consumer buying behaviour essay

Consumer Buying Behavior

Introduction, consumer behavior, purchasing mind map, internal factors, external factors, works cited.

Consumer buying behavior forms an important component of marketing. Marketers are interested in the factors that influence a consumer to buy a particular product. According to Waheed and Sandhu, consumer behavior involves the actions that drive buyers to choose a particular product (637). There are internal and external factors that influence the selection of a product. The internal factors include consumer psychology and personal factors. The external factors constitute situational, social and cultural factors. The following paper is a self-reflection on how various factors influence the purchasing decisions. The reflection relates to an iPhone 6S I purchased last weekend. To get a clear glimpse of the purchase, I will use a purchasing mind map to illustrate the combination of the factors that led to the decision.

According to Kotler and Armstrong, combination of the internal and external factors results in consumer value framework (CVF) (28). The factors interact to determine the process of consumption, the value, and the relationship quality. The internal factors include consumer psychology and personality of the consumer (Kotler and Armstrong 29). The consumer psychology factors are subcategorized into perception, implicit memory, attitudes, information processing, and categorization. On the other hand, personality of the consumer entails motivation, personal values, emotional expressiveness, and lifestyles. The external factors are further divided into social, cultural and situational factors.

The purchase of the iPhone 6S last weekend was influenced by personal, psychological, cultural, situational and social factors. The following purchasing mind map exemplifies the determinants and the contributors that influenced the purchase.

Every day, people make purchasing decisions. Some of the decisions do not require a lot of thinking. On the other hand, there are other purchases that involve a long decision-making process. For example, purchase of a cell phone requires the consumer to think about the model, necessity and the technological specifications. The personal factors that influenced my purchase included lifestyle, preferences, and emotional expressiveness. According to Waheed and Sandhu personal factors are features that are unique to a person.

The factors include interests and opinions (639). In relation to the lifestyle, I am always attracted to new trends in the market. Furthermore, I admire cell phones that have good music applications, and high-resolution camera. I frequently visit social media sites and use the internet to research on various issues; hence, I preferred the iPhone. The emotional expressiveness entails the motivation and personal values. The iPhone 6S I purchased last weekend had the aesthetic qualities that resonated with my emotions and social class.

The other category of internal factors that influence purchase decisions are the psychological factors. Psychological factors refer to the individual’s ability to learn and comprehend information (Waheed and Sandhu 640). Psychological factors also include attitudes and perceptions. According to Kotler and Armstrong consumers respond to marketing promotions based on the perceptions and attitudes (42). In my case last weekend, the key psychological factors that affected the purchase of the iPhone included attitudes, categorization and perception. Attitudes are acquired ways of thinking about something. Attitudes entail the expression of favor or dislike of an object or someone (Waheed and Sandhu 638).

According to Kotler and Armstrong, attitudes form an important component of choosing a product (30). In my case, I already had a different model of smartphones. However, over the years I have admired Apple’s products. The desire for the brand and the strong conviction that the iPhone 6S has excellent features made me purchase it. Categorization entails grouping of people or things based on their traits (Kotler and Armstrong 43). In the electronic store, there were different genres of phones. However, the value and the superior features of Apple’s smartphones led me to prioritize the iPhone.

Perception is the other psychological factor that informed the purchase. Waheed and Sandhu stated that perceptions are usually formed based on experiences (640). Perceptions result in assigning meaning to particular people or products. In the case of the purchase, my orientation towards the iPhone was due to the perception that the cell phone has superior technological specifications. Perceptions are created in the mind. Other buyers in the store could have been attracted to other models of smartphones, but my passion was in the iPhone.

Social factors affect how consumers make purchasing decisions and respond to marketing messages (Waheed and Sandhu 640). The social influences are diverse and include family, social and peer interactions. In my case, the social factors that influenced the purchase included a reference group, peers, and my online social groups. For instance, during the purchase I was accompanied by a friend who has a smartphone. Earlier, I had seen his phone and wished to have a similar cell phone. In addition, my social roles as a student influenced the decision. The other external factors were cultural. Cultural factors are the set of values and ideologies that define a group. Many people in the U.S own smartphones. Hence, it has become national trend to have smartphones. Apple has penetrated the U.S market; as a result, many people have purchased the iPhones. Furthermore, most of my family members prefer the iPhones to other smartphones. The other subcultural factor was my affiliation with online groups.

Situational factors are the external factors that influence consumer behavior. Extensive research has been carried to examine how situational factors influence the purchase decisions. Marketers leverage on factors that influence purchase due to the situational issues (Kotler and Armstrong 42). For example, during the cold season, people buy warm clothes. Similarly, my purchase was influenced by situational factors. The factors comprised of time, location and income. The time factor related to the increase in academic research work throughout the semester. I required a cell phone that would make it easy for me to browse the internet. The second factor was location. The beautiful display of the phones along a busy street attracted me to the store. If it were not for the display, maybe I would not have purchased the phone last weekend. The other situational factor was the financial ability. I had $300 which I had saved specifically for the purchase of a cell phone.

The decision to purchase a product is influenced by many factors. The factors are categorized into external and internal factors. Similarly, my decision to buy the cell phone was influenced by the combination of internal and external factors. Even though there were similar phones that had the technological specifications such as the iPhone 6S, I settled for the product due to the personal, psychological, situational, cultural and social factors. These aspects pointed that purchase decisions are formed by the interaction of many factors. Therefore, marketers need to put into consideration the various factors that influence the purchasing process.

Kotler, Philip and Gary Armstrong. Principles of Marketing, London: Pearson Education Limited, 2008. Print.

Waheed, Abdul and Ahmand Sandhu. “Factor That Affects Consumer Buying Behavior: An Analysis of Some Selected Factors.” Middle-East Journal of Scientific Research 19.5 (2014): 636-641. Print.

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3.2: Factors That Influence Consumer Buying Behavior

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Learning Objectives

By the end of this section, you will be able to:

• List and describe the cultural factors that influence consumer buying behavior.
• Explain the social factors that impact consumer buying behavior.
• Discuss the personal factors that influence consumer buying behavior.
• Describe the psychological factors that influence consumer buying behavior.
• Explain situational factors that impact consumer buying behavior.

Cultural Factors That Influence Consumer Buying Behavior

Why people buy isn’t always a straightforward question. Think about the last time you bought a car, a bike, or other item. Why did you buy that specific make and model? Was it because its sleek style made you feel good about yourself? Perhaps you bought a particular brand because someone in your family bought the same brand. These are just a couple of examples of some of the factors that influence consumer buying behavior. Let’s examine some others.

Cultural factors comprise a set of values or ideologies of a particular community or group of individuals. These can include culture, subcultures, social class, and gender as outlined in Figure 3.4.

Culture refers to the values, ideas, and attitudes that are learned and shared among members of a group. Human behavior is largely learned. When you were a child, you learned basic values, perceptions, wants, and behaviors from your family and other external influences like the schools and churches you attended. Consider how these values and attitudes have shaped your buying behavior. For example, in a traditional Hindu wedding in India, a bride may wear red lehenga to the wedding, whereas Christian brides typically wear white. In India, widows are expected to wear white, whereas widows in the United States and other parts of the world generally wear more somber colors to a funeral. 2

A subculture is a group of people, such as environmentalists or bodybuilders, who share a set of values. Ethnic and racial groups share the language, food, and culture of their heritage. Other subcultures, like the biker culture, which revolves around a dedication to motorcycles, are united by shared experiences. The Amish subculture is known for its conservative beliefs and reluctance to adapt to modern technology. Think about what subculture(s) you may belong to and how they influence your buying behavior. For example, hip-hop music has long been associated with fashion, particularly sneakers. Run DMC’s 1986 hit “My Adidas” led to the first endorsement deal between a fashion brand and a musical act, setting the stage for lucrative partnerships spanning the decades since—Master P with Converse , Jay-Z and 50 Cent with Reebok , Missy Elliott and Big Sean with Adidas , and Drake with Nike .

Link to Learning: Failures and Inspirations

Cultural factors play a major role in determining how best to market to consumers. There are numerous examples of company efforts that failed because they did not reflect an understanding of the culture in a particular market. Watch this CNBC video on why Starbucks failed in Australia and read this article about how Coca-Cola and PepsiCo failed when they first moved into the Chinese market.

