The study of consumer behavior will provide answers to a number of important questions.

1. What are the needs and expectations of the target audience?
2. What financial possibilities do consumers have?
3. How much are potential and existing customers willing to spend on the proposed goods or services?
4. What should be taken into account when developing a development strategy aimed at increasing consumer activity?

Professional research helps companies solve the following problems.

• Determination of the socio-demographic portrait of buyers. This is necessary for effective targeted marketing campaigns. The study allows you to optimize costs and launch advertising addressed to a specific target audience or its segment.
• Studying the capabilities and needs of existing and potential customers. This information is needed to optimize trade offers and create an attractive service.
• Launch effective advertising with geographic targeting. The study will identify places where the target audience is concentrated.
• Definition of criteria and factors influencing the activity of buyers. This data is needed to prepare the most relevant offers and increase loyalty through effective BTL and ATL events.

Study of consumer purchasing behavior

It is extremely difficult to analyze the purchasing behavior of consumers, since in the course of work it is necessary to determine the motivation for choosing a place of purchase, to study the factors (external and internal) that affect the purchase of a product or service, and the process of making a decision to conclude a transaction. This can be done with well-planned qualitative market research. Quantitative methods for this problem are practically used only in combination with qualitative ones.

A professional study of the purchasing behavior of potential and existing consumers involves:

• compiling a detailed portrait of the target audience or its individual segments;
• study of customer behavior;
• dividing the target audience into groups according to various criteria and the 5W methodology;
• assessment of the financial capacity of the segments;
• analysis of consumer sensitivity to price dynamics;
• identifying the needs of the target audience (including according to the Kano method);
• determination of media preferences of the target audience;
• evaluation of TRP and GRP.

In the process of research, experts use three main methods.

1. observation. Allows you to understand what choice is based on, how it happens, and what pushes consumers to make a purchase. Based on the collected data, forecasts and hypotheses are built.
2. Measurements and surveys. At this stage, the proposed assumptions are tested.
3. In depth interviews. They are carried out in conditions of complex consumer choice.

As practice shows, the application of the results of professional research on consumer behavior helps companies increase sales of goods and services by 15-20% in a short time.

Expanded model of buying behavior

Buying behavior is a series of patterns. The same factors cause similar reactions in consumers.

The buying behavior model consists of:

• incentive marketing motives, these include the product, its cost, methods of product promotion and sales promotion.
• economic, social, political, scientific, technical and cultural irritants;
• personal characteristics of consumers;
• features of the process of making a purchasing decision;
• customer responses (selection of a specific product, time and place of purchase).

External and internal factors of purchasing behavior

Consumer behavior is influenced by various factors. External include:

• cultural (social class, culture, subcultural affiliation);
• social (reference group, status and role, family).

Internal factors are divided into personal and psychological. The first group includes:

• age;
• personality type;
• self-esteem;
• Job;
• economic conditions;
• traits;
• style and lifestyle.

Psychological includes needs, attitudes, perceptions and motives.

People choose specific goods or services as a result of all of the above factors. The degree of their influence is different. The strongest influence on consumer behavior is exerted by status and family, culture is less significant.

Main types of buying behavior

Building a model involves determining the type of consumer behavior. It can be:

• uncertain, most often manifested in the case of a high cost of products / services and if there are offers on the market with similar characteristics;
• search, is formed if there are products of the same category on sale that differ significantly from each other; people want to try something new;
• habitual, observed when purchasing consumer goods;
• difficult, manifested when making a decision to purchase an expensive product; customers are fully involved in the selection process and are looking for additional information about products/services and the brand.

Stages of studying purchasing behavior

The process of forming the purchasing behavior of potential consumers consists of the following stages.

1. Impact on important selection factors. Under the influence of internal and external factors, potential buyers have a need to buy a product or order a service.
2. Search stage. Interested consumers are looking for the most suitable offers. Various commercial, personal and public sources of information are used.
3. Formation of attitude towards the brand and the brand. At this stage, consumers study in detail the products of the selected company. Effective marketing campaigns improve brand awareness and loyalty.
4. Closing a deal or buying. The potential customer makes the final decision to make a purchase. At this stage, the behavior of the buyer is also influenced by external factors.

