As I undergo my studies into consumer behavior I immerse myself in what makes a consumer tick? I began to investigate what makes me tick? It seemed more difficult to know what motivates my spending then I would have thought. The truth is it’s about a hundred unrelated aspects that influence my decision. However as we know a Marketer who possess in depth, scientific understanding of their customers are more likely to succeed where others will fail. So this blog is for all of you Marketers out there.
What type of a consumer am I?
I am a 35 year old married mother of two, which by all accounts makes me a individual consumer. My purchasing habits consist primarily of buying personal and household goods. I am a pragmatic spender, when it comes to money I am as well-balanced as it gets. I have found a perfect balance between saving and spending. In my experience I have found that you can be responsible and also have fun. With two young kids it’s important to have both skills to pass along.
What influences my buying decisions, and how?
This is a perfect question to lead into market research. This is what every business wants to know? Here it is….I want Quality. However as a pragmatic spender I am going to research to find the best “Bang for my Buck”! My kids are hard on stuff, I want the items I purchase to hold up against a rowdy 3 year old boy who is determined to test the strength of any product and a gymnast 9 year old girl who believes every piece of furniture is who own personal gymnasium. Where do I go 9 times out of 10, COSTCO. I know there products are quality they’ve done the research for me, I am busy enough as it is. Their prices are fair, and the membership fee saves me the times and energy of researching to find what it is I want in consumer good.
Which stage leads me to a purchasing decision?
The answer is simple Information! The more information I can view on my smartphone (online) about a product the better. Most of my buying may end in the store but I am already sold before I walk in that door. I shop around online, Amazon mostly because it’s convenient and typically very quick delivery. Except in Lou of a pandemic of course. When I go to a store I already know what I am looking for and where to find it. There are always impulse buys but that’s not my typical pattern.
When making a buying decision, how am I influenced by marketing research and marketing design?
Marketing research and marketing design go hand in hand. Marketing research gets the marketing design in front of me. Without adequate research I may never see the marketing design at all. Many ads I can see as targeted at me don’t apply, I accredited that to poor research. Although when they do get it right it tends to lead to my impulsivity. For example a well placed Starbucks ad gets my mouth watering, touches my heart and gets my keys in my hand to head on down to my nearest Starbucks location. In my case marketing can engage me to react in research or purchases but I am rarely brand loyal. Except in the case of Starbucks. They connect in a way in marketing that gives a sense of belonging, a chance to make a memory with my daughter and their small snip its ads of social responsibility is empowering. Starbucks allows me to tell a story to my daughter and teach her about ethics. Marketing in my world is about connecting. It could be the most beautiful ad but if it doesn’t connect with my personal beliefs, ethics and lifestyle I will just keep on swiping.
Do you experience any post-purchase behavior?
Impulse shopping often has a negative reaction. If I am impulse buying for my kids it rarely effects me in a negative way, but I tend to never impulse shop for myself because I feel remorseful. Buying for your kids is just like asking for JOY in my life. I’m a person who craves joy so if I purchase a good I want it to feel good. If not I will probably steer clear of that product again and again in the future.