Also check out this CNBC video about why 7-Eleven failed in Indonesia.

Failures are always important because they come with learned knowledge, and if you understand the WHY behind the failure, the learning can lead to shifts in strategy and possible success. Read the inspiring story behind Run DMC ’s revolutionary market deal with Adidas and how it opened the door for current artists like 50 Cent, Jay-Z, and Puffy.

For more success stories, check out these videos about numerous companies that got it right . Examples include stories from Rihanna’s Fenty beauty line, Adobe ’s “When I See Black” ad, Bumble ’s “Find Me on Bumble” campaign, and many more!

Your social class is also an important influence on your buying behavior. Sociologists base definitions of social class on several different factors, including income, occupation, and education. While there is disagreement on the number of social classes defined by income in the United States, many sociologists suggest five social classes: upper class, upper-middle class, lower-middle class, working class, and the economically disadvantaged. 3 Income is largely defined by disposable income (the money you have left to spend or save after taxes are deducted), but its influence goes beyond just dollars, euros, yen, etc. For example, a lower-middle-class individual might focus primarily on price when considering a product, whereas an upper-middle-class person might consider product quality and features before price. However, you also can be influenced by a social class to which you don’t belong but by which you want to be accepted. Have you ever spent money you really didn’t have on brand name running shoes or a designer purse because that’s what your friends have?

Finally, your gender plays an important role in your buying behavior. People of different genders not only want different products as a result of their upbringing and socialization, but they approach shopping itself with different motives, perspectives, and considerations. While it’s always dangerous to stereotype, those who identify as male typically follow a utilitarian, more logic-based approach when shopping. They want a quick, effortless shopping experience. Those who identify as female, on the other hand, make decisions on a more emotional level. Zappos considers these different motives and provides different layouts on their landing pages for different genders. While the “male” version focuses on providing clear navigation by product categories, the “female” version aims to sell on emotion. 4

Link to Learning: Behind the Gender Differences

Gender differences lead to different buying behaviors. Read this article about one such example, Birchbox , a hair care and skin care subscription service. For even more information, check out this article about the reasons for the differences , which include purpose, experience, brain make-up, and more. Interesting reads!

You can also watch this Gaby Barrios TED Talk. Barrios is a marketing expert who speaks about how targeting consumers based on gender is bad for business.

This humorous video from The Checkout, a TV show about consumer affairs, discusses gender marketing packaging decisions and their impact on your wallet.

Another video about fashion brands focuses on how their parent companies leverage gender strategies.

Careers In Marketing: Women in Marketing

Let’s look at gender from another angle—women advancing in marketing. Part of a series about jobs in marketing , this article examines equity in the world of marketing. Findings include data on gender balance and inequality, and guidance on ways to improve.

For an inspirational moment, be sure to read these heartwarming stories about six mothers of great marketers .

Social Factors That Influence Consumer Buying Behavior

Social factors are those factors that are prevalent in the society where the consumer lives. Every society is composed of individuals who have different preferences and behaviors, and these individuals influence the personal preferences of others in the society. Humans are social individuals, and the influences of people’s family, reference groups, and roles and status (refer to Figure 3.5) have a huge impact on their buying behavior.

Let’s first consider the influence of family . It is generally believed that most people pass through two families: a family of orientation (i.e., the family to which you were born or with whom you grew up) and a family of procreation (the family formed through marriage or cohabitation, including your spouse, partner, and/or children). Consider first the family of orientation. When you were growing up, whether or not you recognized it, you likely developed some degree of buying behavior through watching adult members of your household and probably tend to buy the same products or services as you grow older. Was your father a die-hard Chevy driver? If so, the chances are good that you’ll probably at least consider buying a Chevy, too. Now consider the influence that your spouse, partner, and/or children have on your buying behavior. You may want that Chevy pickup because that’s what your father drove, but your spouse or partner may subtly (or perhaps not so subtly) sway you toward a Chevy crossover SUV because it’s more practical with kids to transport to school, sports, and other activities.

Reference groups are those groups with which you like to be associated. These can be formal groups, such as members of a country club, church, or professional group, or informal groups of friends or acquaintances. These groups serve as role models and inspirations, and they influence what types of products you buy and which brands you choose. Reference groups are characterized by having opinion leaders—people who influence others. These opinion leaders aren’t necessarily higher-income or better educated, but others view them as having more expertise in a particular area. For example, a teenage girl may look to the opinion leader in her reference group of friends for fashion guidance, or a college student might aspire to getting an advanced degree from the same university as an admired professor. Social media influencers also play a role here. Consider the influence that celebrities like Kendall Jenner (with more than 217 million Instagram followers) 5 or Leo Messi (with over 310 million Instagram followers) 6 have on individuals.

All people assume different roles and status depending upon the groups, clubs, family, or organizations to which they belong. For example, a working mother who is taking classes at the local community college assumes three roles at varying times—that of an employee, a mother, and a student. Her buying decisions will be influenced by each of these roles at different times. When she is shopping for clothing, her purchases may be influenced by any or all of these roles—professional attire for the office, casual clothes for classes, or yoga pants for home.

Personal Factors That Impact Consumer Buying Behavior

Personal factors, such as your occupation, age and life cycle stage, economic situation, lifestyle, and personality and self-concept also play a major role in your buying behavior (refer to Figure 3.6). Let’s examine each of these in more detail.

Age is a major factor that influences buying behavior because consumer needs and wants change with age. Your buying habits as a teenager or twentysomething are likely to be vastly different from your buying habits in middle age and beyond. Consider the four generational cohorts currently comprising the consumer market:

• Baby boomers (born between 1946 and 1964) are currently in their 60s and 70s. This generational cohort is approximately 70 million people strong in the United States and accounts for $2.6 trillion in buying power, 7 so you can imagine its impact on the consumer market. What types of products would you expect baby boomers to buy? Key categories for this group of buyers include pharmacy and health care products, household goods and appliances, wine, books (both digital and physical), cosmetics, and skin care products. 8
• Generation X (born between 1965 and 1979/80) are currently in their 40s and 50s. This cohort is approximately 65 million strong 9 and generally has more spending power than younger generational cohorts because they’re at or reaching the peak of their careers, and many Gen Xers are dual-income families. 10 This makes them an optimal target for higher-end brands and convenience-related goods, like made-to-order or prepared meals from the grocery store.
• Generation Y , also known as Millennials , (born between 1981 and 1994/96) are currently in their 20s and 30s. This cohort is the largest generation group in the United States, with an estimated population of 72 million. 11 One interesting aspect of Millennial buying is that they shop sustainably. They shop for brands that produce items with natural ingredients and ethical production lines and sustainable goods in every sector, such as food, household cleaning products, linens, and clothes. 12
• Generation Z , also known as Zoomers , (born between 1997 and 2012) are currently in their teens to early 20s, and they are just starting to have an economic impact on the consumer market. Although over 67 million strong, 13 many Zoomers are still in school and living with their parents, and their discretionary spending is limited.

Marketing in Practice: Marketing to the Ages

Knowing how to speak to your target market is critical. Knowing how to frame your message to a Baby Boomer versus a Gen Xer is what makes marketers successful. Want to know how to speak to each group? Check out these articles about marketing to different age demographics and generational marketing .

Learn from real-world examples of how age-agnostic marketing can work.

Have you ever seen a commercial or advertisement that pulls on your heartstrings because it gets you reminiscing? Nostalgia is an impactful tool in marketing because it gives a feeling of meaning and comfort. Check out this online blog to learn more about the impact of nostalgia in marketing.

Likewise, your life cycle stage has a major influence on your buying habits. Consider the different buying choices you would make as a single person who is renting an apartment in an urban area versus the choices you would make as a homeowner in the suburbs with children. It should be noted, though, that age and life cycle stage can often be poor predictors of buying behavior. For example, some 40-year-olds are just starting their families, while others are sending their kids off to college. Still other 40-year-olds are single (or single again). Some 70-year-olds may fit the stereotype of a retired person with a fixed income; others are still active or perhaps still working, with plenty of disposable income.

Your economic situation (income) is a huge influence on your buying behavior. Higher income typically means higher disposable income, and that disposable income gives consumers more opportunity to spend on high-end products. Conversely, lower-income and middle-income consumers spend most of their income on basic needs such as groceries and clothing.