After the purchase / transaction, it is important to determine the reaction of the consumer. Satisfaction is a sign of repeat referrals. Negative attitude is a bounce rate.

Managing consumer reactions is difficult, but possible. When choosing a new product, buyers pay special attention to the following factors:

• Benefits;
• the degree of compliance with existing experience and preferences;
• communication visibility;
• complexity of operation.

Perception is also affected by:

• public approval;
• degree of uncertainty;
• possible risks;
• product cost.

Properly conducted marketing research will help the company in its daily work with consumer behavior, as well as in competent forecasting of changes in customer preferences.

Introduction

The main object in the marketing system is the buyer (or consumer) of goods. It can be an individual or an entire organization. It is important to know the degree of involvement of individual consumer groups in making decisions about the purchase of certain goods.

In the marketing system, the key point is to understand the mechanism for forming a purchase decision, which may have its own characteristics depending on the socio-psychological characteristics of the buyer or the nature of the purchased product. Thus, in accordance with one of the buyer's behavior models, this mechanism includes: awareness, interest, desire, action. It is very important to know how and when the buyer begins to show interest in the product, under the influence of what factors his desire to purchase the product is formed, how to direct this desire to purchase this particular product.

An enterprise (firm) cannot succeed if it ignores the needs of consumers. Therefore, it is no coincidence that marketing research is conducted on consumer behavior, in the broadest sense, consumer behavior is defined as actions directly related to the receipt, consumption and disposal of goods and services, including the decision-making processes that precede and follow them.

Consider the processes of consumer awareness of the need for a product and the essence of information retrieval

buyer product marketing management behavior

What is Buying Behavior?

Consumer behavior is woven into the fabric of our lives every day. It happens in different ways. At the same time, each of us is faced with many serious problems that require certain decisions to be made. Whether we decide what specialization to choose, what food to eat, what clothes to wear, we are taking actions that are the subject of research on consumer behavior.

Buyer behavior is a set of forms, principles, methods of decision-making and actions aimed at evaluating, acquiring and using goods and services, as well as meeting needs and requirements, taking into account changing tastes and preferences. K. Ganderova, Journal "RISK: Resources, Information, Supply, Competition" No. 3/2009

Three basic types of actions are included in the definition of consumer behavior - acquisition, consumption and disposal.

• * Purchasing is an activity leading to a purchase and includes the purchase or order of a product. Some of these activities include searching for information regarding product features and choices, evaluating alternative products or brands, and making the actual purchase. Consumer behavior analysts study these behaviors, including how consumers shop—do they visit specialty stores, malls, or use the Internet? Other questions may concern how consumers pay for products (with cash or credit cards), whether they pick up their purchases themselves or use a delivery service, where they get information about products and alternative stores, and how brands influence product choice.
• * Consumption is how, where, when and under what circumstances consumers use goods. For example, is the product fully used until the release stage, or is some of it never used?
• * Disposal is how consumers get rid of the product and packaging. Analysts can examine consumer behavior from an environmental perspective: how do consumers dispose of packaging or product leftovers? Can the goods be biodegradable? can they be recycled? It is also possible that consumers will want to extend the life of some products by giving them to children, donating to thrift stores or selling them online.

Chapter 5 Consumer Markets and Consumer Buying Behavior

After reading this chapter, you should be able to:

Describe the relationship between incentive marketing techniques and consumer response.

List the four main factors that influence consumer buying behavior.

List the steps in the consumer decision making process.

Describe the process of consumer perception of new products.

Dupont's Korfam is a costly trade failure

DuPont, a giant corporation headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware, was confident that its new Corfu leather for men's and women's shoes would be a success. DuPont began searching for a replacement back in the 1930s, knowing that one day real leather would be in short supply. In 1955, the company's scientists successfully synthesized a material called "corfam" and possessed the necessary properties of leather raw materials: permeability, strength, elasticity and durability. In 1958, a special pilot plant was built for the production of this material in order to evaluate it by consumers. The novelty met with an enthusiastic reception from consumers, and in 1959 DuPont built a more powerful plant, which began producing Corfam in 1961. In total, the corporation invested $ 25 million in the project.

