What type of purchase is BEST described as a customer's unplanned decision to buy an item just prior to the transaction?

• A. Coincidental.
• B. Guided.
• C. Impulse.
• D. Instinct.

Answer: (C)

The main idea is spontaneous, unplanned decision-making at the moment of purchase. An impulse purchase happens when a shopper decides to buy something right before paying, triggered by a sudden desire or a cue—like a product display, promo, or mood—without having planned the purchase in advance. This fits “just prior to the transaction” because the decision is made in the moment, not as part of prior planning. Other ideas don’t fit as well: a coincidental purchase is more about something happening by chance, guided implies a planned or directed path, and instinct is a general inner drive rather than a specific, moment-of-purchase urge.