Your occupation is also a significant factor in your buying behavior because you tend to purchase things that are appropriate to your profession. For instance, a blue-collar worker is less likely to buy professional attire like business suits, whereas attorneys, accountants, and other white-collar workers may favor suits or business casual work clothes. There are even companies that specialize in work clothes for certain types of workers, such as health care professionals who buy scrubs or construction workers who buy steel-toed boots.

Your lifestyle reflects your attitudes and values. What do you consider to be your lifestyle? Do you strive to live an active, healthy lifestyle? If so, your purchasing decisions may focus on healthier food alternatives instead of fast food. Do you consider yourself to be a soccer parent? You may (perhaps reluctantly) forgo that sports car for a minivan in order to transport your kids to youth sporting events or other activities.

Your personality and self-concept are also important factors influencing your buying behavior. Personality is the characteristic patterns of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that make a person unique. It’s believed that personality arises from within the individual and remains fairly consistent throughout life. 14 Some examples of the many personality traits people might have include things like self-confidence, individualism, extroversion, introversion, aggression, or competitiveness. Your personality greatly influences what you buy as well as when and how you use or consume products and services.

Perhaps even more importantly, as consumers, people tend to buy not only products they need but also those products or services that they perceive as being consistent with their “self-concept.” In other words, they generally want the products they buy to match or blend in with who they think they are. 15

Psychological Factors That Influence Consumer Buying Behavior

Your buying choices are further influenced by several major psychological factors, including motivation, perception, learning, feelings, beliefs, and attitudes (refer to Figure 3.7).

Let’s first consider how motivation affects your buying behavior. Motivation is the process that initiates, guides, and maintains goal-oriented behaviors. It’s the driving force behind your actions. One of the most widely known motivation theories is Maslow’s hierarchy of needs (see Figure 3.8).

Abraham Maslow asserted that all individuals have five needs, arranged from the most basic lower-level deficiency needs to the highest-level growth needs. As Figure 3.8 shows, physiological needs are at the most basic level and include things like adequate food, water, and shelter. Think about how marketers may try to appeal to consumers based on physiological needs. For example, Snickers ran a very successful ad campaign based on the slogan “You’re not you when you’re hungry.”

The second level is safety and security, the need to be safe from physical and psychological harm. Once again, consider just a few successful marketing campaigns that have focused on safety—“You’re in Good Hands with Allstate ” and Lysol ’s “Practice Healthy Habits” campaign with its tagline “What It Takes to Protect.”

The third level is belonging, or social needs. This level includes things like the need for emotional attachments, friendship, love, or belonging to community or church groups.

Esteem, the fourth level, includes such needs as recognition from others, taking pride in your education or work, awards, and/or prestige.

The highest level is self-actualization, which involves self-development and seeking challenges. For example, Nike ’s “Find Your Greatness” campaign was intended to spark greatness in ordinary people, not just professional athletes.

Link to Learning: Examples of Maslow’s Five Needs

Check out this Snickers' “You’re not you when you’re hungry” commercial, which appeals to basic human physiological needs.

This Lysol “What It Takes to Protect” commercial appeals to the human needs for safety and security.

Consider this public service announcement (PSA) from the Ad Council that is dedicated to fostering a more welcoming nation where everyone can belong. How does it appeal to the human need for community and belonging?

One awesome esteem level example to check out is this one from Dove . Dove launched a campaign to boost female self-esteem and to celebrate female beauty in all shapes and sizes. The company also created “confidence-boosting boards” on Pinterest. The boards include self-esteem activities so girls and their parents can share words of encouragement.

Check out one of Nike’s commercials from the “Find Your Greatness” campaign. How does it appeal to the human need for self-actualization?

Maslow asserted that people strive to satisfy their most basic needs before directing their behavior toward satisfying higher-level needs, so it stands to reason that consumer buying behavior would follow this model. For example, you’d first have to fulfill your needs for food and shelter before you might consider putting money away for retirement or purchasing a home security system.

Link to Learning: Maslow and Marketing

Understanding Maslow’s hierarchy of needs will help you be an effective and impressive marketer. You’re going to see this model in many of your business courses, not just marketing, so take the time to learn about it. Check out this brief video that may help you understand how to use Maslow’s hierarchy of needs in marketing. Learn about why Maslow’s hierarchy of needs matters.

Perception is the way in which people identify, organize, and interpret sensory information. It’s another variable in consumer buying behavior because the perceptions you have about a business or its products or services have a dramatic effect on your buying behavior. What makes perception even more complex is that consumers can form different perceptions of the same stimulus because of three perceptual processes: selective attention, selective distortion, and selective retention. Let’s take a closer look.

Every day, you’re bombarded with marketing messages from TV commercials, magazine and newspaper ads, billboards, and social media ads. As of 2021, it was estimated that the average person encounters between 6,000 and 10,000 ads every single day. 16 It stands to reason that you can’t possibly pay attention to all of the competing stimuli surrounding you, so you’ll pay attention to only those stimuli that you consider relevant to your wants and needs at the time and screen out the rest. That’s the process known as selective attention .

Marketing in Practice: When Bombarding Backfires

Bombarding consumers with marketing messages can cause more harm than good. According to this article from Marketing Dive , bombarding people with ads would negatively impact a brand. This article from the Advertising Association shares data that indicates bombardment and intrusiveness negatively impact perceptions of advertising.

How can you combat the issue? Quantcast outlines ways to avoid ad bombardment.

Careers In Marketing: It’s about Ability

Your personal brand will be a significant factor when it comes to finding a job. What does your personal brand say today? What is your marketing story? Is it what you want it to be? If not, what will you do to change it? The end-of-chapter content includes various ways to explore your personal brand to help you prepare for your job search.

How are you going to stand out among other candidates? What can you do with your résumé? According to Jason Shen’s TED Talk, you should highlight your abilities and not your experience. He speaks to potential and how you can make yourself more attractive to potential employers by telling a story in a compelling way.

According to the American Marketing Association (AMA) , you need to know yourself well. Self-knowledge will help you know the kind of work environment you perform best in and what kind of work you enjoy most. The AMA is a great place to learn how to stand out as a marketing job applicant , target companies, prepare your best résumé, and have a successful interview.

Check out these sources on how to stand out and ways you can beat the competition:

• Freemanleonard : “How Marketers and Creatives Can Stand Out in Today’s Competitive Job Market”
• Recruiter.com : “13 Tried-and-True Creative Tactics Candidates Have Used to Stand Out in Interviews”
• Acadium : “Launch Your Digital Marketing Career: How to Stand Out as a Candidate”
• Indeed: “8 Marketing Interview Questions to Expect”
• Entrepreneur : “Building Your Brand Is How You Will Stand Out When Applying for a Job”
• Smart Insights : “7 Tactics to Help You Stand Out as a Marketer and Get Better Jobs”
• 24 Seven : “10 Tips to Ace Your Next Marketing Job Interview”

If you want to go the extra mile in making yourself stand out, reach out to current marketers and ask them questions. You can find hundreds, even thousands, of current marketers on LinkedIn . Try targeting people from companies you’re interested in or would like to learn more about. Look for specific people who are doing jobs that interest you. Going to an interview armed with information is incredibly powerful and will speak volumes to your interviewer. Be sure to find a way to work your completed research into the interview conversation because it will speak to your drive, curiosity, and ambition—all traits every interviewer wants to hear about. This will also be another way you can stand out from others interviewing for the job. Questions you could ask current marketers in preparation for an interview include (but by no means are limited to):

• What about you stood out in your interview process that made your current company hire you?
• Can you tell me about examples of people you’ve interviewed and why they stood out to you?
• How have candidates stood out when they spoke about their abilities in a job interview scenario?
• What are your thoughts on candidates sharing a college project with you as a way to demonstrate abilities?
• What advice do you have for me?

Be creative with your questions! Look online for other questions you could ask. Have fun!