17 leading women's footwear companies and 15 leading men's footwear companies were selected and agreed to buy the new material from DuPont and use it in the manufacture of elegant footwear. Recognizing that Corfume has certain advantages over natural leather, such as greater durability and ease of care, DuPont set a high price for the novelty. The material had to be used in the manufacture of expensive shoes, so that consumers gained confidence in its high quality. DuPont intended to enter the market of inexpensive footwear with Korfam later.

Corfam products were first introduced at the 1963 National Shoe Fair and many shoe retailers placed orders for them. DuPont has formed a dedicated Trade Assistance Brigade. Members of the brigade were supposed to visit large shoe stores and teach sellers how to trade shoes from "korfam". At the same time, the firm created point-of-sale materials, window dressing, and nationwide advertising for Corfam, which initially cost $2 million.

DuPont was very pleased with the results. In 1964, consumers purchased 1 million pairs of Corfam shoes, in 1965 - 5 million, and in 1966 - 15 million pairs. But in 1967, sales of Korfam shoes began to fall. What happened?

The repeat purchase rate was alarmingly low. DuPont did not analyze the consumer market for shoes and the behavior of people who purchase shoes in depth, and did not take into account a number of nuances in a timely manner.

"Corfam" was advertised as a material that does not stretch, which means that shoes made from it will always sit on the foot in the same way as it sat when it was first tried on. However, many consumers still bought slightly tight shoes in the hope that they would break.

Consumers chose primarily the style, not the material. They never developed an interest in "corfam" keen enough to ask a salesperson to show them shoes made from this material.

"Corfam" might have been much more successful if it had been used to make cheap indoor shoes. Buyers of high-quality shoes were increasingly inclined to purchase fashionable leather shoes and boots imported from Italy and several other countries.

In 1971, DuPont recognized the situation as hopeless and decided to stop the production of Corfum shoe material. This was one of the most expensive trade failures in history, costing DuPont $100 million.

The history of du Pont's Corfam suggests that there are many factors that influence people's decisions about what to buy. Buying behavior is never simple. Nevertheless, understanding it is an extremely important task for the management of the marketing service within the framework of the marketing concept.

This chapter will examine in detail the dynamics of the consumer market.

Consumer market- Individuals and households who buy or otherwise acquire goods and services for personal consumption.

In 1981, the American consumer market included 230 million people who annually consumed goods and services worth about $1.8 trillion, i.e. $7,826 per man, woman, and child. Every year this market increases its number by several million people, and the turnover - by more than 100 billion dollars. This is one of the most profitable consumer markets in the world.

Consumers differ sharply from each other in age, income and education levels, propensity to move and tastes. Marketers have found it expedient to isolate different groups of consumers and create products and services specifically designed to meet the needs of these groups. If a market segment is large enough, some firms may develop separate marketing programs to serve that segment. Here are just two examples of distinct customer groups.

Black consumers. Twenty-eight million African Americans with a combined personal income of over $100 billion are an important consumer group. According to a number of researchers, blacks spend proportionately more than whites on clothing, personal care, household supplies, liquor, and tobacco, and proportionately less on medical care, food, transportation, education, and utilities. Blacks are less "sniffing out" than whites and are more likely to be regular shoppers in neighborhood and discount stores. Blacks listen to the radio more than whites, although they are less likely to listen to stations in the VHF band. Some firms develop special marketing programs for these consumers. They advertise in Ebony and Jet magazines, recruit black performers in commercials, create clearly distinct products (such as black cosmetics), packaging, and develop special arguments. At the same time, these firms recognize that there are several sub-segments within the Negro market, each of which may require the development of a separate marketing approach.

