How do consumer characteristics influence buying behavior?

CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR is the study of how individuals , groups, and

organisations select, buy, use, dispose of goods, ideas, services to satisfy their needs

and wants

Consumer’s behaviour is influenced

by

1.CULTURALFACTORS

3.PERSONALFACTORS

2.SOCIALFACTORS

CULTURAL FACTORSThey are further classified into –

Culture, subculture,social classes.

1.

Culture One’s value , norms, behaviour depends on it.

Values in U.S Achievement,activity ,

efficiency, progress, freedom,youthfulness

Values in INDIARespect, honesty,

integrity,compassion, hard work.

Subcultures include nationalities, religions, racial groups and geographic regions.

Wine is offered in Christians to god whereas its highly against the laws of Muslims.

Social Class members show distinct product and brand preferences and also differ in media preferences.

Upper-class consumers prefer magazines, books,

news, drama

Lower- class consumers prefer

TV,reality show and sports.

Upper- class children plays in clubs where lower class on roads.

SOCIAL FACTORSFactors such as reference groups, family,

social roles and status.

2.

REFERENCE GROUPS

Groups that have a direct or indirect influence on person’s attitude and behaviour.

Groups having DIRECT INFLUENCE:

PRIMARY GROUPSSECONDARY GROUPS.

Groups having INDIRECT INFLUENCE: ASPIRATIONAL GROUPSDISSOCIATIVE GROUPS.

Primary groupsMore and informal

interactonSuch as-

friends ,family,neighbors could impact our choice

Secondary groupsLess & formal interaction

Such as- professional groups could also influence us

Aspirational groupsGroups we admire and wish to join.

Dissociative groupsWhose values or behaviour an individual rejects

FAMILYThe most important consumer buying organization in society and

influences our choice to a great extent

Almost half of the families have the

bank account in the same bank as their

parents

Husband and wife both are involved in making expensive product decisions

such as trips

Child’s wish could even

make us do we dislike

ROLES AND STATUSChoices may vary with the roles and the status of one in the society

A company’s CEO would purchase a big luxurious car and an office clerk would be satisfied with a small car

PERSONAL FACTORSThese factors include age,stage in life cycle,occupation,personality,lifestyle

3.

AGE

Our needs and desires depends

greatly on our age. Example -A Child would prefer toys than books.

STAGESOur choice depends on the

stage we are in –MarriageChildbirth

IllnessDivorce

JobRetirement

The company has focused on its wedding collections.

OCCUPATIONDifferent individuals desire products according to their occupation

A chef needs a different type of cap than a sportswoman.

ECONOMIC CIRCUMSTANCESDesires change according to the financial condition we are in.

A rich person would buy a bigger house then the person whose financial condition is not good

PERSONALITYSome brands make us connect with them with some feeling

related to its personality. For example-

Campbell is said to have a trait of sincerity and APPLE classy

and Axe appealing

LIFESTYLEPeople having the same culture, occupation

could have different lifestyle.

SUMMARY

1. CULTURAL

• Culture• Subculture• Social

2. SOCIAL

• Reference Groups

• Family• Roles &

Status

3. PERSONAL

• Age & Stage• Occupation

& Economic Conditions

• Personality• Lifestyle

Consumer behaviour is influenced by the following factors

KOTLER, P. & KELLER, K. 2011. Marketing Management 14th Edition , Upper Saddle River, NJ, Prentice Hall(With due thanks

to the owners of Photograph

CREDITS:

DISCLAIMER:Deepali jainHBTI, KANPUR

during an internship by Prof. Sameer Mathur,

IIM Lucknowwww.iiminternship.com