Even the stimuli that people notice don’t always come across in the way in which the marketers intended. Selective distortion is the tendency of people to interpret information in a way that fits their preconceived notions. This was demonstrated years ago when PepsiCo launched its Pepsi Challenge blind taste test commercials. Participants were presented with two colas in unmarked plastic cups and asked to taste both colas and choose the one they liked better. Then the tester would lift a small screen to reveal the brand the participants preferred. In TV commercials that aired for years, Pepsi showed the stunned reactions of loyal Coca-Cola drinkers who had chosen Pepsi over Coke in the test. One grandmother in a commercial said, “I can’t believe it. I’ve never had a Pepsi in my life, but it must be better!” 17

People also tend to forget much of what they learn and to retain information that supports their preconceived attitudes and beliefs. That’s the power of selective retention , a bias by which you’re more likely to remember messages that are closely related to your interests, values, and beliefs rather than those that are contrary to those values and beliefs.

Beliefs, feelings, and attitudes also play an important role in consumer buying behavior. Beliefs are consumer perceptions of how a product or brand performs relative to different attributes. These beliefs are generally formed through personal experience, advertising, and conversations with others, and they play a vital role because they can be either positive or negative. You can even hold both positive and negative beliefs about the same thing. For example, you may believe that coffee is good for you because it helps you focus and stay alert, but you may also worry about the effect of coffee on your health and the way it stains your teeth. Human beliefs aren’t always accurate and can change according to the situation.

Consumer attitudes are a composite of a consumer’s beliefs, feelings, and behavioral intentions toward a product or service (see Figure 3.9).

We’ve already talked about beliefs, so let’s focus for a moment on affect, or feeling. Consumers often have certain feelings toward brands, products, or services. Sometimes these feelings are based on people’s beliefs, such as a vegetarian who can’t stand the thought of eating a hamburger, but you may also have feelings that are relatively independent of your beliefs. For example, someone who has strong environmentalist beliefs may object to clearing forests to make way for a housing development but may have positive feelings toward Christmas trees because they subconsciously associate these trees with the experience that they had at Christmas as a child.

The behavioral intention aspect of an attitude is what you as a consumer plan to do—buy the brand or not buy the brand. As with affect, this is sometimes a logical consequence of your beliefs but may sometimes reflect other circumstances. Consider a consumer who doesn’t particularly like a restaurant but will go there because it’s an after-class gathering spot with her friends. 18

Learning is still another important factor in consumer buying behavior. The fact is that consumer behavior is learned, and much of what you buy is based on your previous experiences with particular brands. This is commonly known as the Law of Effect , which asserts that, if an action is followed by a pleasant consequence, you’re likely to repeat it; if the action is followed by an unpleasant consequence, you’re less likely to repeat it. For example, let’s say you buy an Apple iPhone . If your experience with the iPhone is positive, you’ll probably be more inclined to buy another Apple product when you’re looking for a tablet or wearable. On the other hand, if you’ve had a not-so-positive experience with your iPhone, you’re likely to look at other brands when considering purchasing other devices.

Marketing in Practice: Lessons in Psychology

Psychology is a big part of marketing. Insight into your customers’ thinking will allow you to create marketing messages and stories that better speak to their needs. Learning, the process where customers acquire information they can apply to future purchases, is a foundational concept in marketing. Learn about the various types of learning and how they can impact marketing strategies from this Forbes article .

Situational Factors That Impact Consumer Buying Behavior

Situational factors influencing consumers are external (refer to Figure 3.10). These factors play an important role in how consumers experience a product and how these consumers’ opinions are formed.

Environmental factors such as music, lighting, ambient noise, and even smells can either discourage or encourage a consumer’s purchase decision. For example, researchers conducted a study on the effect of lighting on consumer purchases in a grocery store. They lit half the store with traditional fluorescent lighting and the other half of the building with LED lighting. Researchers conducted the study over 21 weeks and discovered that consumers bought 25 percent more products on the LED-lit side of the store. 19

Spatial factors also play a role. The way a product is displayed may make it seem desirable, but a crowded store or a long line at the cash register can suddenly make that same product seem less desirable. Think about it: Have you ever seen a long line to check out at the cash register and put the product you intended to buy back on the shelf because it simply wasn’t worth it to waste your time standing in line?

The Marketing in Practice feature box shows how sound and smell can affect consumers.

Marketing in Practice: Abercrombie & Fitch

As consumers, people usually don’t think twice about what a store smells or sounds like, the way it makes them feel or think, or what it makes them do. But Abercrombie & Fitch (A&F) thinks about it a lot (see Figure 3.11).

The company has its own line of men’s fragrances called “Fierce,” which is sprayed liberally in stores to give off what the company describes as a “lifestyle . . . packed with confidence and a bold, masculine attitude.” A&F knows who it wants in its stores, and by associating its fragrance with its stores, it creates a self-fulfilling prophecy for its male clientele who, by wanting to smell like A&F, will be like the models and sales staff in the store.

A&F also plays loud club music throughout its stores, attracting young people who can withstand loud music longer, while older customers may run from it. It’s just another way that A&F is enabling its stores to maintain a more youthful clientele and a “fresher” image. 20

Watch this video on Abercrombie & Fitch’s brand transformation for further insight on how A&F has positioned its retail brand Hollister as a global iconic teen brand and modernized the A&F brand to focus on young millennial consumers.

The social situation of shopping is another situational factor. Did you know that you’re more likely to stop to look at certain products when you’re in the company of a friend as opposed to a parent? The social aspect can even alter the price you’re willing to pay. You might be more inclined to purchase a more expensive product when you’re with a colleague or potential partner than you would if you’re with a friend or spouse. 21

The goal of your shopping trip is yet another situational factor. If you go to a store to look for a birthday present for your mother, your purpose is totally different than if you’re casually shopping for a new pair of shoes. The reason for shopping dictates the kinds of products customers are willing to interact with at that time and may cause them to bypass certain products they would normally interact with on another shopping trip. This is even true at the grocery store. You’ll interact with products differently if you’re on your weekly shopping trip versus simply going into the store because you’re out of milk.

Much like the purpose of your shopping trip, timing also influences your consumer behavior. If you’re in a rush because it’s Christmas Eve and you haven’t bought a present for your best friend yet, you’ll interact with fewer products than if you have hours to shop. Even if two people are looking for the same type of product, the one in a rush will probably end up with the most accessible product, whereas the leisurely consumer has time to weigh the price and quality of offerings.

Finally, your mood influences your buying behavior. Someone who is feeling sad or stressed interacts differently with products than a happy, relaxed shopper. The same can be said for someone who’s fatigued versus someone who’s full of energy.

Marketing in Practice: Situational Factors

There are many examples where companies use situational factors in their marketing approaches. Here are several online sites and specific articles:

• Westin and the White Tea Signature Scent
• The Aroma Trace : “Best Examples of Olfactory Marketing in Companies”
• Sync Originals: “10 Brands That Made Music Part of Their Marketing DNA”
• Omnify : “8 Simple Lighting Techniques That Boost Retail Sales”
• Science News: “Does Background Noise Make Consumers Buy More Innovative Products?”
• Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science : “Sounds Like a Healthy Retail Atmosphere Strategy: Effects of Ambient Music and Background Noise on Food Sales”

Knowledge Check

It’s time to check your knowledge on the concepts presented in this section. Refer to the Answer Key at the end of the book for feedback.

You’re at the shopping mall looking for a new pair of shoes when you smell the wonderful aroma of freshly baked pretzels. Before you know it, you’ve bought a giant pretzel with cheese sauce. What type of factors influenced your purchase?

• Psychological factors
• Social factors
• Situational factors
• Personal factors

Traditionally, in China, the bride’s wedding gown is red because the color is associated with good luck, happiness, and prosperity. Which influence on consumer buying behavior does this illustrate?

• Social class
• Personality

Jazmine purchases a wireless alarm system for her apartment. According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, which level of needs does this purchase reflect?

• Physiological
• Safety/security
• Self-esteem

The tendency of people to interpret information in a way that supports what they already believe is known as ________.

• cognitive dissonance
• selective attention
• selective retention
• selective distortion

Attitudes are a composite of a consumer’s beliefs, feelings about, and ________ toward a product or service.

• predispositions
• behavioral intentions
• preconceived notions
• attributions

3.1 Understanding Consumer Markets and Buying Behavior

Learning outcomes.

By the end of this section, you will be able to:

• 1 Define consumer buying behavior.
• 2 Explain the nature of the buyer’s black box.
• 3 Describe how consumer behavior is characterized into types.