Adult young consumers. This market includes 30 million people aged 18 to 24. The market of adult young consumers is divided into three subgroups: college students, young singles, newlyweds. Young adult consumers spend disproportionately on books, records, stereos, cameras, fashion, hair dryers, personal care products and toiletries. They are characterized by a low degree of commitment to brands and an increased interest in new products. Young adults are an attractive market for several reasons: they are receptive to the idea of ​​trying new products; are more inclined to spend than to save money; will act as buyers for longer.

Similarly, other submarkets—older people, women, Hispanic Americans—can be explored to see if it makes sense (competitively) to develop targeted marketing programs for each of them.

Buying Behavior Model

In the past, salespeople learned to understand their customers through day-to-day sales interactions with them. However, the growth in the size of firms and markets has deprived many of them of direct contact with their customers. Managers have to increasingly resort to the study of consumer behavior. They are spending more than ever before on consumer research, trying to figure out who buys, how they buy, when they buy, where they buy, and why they buy.

The key question is: How exactly do consumers respond to the different marketing incentives that a firm might use? A firm that truly understands how consumers react to various product features, prices, advertising arguments, and so on will have a huge advantage over competitors. This is why both firms and academics spend so much effort investigating the relationship between marketing incentives and consumer response. The starting point of all these efforts is the simple model shown in Fig. 5.1. It shows how marketing stimuli and other stimuli penetrate the "black box" of the buyer's mind and cause certain responses.

On fig. 5.2 the same model is presented in a more detailed form. In the left rectangle - incentive factors of two types. Marketing incentives include four elements: product, price, methods of distribution and promotion. Other stimuli are made up of the main forces and events from the environment of the buyer; economic, scientific and technical, political and cultural environment. After passing through the "black box" of the buyer's mind, all these stimuli cause a series of observable consumer reactions, represented in the right box: product selection, brand selection, dealer selection, purchase timing, purchase volume selection.

Rice. 5.1. A simple model of buying behavior

Rice. 5.2. Expanded model of buying behavior

The task of the marketer is to understand what happens in the "black box" of the consumer's consciousness between the arrival of stimuli and the manifestation of responses to them. The "black box" itself consists of two parts. The first is the characteristics of the buyer, which have a major impact on how a person perceives stimuli and reacts to them. The second part is the process of making a purchasing decision, on which the result depends. In this chapter, we will look at both of these parts to understand buying behavior.

Buyer characteristics

Consumers do not make their decisions in a vacuum. Their purchases are strongly influenced by cultural, social, personal and psychological factors (Figure 5.3). For the most part, these are factors beyond the control of market actors. But they must be taken into account. Let's look at the impact each of these has on shopper behavior using hypothetical shopper Betty Smith as an example.

Betty Smith is a college graduate, married, and a branded product manager for a leading consumer packaged goods firm. At the moment, she is busy looking for a new activity in her free time, an activity that would contrast with the usual working atmosphere. This need prompted Betty to buy a camera to take up photography. How she will look for a camera and how she will choose a particular brand of camera depends on many factors.

Rice. 5.3. Factors Influencing Buying Behavior

Cultural Level Factors

Cultural factors have the biggest and deepest influence on consumer behavior. Consider the role played by the culture, subculture and social position of the buyer.

CULTURE. Culture is the main root cause that determines the needs and behavior of a person. Human behavior is basically an acquired thing. The child learns a basic set of values, perceptions, preferences, manners and actions that are characteristic of his family and the main institutions of society. Thus, a child growing up in America gets acquainted or encounters the following value concepts: accomplishment and success, activity, efficiency and practicality, moving forward, material comfort, individualism, freedom, external comfort, philanthropy, youthfulness.

Betty Smith's interest in cameras is the result of her upbringing in today's society, with its advances in photography and its accompanying consumer skills and values. Betty knows what cameras are. She knows how to figure out the instructions for their use, and her public environment has already embraced the idea of ​​women photographers. In a different culture, say in a tribe lost in the wilderness of central Australia, the camera may mean nothing at all, but be just a "curious thing."

