I've been puzzled by the same question (as a reaction to the same ads) and it occurred to me that it may be simple math: If the likelihood of buying by someone

I've been puzzled by the same question (as a reaction to the same ads) and it occurred to me that it may be simple math: If the likelihood of buying by someone who already bought the item is 3% and the likelihood of buying by someone else is 1% (simply because there are many more people in the second category), which group would you focus on with your ads? Personally, if I like an item, I'll recommend (and gift) it to my family and friends. I can think of at least 3 items that I bought for myself, liked and bought for someone else that are normally more of a long-serving items (like a tea kettle or a vacuum).