Consumer Markets and Consumer Buying Behavior Defined

How many buying decisions did you make today? Perhaps you stopped on the way to work or class to buy a soft drink or coffee, went to the grocery store on the way home to get bread or milk, or ordered something online. You likely make buying decisions nearly every day and probably don’t give most of those decisions much thought. But the way you make those decisions is significant for marketers, because if they can understand why you buy what you buy and when you buy it, they can use that information to boost revenue.

Consumer buying behavior refers to the decisions and actions people undertake to buy products or services for personal use. In other words, it’s the actions you take before buying a product or service, and as you will see, many factors influence that behavior. You and all other consumers combine to make up the consumer market .

The Buyer’s Black Box

It stands to reason that the hundreds of millions of people who make up the global consumer market don’t all buy the same products and services. Why do certain people prefer different items than others? The answer lies in the factors that influence consumer buying behavior. One model of consumer buying behavior is what’s known as the buyer’s black box , which is named as such because little is known about what goes on in the human mind. It’s also known as the stimulus-response model.

As illustrated in the model shown in Figure 3.2 , consumer buying behavior is based on stimuli coming from a variety of sources—from marketers in terms of the 4Ps (product, price, promotion, and place) , as well as from environmental stimuli, such as economic factors, legal/political factors, and technological and cultural factors.

These stimuli go into your “black box,” which consists of two parts: buyer characteristics such as beliefs and attitudes, motives, perceptions, and values, and the buyer decision-making process, which is covered later in the chapter. Your response is the outcome of the thinking that takes place in that black box. What will you buy, where, when, how often, and how much?

Types of Consumer Buying Behavior

Buying behavior is not influenced solely by the external environment. It’s also determined by your level of involvement in a purchase and the amount of risk involved in the purchase. There are four types of consumer buying behavior, as shown in Figure 3.3 .

Complex buying behavior occurs when you make a significant or expensive purchase, like buying a new car. Because you likely don’t buy a new car frequently, you’re highly involved in the buying decision, and you probably research different vehicles or talk with friends or family before reaching your decision. By that time, you’re likely convinced that there’s a significant difference among cars, and you’ve developed your own unique set of criteria that helps you decide on your purchase.

Dissonance-reducing buying behavior occurs when you’re highly involved in a purchase but see little difference among brands. Let’s say you’re replacing the flooring in your kitchen with ceramic tile—another expensive, infrequent purchase. You might think that all brands of ceramic tile in a certain price range are “about the same,” so you might shop around to see what’s available, but you’ll probably buy rather quickly, perhaps as a result of a good price or availability. However, after you’ve made your purchase, you may experience post-purchase dissonance (also known as buyer’s remorse) when you notice some disadvantages of the tile you purchased or hear good things about a brand you didn’t purchase.

Habitual buying behavior has low involvement in the purchase decision because it’s often a repeat buy, and you don’t perceive much brand differentiation. Perhaps you usually buy a certain brand of organic milk, but you don’t have strong brand loyalty. If your regular brand isn’t available at the store or another brand is on sale, you’ll probably buy a different brand.

Variety-seeking buying behavior has the lowest customer involvement because brand switching is your norm. You may not be unhappy with your last purchase of tortilla chips, but you simply want to try something new. It’s a matter of brand switching for the sake of variety rather than because of dissatisfaction with your previous purchase.

Link to Learning

The 4ps and consumer behavior.

Watch this short, humorous 4Ps video as a way to help you remember the concept. This video also includes several examples of target markets and how a marketer might respond.

Consumer behavior is an important marketing topic, and depending on the marketing program at your institution, you may have the opportunity to take a consumer behavior course and learn more about the topics covered above. Studying consumer behavior is important in marketing because it will teach you how to best know your customer, an integral aspect to marketing a product or service. You can also watch this selfLearn-en video to get a stronger grasp of consumer behavior.

As mentioned, environmental factors have an impact on consumer behavior. Can you think of a recent environmental influence that has had a significant impact? The coronavirus pandemic has probably been the most influential in recent years, and for many reasons! We still have a lot to learn about the impacts of the pandemic, and new information is being released daily about changing human behavior and the impact on marketing. For example, in this Google article, the author shares a cultural anthropologist’s insights for understanding consumer behavior and how it relates to three core needs all people experience—self-care, social connection, and identity—and how these needs correlate to recent YouTube video trends. Learn about how marketers can respond to this trend.

Continually trying to understand environmental influences will keep you on the cutting edge and ahead of the competition. It’s a great practice to always be looking for the latest information so that you can shift your strategies as needed. Bain & Company is an example of one company that wanted to understand how the pandemic changed consumer behavior. The company ran a survey in 2021 to better understand the impact of the pandemic, and it found five trends from the data.

A survey from Accenture , one of the top-ranked consulting firms in the world, found that the pandemic caused 50 percent of consumers to evaluate their purpose and what’s important to them. Read more about the findings in this article.

Always be looking for information to be the best marketer you can be!

Knowledge Check

It’s time to check your knowledge on the concepts presented in this section. Refer to the Answer Key at the end of the book for feedback.

• Dissonance-reducing buying behavior
• Variety-seeking buying behavior
• Complex buying behavior
• Habitual buying behavior
• technological
• Product choice
• Brand choice
• Social stimuli
• Purchase timing
• the consumer market
• the buyer’s black box
• consumer buying behavior
• complex buying behavior

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An Essay on Consumer Behaviour Theories and Frameworks

International Journal of Management Studies

Related Papers

Ravimohan Rajmohan

This article looks and Consumer behaviour in general and also examines the various theories and models that are available to understand consumer behaviour. KEYWORDS Consumer Behaviour, Consumer Behaviour Models, Cognitive Approach to Models of Consumer behaviour, Stimulus-Organism-Response Model of Decision Making, Consumer Decision Model, Theory of Buyer Behaviour, Theory of Reasoned Action, Theory of Planned Behaviour and the Fishbein Model.

nhlakanipho sdwaba

airah guerrero

IAEME Publication

CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research - Zenodo

Dr. Revati R . Rautrao

International Journal of Advanced Research in Management and Social Sciences

vijayalakshmi R.

The purpose of the research work is to study the traditional models of consumer behavior. The study starts with objectives of traditional models of consumer behavior overview. Consumer behavior in general and also examines the various theories and available to understand consumer behavior. Theories of consumer behavior and models are a natural extension of human behavior theories. The two major consumer categories represent the basis for understanding how they guide the reverse models and theory under each. It was ascertained that in terms of cognitive and humanistic, the varied theories and models under them all have special attribute. These represent the basis for the selection of the theory or model suited to person product or service category. These models also help special marketing strategies like position and market dividing the total numbers of market and sub group of people.

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Essay: Study on consumer buying behaviour

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1. Introduction:

Consumer behaviour is a complicated and diverse area of study. Since marketing is based on identifying, anticipating and providing customer needs it is important to understand them. There are two predominant types of buying: consumer buying, which consists of buying products for personal use, and organisational buying, which involves buying for organisational purposes. Consumer buying behaviour is defined as the buying behaviour of final consumers, individuals and households who purchase goods and services for personal consumption (Kotler et. al., 2001, pg. 858).

Purpose of choosing this topic:For a marketer to satisfy customer needs efficiently and lucratively, understanding consumer behaviour is essential. Research into consumer behaviour allows the marketer to create target groups of people with common interests, values, beliefs and patterns of behaviour which will be discussed further in this proposal. Once a market segment has been identified, marketers can research the target market more thoroughly and the marketing mix, product, price, promotion and place can be adjusted to ensure the product position is correct.

2. Objective

This dissertation will identify the main factors influencing consumer behaviour patterns, particularly in textile retailing. It will examine how buyer characteristics influence buyer behaviour and also how retailers react to such characteristics. In particular this proposal will look at the cultural factors, demographic factors and psychological factors that influence consumer buying. Also, it will investigate on different types of buying behaviour that helps to find how and why consumers make their purchase decisions. It is vital to note that the purchase of a particular product does not always derive the same type of decision making behaviour (East, 1997: 19). For example, an affluent businessman who enjoys collecting cars may not undergo complex buying behaviour as opposed to an average earning salesman who is buying a car for transportation purposes.

In order to achieve the objectives stated above, the research will utilise online survey and will consider the scope to which:

– Online community members share their views on buying;

– The sharing of pre-buying experience differs from the sharing of post-buying experience;

– Comments made by third party and direct contact through an online community affect buying pattern;

– Comments received on different company websites affect buying pattern.