SUBCULTURE. Any culture includes smaller components, or subcultures, which provide their members with the opportunity to more specifically identify and communicate with their own kind. In large communities, there are groups of people of the same nationality, say Irish, Poles, Italians or Puerto Ricans, showing clear ethnic tastes and interests. Separate subcultures with their specific preferences and prohibitions are religious groups, such as groups of Catholics, Mormons, Presbyterians, Jews. Clearly defined cultural inclinations and attitudes characterize racial groups, say blacks and Orientals. Geographical regions, such as the states of the Far South, California, the states of New England, have their own distinct subcultures with their own specific way of life in each individual case. Box 5.1 provides some examples of the influence of geographic location on product selection patterns.

Betty Smith's interest in various products will certainly be affected by her nationality, race, religion and geographical environment. These factors will influence her choice of food, clothing, recreation and entertainment, career goals. The subculture to which she belongs will also affect her interest in cameras. Different subcultures place different emphasis on photography, and this can also influence Betty's interest.

SOCIAL STATUS. In almost every society there are various social classes, which we define as follows.

public classes- relatively stable groups within society, located in a hierarchical order and characterized by the presence of their members of similar value ideas, interests and behavior.

Sociologists distinguish six social classes in the United States, presented in Table. 5.1.

Social classes have several characteristics: persons belonging to the same class tend to behave in much the same way; depending on belonging to a particular class, people occupy a higher or lower position in society; social class is determined not on the basis of any one variable, but on the basis of occupation, income, wealth, education, value orientation and similar characteristics of persons belonging to it; individuals may move up to a higher class or fall into one of the lower classes.

Social classes are characterized by clear preferences for goods and brands in clothing, household items, leisure activities, and cars. Therefore, some marketers focus their efforts on a single social class. The target social class presupposes a certain type of store in which the product should be sold, the choice of certain means of disseminating information for its advertising and a certain type of advertising messages.

Box 5.1. Shopping habits vary by location

If you live in New York, then you probably like vermouth much more than the inhabitants of St. Louis. This conclusion was made by the marketing research firm "Mediamark" based on the results of an extensive survey to identify regional differences in the purchasing habits of residents of 10 large American cities - New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Boston, Detroit, Washington, Cleveland and St. Louis.

The aim of the study was to collect information on regional patterns of consumer behavior for broadcast networks that live off advertising revenue. These 10 cities selected as the study objects are home to one third of the country's population, and large broadcasting networks have their own television centers in them. Mediamark's research reveals consumer regional preferences even for products whose estimated purchase intensity is uniform throughout the country. One of the unexpected results of the study was the establishment of regional preferences in the consumption of various alcoholic beverages, the other was the establishment of the fact that residents of different cities prefer different forms of investment.

Another surprising discovery was the fact that in different parts of the country people prefer different over-the-counter medicines. If we take the national level of sleeping pill consumption as 100, it turns out that in Washington this figure is 122, and in Cleveland it is 64. The consumption of laxatives in St. 60. In the spirits category, Los Angeles residents prefer Mexican tequila, as indicated by an index of 274, while New Yorkers' shopping habits show much less love for this drink, which has an index of only 49.

Another area of ​​unexpected regional variation is private investment, with a particularly specific approach among Washington residents. While, according to the study, Los Angeles residents overwhelmingly prefer to invest in Treasury tax certificates (index 338), Washington residents are not inclined to this (index 13). While Detroiters prefer to invest in common stocks (index 204), Washingtonians do not (index 50). Washington residents seem to be much more likely to invest their money in gold, precious metals, or stones (index 280) than Chicago or St. Louis residents, who resort to this form of investment much less often (index 40).

A study conducted by the Mediamark firm shows that consumer behavior is often affected by regional specificity. Sometimes the reasons for the geographical differences are clear: let's say, the people of Detroit, who are most likely personally connected in one way or another to the American automobile industry, should not be expected to buy a large number of Japanese Datsuns. By the way, that's the way it is: Detroit's Datsun acquisition index is, as one would expect, a low 25. Some other regional differences are not so easy to explain.

