shop the others most likely did not think when they walked in that they would be buying a strangers drink but yet they did it anyway. This could be considered irrational consumer behavior because they will probably never see that person again and get return on their investment. This simply means that not every purchase uses prospect theory and that not all irrational purchase decisions are habitual. Money is not always an issue when you are paying for the experience and that is why people go to a coffee shop. Sometimes it just feels good to do the right thing, even if we need to be nudged to do so.