Also, the research will utilise online database: Mintel and Emerald, and published material: books, articles on newspaper, magazines, or journals.

4. Feasibility

There is no purpose at this stage to employ any company information for preparing the dissertation. The author wants to ensure if he needs permission from the online community to approach individuals to take part in the survey. Participants will be at liberty to withdraw from the survey at any moment of time.

5. To whatextend the existing published material meets the proposal

The dissertation intends to explore the knowledge of types and elements of buying behaviour that influence consumer buying behaviour such as cultural factors, demographic factors and psychological factors. This will significantly assist the marketers to invade the competitive market and come out with fruitful wings.

The relationship between different types of consumer buying behaviour with the level of consumer involvement and the degrees of differences between brands. The level of involvement in a purchasing a product is related to the importance of the purchase, the risks involved and the type of cognitive processing that is generated (East, 1997: 19). It helps the marketer to keep a better hold on the competing market.

Cultureaffects consumer behaviour in a variety of ways. It relates to customs and beliefs that are learned from the society in which an individual grows up. Aspects of our socio-culture, such as sub-culture, social class and reference groups play different roles in influencing consumers. A common pattern of behaviour can be observed within groups. Cultural change occurs at a very slow pace and can be seen to marketers as threats or opportunities. Cultural elements that influence consumer behaviour can also be said to be environmental influences.

– ‘A reference group is one that the individual tends to use as the anchor point for evaluating his/her own beliefs and attitudes’ (American Marketing Association, 2004).

– ‘Sub-culture plays an important part to marketers because of their influence on brands and types of product and services demanded by their members’ (Chisnall, 1975, p.98). Mintel (2003) reports that an emerging youth sub-culture, in which extreme sports is the focal point. He estimates that consumers spent £4.5 billion on extreme sports goods in 2003, an increase of 29% on 1998. (See appendix 1, figure 3)

Demographicelements (ref Fig.7 appendix.3) can significantly affect consumer behaviour. As an individual’s stage of life progresses, so will the needs and wants of a product. To help marketers make a clearer distinction between demographic groups for market segmentation classification bases have been developed.

– ‘A Classification of Residential Neighbourhoods’ (ACORN) is a popular geo-demographic technique used as a segmentation base. ACORN maps geographically the concentrations of a particular type of individual and can be useful for helping marketers decide upon store locations and targeting direct mailing (Beaumont, 1989).

– Lansing, J and Morgan, J (1955) have devised a popular and successful break down of the life cycle of families to successfully target a market. Each stage influences consumer behaviour in a different way (see table1 appendix2). Mintel (2001) reports that the greatest time of expenditure for women in the AB social grade are during the bachelor stage where 56% of women spent more than £500 on clothes in a year. However, during the newly married couples, full nest 1 and full nest 2 periods the percentage of women that spends £500 a year on clothes decreases to 35%. This percentage increases at the empty nest stage to 46%. (See appendix 3, figure 6)

Psychological factorsare related to perceptions, motivations, attitudes and personality of a consumer so it crucial to know how life patterns influence purchasing decisions. ‘Psychographics are usually based on demographic information as well as ratings of consumer’s activities, interests and opinions’ (Williams, K, 1981, pg.91).

– Lifestyles and patterns have strong influences on consumer behaviour. Figure 7 (see appendix. 3) illustrates the main factors that form a lifestyle.

– Perception and motivation relates to an individual’s interpretation of a product and company. Maslow recognises that people with intensive needs can be motivated to purchase the goods if identified properly (Lancaster, G, Massingham, L, and Ashford, R, 2002, pg. 80). With this, marketer can convey good brand awareness.

– The subject of personality is a very complicated area. There are many variables that reflect a comprehensive view of a personality. This makes it difficult for marketers to understand the link personality has with consumer behaviour (Williams, K, 1981, pg.133)

6. Timescale

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Consumer Buying Behavior Essay Example

The study of consumer buying behavior is a topic that has been studied by many researchers for years. The main idea behind understanding the consumer decision process is that consumers are faced with many decisions every day, and each one can be viewed as an opportunity to make or break their purchasing habits. This essay will help you understand what type of research was done in this field, how it applies to your life today, and what steps you can take to maximize your chances of success.

• Essay Sample on Consumer Buying Behavior
• Introduction of Consumer Buying Behavior Essay
• Assessment of consumer behavior

Customer relationship management theory

Essay sample on consumer buying behavior.

Introduction of Consumer Buying Behavior Essay Marketing research is one of the key aspects of a company’s success. Intensive market research allows the company to identify all the factors, which can be understood as determinants of the consumer’s buying behavior (Assael, 2005). Every company needs to divide its target market into different market segments and align its marketing strategies and product offerings according to the needs and wants of the segments (Assael, 2005). The baby boomer market segment includes individuals, who were born after the Second World War, during the period of 1946 to 1964. There were two generations of baby boomer generation in this period; one was between 1946 and 1955, and the second was between 1955 and 1964 (Current Assessment Report (CAR) for the Baby Boomer Market, 2002). The focus will be on the second generation because they are comparatively young than the first generation. The baby boomer marketing segment is one of the most attention seeker market segments. The main reason for this is that the segment is well diversified and large. The segment has ample opportunities and potential. The buying behavior of this category of customers is quite different in comparison of other demographic marketing segments (Harris, 2003). Different types of needs and demands of this segment are required to be accomplished by different airplane transportation companies (Harris, 2003). Furthermore, the paper also presents different aspects of the requirements and demands of the baby boomer generation, which influence the marketing strategies of airplane transportation companies. Main Body of Consumer Buying Behavior Assessment of consumer behavior Consumer behavior is the way in which the consumer acts or behaves at the time of looking to buy something (East, 2008). The study of consumer buying behavior includes the study of consumer perceptions, attitudes, motivation factors, factors influencing consumer decision-making process, demographic effects, like cultural, economic, political, etc., self-identity, consumer- lifestyle, and so on (Dougherty, 2007). These are further described as: Consumer perceptions, attitudes, and motivations The perception of the consumer is an approximation of reality, which is influenced by several factors. It starts with the exposure about any product/service that gets the attention of the customer, which forces the customer to make certain interpretations about the product/service, finally resulting in perception about the product/service, which will have an effect on the buying decision process. In addition to this, Attitudes and Motivation play a crucial role in the consumer buying decision process. Attitudes of the consumer include beliefs, feelings, and behavioral intention toward any object. It is one of the key factors that have a strong effect on buying behavior. On the other hand, Motivation could be described as the inner drive of the person that reflects goal-directed arousal (Schiffman, 2007). In the context of the baby boomer buying behavior, the results are due to desire for a product, service, or experience. It is the motivation drive that satisfies the needs and wants of baby boomers through the purchase and use of different products and services (Berkman, 1997). As the baby boomer generation has evolved through various life stages, their needs, behaviors, and tastes have changed over time. For example, cocooning was considered a popular trend during the 1980s as many baby boomers were busy raising young families and focused to stay home, enjoy movies at home and buy take-out foods. However, now when their children are growing up and the mortgages are already being paid off, boomers are emerging from their cocoons. As the baby boomer generation is getting old, the domestic and international airlines market has seen this as an opportunity to attract the baby boomers for tourism and use airplane transportation. The attitude of baby boomers will have a significant effect on airplane transportation. As many of them are in a strong financial condition, it is likely that they will choose airplane transportation for a long journey. The motivation factor, which could motivate the customer to book their tickets, could be initiated by providing offers on the advance bookings on the tickets (Foxall, 1998). Get Non-Plagiarized Custom Essay on consumer buying behavior in USA Order Now Decision-making processes The process of decision making follows a mental process by an individual in selecting a product after going through a mental course of action and making a selection out of various available options. In relation to this, logical decision-making is a vital part of baby boomer’s buying decision-making process (Hoyer, 2009). The generation of the baby boomer has already established trends in the marketplace, as they have proceeded along the demographic trail. Tourism is no exception. In the context of airplane transportation, the decision-making process of baby boomers starts with making holiday journey plans, or medical tourism, etc. It involves inquiry about various holiday packages, timings of flights, price structure, facilities which will be provided by the airline’s companies during the journey and so on. Some research using naturalistic methods show that in situations which have the higher time pressure, increased ambiguities or higher stakes, baby boomer uses intuitive decision making rather than the structured approaches, which follows recognition of prime decision approach to fit into a set of indicator into their experience and immediate arrival at a satisfactory course of action without thinking about the alternatives (Lamb, Hair and McDaniel, 2008). The impact of the word of mouth marketing on buying decisions is imperatively low in the case of the baby boomer generation. The class relies heavily on extensive marketing research for their purchasing decisions. The usage of the Internet and other technological means are also being used heavily by the class for the purpose of conducting such marketing research in today’s scenario. Further, after gathering all the related information, the class generally likes to conduct a comparative analysis of available resources (Lamb, Hair, and McDaniel, 2008). Have a look: Free  Essay Example On Consumer Culture And Behavior Analysis of Baby Boomers

With the help of such analysis, the selection of the alternatives that are capable enough to accomplish the requirements of the class can be done in the most effective and efficient manner. After choosing the best suitable option, the purchasing of the product or service is taken into account. After purchasing products or services, the post-purchase evaluation is also one of the most crucial steps of the buying decision-making process undertaken by the baby boomer class. The experience of using the product or service articulates the perception of the baby boomer generation about the product and services, which is extremely crucial for an organization in order to create brand loyalty in the class (Lamb, Hair and McDaniel, 2008).

The main feature of this decision-making process is that it is highly structured and well-defined. Unlike the new generation, the scope of instant purchasing is quite low in the case of the baby boomer generation.

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Subcultural effects

Sub-culture could be defined as the course of the behavior of individuals with some similar values between them. Every group has a different set of traditional beliefs, preferences, customs, and habits. If international marketers believe that consumers would increasingly resemble each other and that they eat the same food, wear the same clothes, watch the same television programs, they are going to lose their clients (Lancaster, 2001). In the context of baby boomers, as the generation is in their 50’s above there would be a change in their sub-culture as their preferences are now more focused on a healthy and stress-free life. This will motivate to plan for holidays which could be domestic as well as international.

The effect of the sub-culture of baby boomers is surely going to affect airplane transportation as well. It is directly going to help the airplane transportation as many boomers may choose the airplane transport for going abroad or may take the domestic flights. The future of the traveling and airplane industry in the context of the baby boomer generation is quite bright in today’s scenario. It is reported that almost four out of every tenth Canadian, traveling within Canada were from the baby boomer in 1996 and they spent almost 53% of the total domestic expenditure. In addition to this, there are certain issues on which the airline should have to work like, the safety of customers, facilities, etc. After the 9/11 attack in the U.S.’ the baby boomers are more concerned about safety while considering to by the airlines (McDougal, 1998).

Identity and self-concept issues

The self-concept could be defined as the self-assessment by any individual. It could be described as the multidimensional concept which is followed by the individual’s perception of “Self ” related to a number of characteristics including their experience, academics, racial identity, gender, etc. It may be assessed on the basis of the different abilities and skills of the individual. The self-assessment done by the individual is going to make an image of him and help to position the identity. The Self-concept of any individual could change from time to time as self-assessment is a continuous process of an individual (Hoyer, 2009).

This will help the individual in taking the decision for the buying process as well. The individual will try to choose the product or service which suits his identity. The generation of babies represents almost one-third of the total Canadian population. Most of the baby boomers are financially strong and prefer air transport for a long-distance journey rather than road transport. This is going to be an enormous challenge as well as an opportunity for the airline industry to manage a large number of customers (Hoyer, 2009).

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Lifestyle trends

A lifestyle trend is one of the crucial factors that affect consumer buying behavior. It could depend upon the physiological change, psychological, age factor, etc. For example, the lifestyle of a young generation would be different from that of the old generation. Their preference for the products may be different from the other age groups; same as the lifestyle of aged people is based on their requirements (Schiffman, 2007). It could be biased on the health factor, convenience, etc. In relation to this, the lifestyle of the baby boomer generation is quite different from the new generation, which is reflected in their decision-making process and consumer buying behavior. The people categorized in this category are aged above 50 years. Most of them have retired or are about to retire. In this scenario, the lifestyle becomes more relaxed and unique. Their point of view and preference is different entirely from the new generation. The impact of the latest trend or fashion is quite low. Furthermore, this class of society is financially strong and well established. Because of this reason, money constraints do not arise in their decision-making process generally (Schiffman, 2007).

They prefer the quality and convenience provided by products and services. They do not hesitate to pay more for high-quality products and services. Especially in the context of service marketing, the focus of this generation is on convenience and comfort. Further, consciousness about health is also an integral factor of the lifestyle of the baby boomer generation, most of the baby boomers believe in a healthy lifestyle. A number of health-related problems are being faced by the generation. Because of this reason, they prefer the product and services, which can provide them different health-related benefits (Baby boomer trends in products and services expected to reflect a preference for style, n.d.).

Maintaining a healthy and favorable relationship with the customer is one of the most important aspects of the service industry like the airplane transportation industry. It is an integral characteristic of the consumer behavior of the baby boomer class. They prefer to avail themselves services from the vendor, who maintains a friendly relationship with them. The airplane transportation service vendors need to undertake different strategies for maintaining good relationships with their customers so that they can attract the customers from baby boomer class (Buttle, 2008).

Marketing strategies for coping up with such trends of consumer buying behavior of the baby boomer class The buying behavior of the baby boomer class is quite sophisticated and different from that of the new generation. Because of this reason, a number of marketing strategies are required to be adopted by the different service organizations. In addition to this, the success of such marketing strategies is highly dependent upon the alignment of such strategies with the needs and demands of the baby boomer generation (Wilson and Gilligan, 2005).

In relation to this, the airplane transportation industries need to conduct extensive research for serving the baby boomer generation. This will help the organizations to identify the core needs and demands of the class. The baby boomer class is one of the most potential target groups for the organizations operating in the airplane transportation industry because most of the people of this class have retired or are about to retire. In this age group, the tendency of enjoying life and traveling grows up. Further, as per the buying behavior trends of the class, the priority of the class is to get centered on high-quality services. Because of this reason, the class can be regarded as one of the most potential customer classes.

In relation to this, airline companies should target the class more precisely. The companies should target this market on the basis of the convenience, comfort, and highly domesticated services provided by the organization. The organizations should undertake some marketing and advertising campaigns, which are especially focused on old age persons. In such a marketing campaign, the company should provide a detailed description of the services provided by them (Wilson and Gilligan, 2005).

Further, airline companies should also change their product offerings to provide exceptional facilities to this class. In addition to this, the airline companies should take specific attention to the 4 Ps of their marketing mix i.e. product, price, place promotion. In relation to this, the product of an airline company is the transportation services provided to their passengers. In relation to this, as per the requirements of the baby boomer generation, the airline company can provide some additional services, such as medical facilities, homely care, nutritious and hygienic food, and so on. Such services are recognized as value-added services, which are extremely crucial in increasing the intensity of brand loyalty in their customers from the baby boomer class (Green, 2006).

In addition to this, the airline company should provide a more convenient place for the booking of tickets. Airline companies should open their virtual and mobile customer care counters, with the help of which, the customers from the baby boomer class can book tickets and get information about their flights conveniently. This will save time and effort for senior citizens, which can be classified under the category of baby boomer class of the society.

Further, airline companies can also adopt several pricing strategies to attract the baby boomer generation. The airline companies can provide specific travel packages to customers from a specific age group. In addition to this, there are some more measures related to the pricing strategies, such as providing exceptional cash discounts, provide additional facilities to senior citizens without charging any extra charges, giving priority to passengers from baby boomer class in seat allocation, and so on. Moreover, the airplane transportation companies can adopt some unique promotional schemes, such as free gifts, discounts, membership cards, and so on to attract the baby boomer class (Nyren, 2005).

Furthermore, the airplane transportation company should also consider additional 3 Ps of service marketing in formulating their marketing strategies, especially for the baby boomer class. These 3 Ps are person, process, and physical evidence. In relation to this, airplane transportation organizations need to hire efficient personal and provide them adequate training so that they can understand the psychology of customers from the baby boomer generation. By doing that a more intensive and sophisticated service can be provided to the customer during the flight (Lancaster and Reynolds, 2005).

In addition to this, companies should put more emphasis on making the whole process from booking of tickets to taking the feedbacks of the customers about the journey more easy and convenient for the senior citizens of the society. At last, different physical pieces of evidence provided to the customers, such as tickets, boarding passes, and so on should be easy to handle for the customer from the baby boomer class (Lancaster and Reynolds, 2005).

Hence, the measures elaborated in the mentioned section of the paper, which can prove extremely useful for making effective marketing strategies in order to attract customers from the baby boomer class of the country.

Get Non-Plagiarized Custom Essay on consumer buying behavior in USA

The baby boomer generation comprises people born after World War II. This baby boomer generation can be divided into two different categories. In the first category, people born in the period of 1946 to 1954 are included. The second category comprises of the relatively younger generation, which includes people born in the period of 1955 to 1965. In relation to this, the paper has presented the study of consumer buying behavior of the second category of the baby boomer generation (Current Assessment Report (CAR) for the Baby Boomer Market, 2002). On the basis of the findings of the paper, it can be concluded that the consumer buying behavior of the baby boomer class is quite different from the other classes of society.

The paper concluded that there are different aspects of consumer buying behavior, which can affect the buying habits of the customer. Such aspects include consumer perceptions, Attitude, Motivation factors, factors influencing the consumer decision-making process, demographic aspects like cultural, economic, political, etc., self-identity, consumer- lifestyle, and so on. The paper has presented that the consumer buying process; especially in the context of the baby boomer class is quite sophisticated (Harris, 2003).

Further, the paper has also presented different marketing strategies that could be undertaken by an airline company in order to attract customers from the baby boomer class of the country. In concern to this, the company can attract the customers of this segment of the society by aligning different factors of the marketing mix with some sophisticated requirements and demands of the customer (Wilson and Gilligan, 2005).

In all, the paper can be summed up by saying that the baby boomer generation is one of the most valuable segments of the society that holds a prominent place in the economy of the country. In the context of the airplane transportation industry, the role of this segment becomes vital.

 Assael, H. (2005). Consumer Behavior A Strategic Approach. Dreamtech Press. Baby boomer trends in products and services expected to reflect preference for style. (n.d.) Retrieved April 27, 2011,

https://www.aarpglobalnetwork.org/netzine/Industry%20News/ProductsandServices/Pages /Babyboomertrendsinproductsandservicesexpectedtoreflectpreferenceforstyle19754730.aspx Berkman, H.W., Lindquist, J.D & Sirgy, M.J. (1997). Consumer behaviour. NTC Business Books.

 Current Assessment Report (CAR) for the Baby Boomer Market. (2002). Retrieved April 25, 2011, from http://www.agingsociety.org/agingsociety/links/car_boomer.pdf Dougherty, D. O. (2007). Consumer behavior. South Africa: Pearson South Africa. East, R., Wright, M. & Vanhuele, M. (2008). Consumer behavior: applications in marketing. Great Britain: SAGE publication ltd.

 Foxall, G.R., Goldsmith, R.E. And Brown, S. (1998). Consumer psychology for marketing. (2nd ed.). U.K.: Cengage Learning EMEA.

 Green, B. (2006). Marketing to leading-edge baby boomers: perceptions, principles, practices, predictions, (2nd Ed). Paramount Market Publishing.

 Harris. L.M. (2003). After fifty: how the baby boom will redefine the mature market. Paramount Market Publishing.

 Hoyer, W.D., & Macinn, D.J. (2009). Consumer behavior. (5th ed.) U.K: Cengage Learning. Lamb, C. W., Hair, J.F. And McDaniel, C. (2008.) Essentials of Marketing, (6th Ed.). Cengage Learning.

 Lancaster, G, & Reynolds, P. (2001). Marketing: the one-semester introduction. Great Britain: Butterworth-Heinemann.

 Lancaster, G. and Reynolds, P. (2005). Management of marketing. Butterworth-Heinemann. McDougal, L. (1998). Aging Baby Boomers and What it Means for Domestic Travel in the 21st Century. Travel-log, 17 (3): 1-14.

 Nyren, C. (2005). Advertising to baby boomer. Paramount Market Publishing. Schiffman, L.G. (2007). Consumer behaviour. UK: Pearson Education.

 Wilson, R.M.S. and Gilligan, C. (2005). Strategic marketing management: planning, implementation, and control, (3rd Ed). Butterworth-Heinemann. Buttle, F. 2008. Customer Relationship Management, (2nd Ed.). Butterworth-Heinemann.

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Online Stores’ Influence on Consumers’ Buying Behavior Essay

Many customers often notice that being on the site of some online store with a clear goal of buying a certain product, in the end, acquire not only it but an additional pile of completely unnecessary junk for them. Internet stores often use certain tricks to attract potential buyers and force them to buy the product. One can look at this topic in two ways: on the one hand, a pleasant interface and competently structured site help the buyer to choose the right items, but on the other hand, various details on the sites can prompt the purchase of unnecessary goods.

In her essay “An Evaluation of how fashion is consumed online,” Ashley Foster described a platform called Polyvore. This site was created to create original images, combinations of those, or other products. The interface of this site is very pleasant, which makes using it as efficient as possible. This site provides an opportunity to assemble an individual fashion image and purchase the goods included in it.

For her part, Sidney Fussell, in an essay entitled “The Endless, Invisible Persuasion Tactics of the Internet,” condemns the use of so-called “nudges” by online stores and platforms. The author argues that the majority of online purchases come from the manipulation of potential customers. Product accentuations, fake sales and promotions, and the use of notifications that influence people’s minds cause people to make unnecessary purchases online.

In the opinions of the authors can be found both similarities and differences. The first author writes about the Polyvore platform: “A home page is a place where praise and recognition are paid to the work of Polyvore users” (Bullock et al. 850). The second author complements this idea in his essay, only in a negative way, arguing that most of the “social proofs” are fake (Bullock et al.). Since this tool can inspire a potential buyer, this aspect can also be considered positively. The next important aspect is the use of accents in the design of websites. In the first essay, the author argues that black-and-white website design helps focus on the most needed – the products (Bullock et al.).

If the designer places the product in the middle of the page and depicts it in a distinctive color scheme from the page, the buyer’s attention will be solely on the product. For his part, Sidney Fussell argues that no platform can be devoid of nudges (Bullock et al.). This is a convergence in the opinion of the authors. Thus, pleasing design and the right placement of accents can not always be regarded negatively. Many people appreciate a pretty picture, it is important to them that everything around them is beautiful, and only a beautifully designed website can encourage them to buy.

I believe that both readings on synthesis have influenced my opinion. I can agree with some aspects of both essays. For example, I agree with Ashley Foster’s idea that enhanced site functionality, a pleasant interface, and a focus on customer convenience attract users. I, like most shoppers, would rather have a site with a nice design and advanced features than an awkward online store. In the second essay, my opinions agree with most of the statements, for example, that the use of the so-called “shadow template” should be eradicated.

Like the author, I believe such manipulation takes away the buyer’s right to choose. Today’s world is full of provocations that prevent people from shopping intelligently. Canceling various subscriptions should be as easy as making those subscriptions. Internet platforms prey on people who, for one reason or another, do not have the time or knowledge to cancel a purchase.

Works Cited

Bullock, Richard, et al. The Norton Field Guide to Writing with Readings (Sixth Edition) . Available from: Yuzu, (6th Edition). W. W. Norton, 2022.

• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2023, December 7). Online Stores' Influence on Consumers' Buying Behavior. https://ivypanda.com/essays/online-stores-influence-on-consumers-buying-behavior/

"Online Stores' Influence on Consumers' Buying Behavior." IvyPanda , 7 Dec. 2023, ivypanda.com/essays/online-stores-influence-on-consumers-buying-behavior/.

IvyPanda . (2023) 'Online Stores' Influence on Consumers' Buying Behavior'. 7 December.

IvyPanda . 2023. "Online Stores' Influence on Consumers' Buying Behavior." December 7, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/online-stores-influence-on-consumers-buying-behavior/.

1. IvyPanda . "Online Stores' Influence on Consumers' Buying Behavior." December 7, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/online-stores-influence-on-consumers-buying-behavior/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Online Stores' Influence on Consumers' Buying Behavior." December 7, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/online-stores-influence-on-consumers-buying-behavior/.

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