Table 5.1. Characteristics of the six major US social classes

Upper upper class (less than 1% of the population)- The elite of society, coming from eminent families and living on inherited wealth. They donate money to charitable causes, own more than one house, send their children to private schools, are not used to flaunting their wealth. They serve as a reference group for other classes. Market for jewelry, antiques, homes, leisure and travel services

Lower upper class (about 2%)- Persons of liberal professions or businessmen who receive high incomes due to their exceptional abilities. Active in public and civic affairs, craving recognition of their social position and spending conspicuously. Strive to move into the upper upper class. Market for expensive houses, yachts, swimming pools, cars

Upper middle class (12%)- Career freelancers, managers, businessmen. Show concern for education, spiritual life, culture and civic affairs. Market for good houses, furniture, clothing and household appliances

Lower middle class (30%)- Employees, small entrepreneurs, "working aristocracy" (plumbers, average engineering staff of factories). They are concerned about observing the norms and rules of culture, creating an aura of respectability for themselves. Do-it-yourself, household supplies, formal wear market

Upper lower class (35%)- Small employees, skilled and semi-skilled workers. They are concerned about the problems of a clear division of the roles of the sexes, strengthening their position in society. Market for sporting goods, beer, household goods

Lower lower class (20%)- Unskilled workers, people living on benefits. Food market, TVs, used cars

Betty Smith may be from one of the upper classes. In this case, her family probably had an expensive camera, and family members dabbled in photography. The fact that she is thinking of "becoming a real professional" also corresponds to the views of those in her circle who, like her, belong to one of the upper classes.

Factors of social order

Consumer behavior is also determined by factors of the social order, such as reference groups, family, social roles and statuses.

REFERENCE GROUPS. Numerous reference groups have a particularly strong influence on human behavior.

Reference groups- groups that have a direct (i.e. through personal contact) or indirect influence on a person's attitudes or behavior.

Groups that have a direct influence on a person are called membership groups. These are the groups to which the individual belongs and with which he interacts. Some of these collectives are primary, and interaction with them is quite constant. These are family, friends, neighbors and work colleagues. Primary groups are usually informal. In addition, a person belongs to a number of secondary groups, which, as a rule, are more formal and interaction with which is not permanent. These are various public organizations such as religious associations, professional associations and trade unions.

Individuals are also influenced by groups to which they do not belong. A desirable collective is a group to which a person wants or aspires to belong. For example, a young soccer player may hope to one day play for a major league team and identify with that team even though there is no direct contact. An undesirable collective is a group whose values ​​and behavior the individual does not accept. The same teenager, perhaps, wants to avoid any association with a group of adherents of one of the Indian cults.

Marketers seek to identify all the reference groups of a particular market in which they sell their products. Reference groups influence people in at least three ways. First, the individual is faced with new manifestations of behavior and ways of life. Secondly, the group affects the individual's attitudes and self-image, as he tends to "fit in" with the group. And third, the group pushes the individual toward conformity, which can influence their choice of particular products and brands (Box 5.2).

The influence of the group is usually stronger when the product is a reality for those whom the buyer respects. Betty Smith's decision to buy a camera and the choice of a particular brand of camera can be strongly influenced by members of her reference groups. Under the influence of her friends who are members of the amateur photography club, she may decide to buy a good camera. The more cohesive the team is, the more effectively the communication process is established in it, the higher the individual puts this team, the greater will be its influence on the formation of the individual's ideas about the merits of goods and brands.

Box 5.2. The idea of ​​selling at home is based on the concept of a reference group

An increasingly popular form of out-of-store sales is the arrangement of "sales meetings" at home with a demonstration of the proposed product to friends and acquaintances specially invited for this purpose. The masters of this form of trade are Mary Kay, a cosmetics retailer, and Tupperware Home Party, a plastic tableware retailer, who have made great strides in growing their sales and profits. Here's how the home sales system works.

A cosmetics consultant (Mary Kay has 46,000) approaches several women in the area to ask them to host small cosmetic demonstrations in their homes. The hostess invites her friends to such a meeting, treats them to soft drinks, and they communicate in a relaxed, informal atmosphere. In this congenial atmosphere, a Mary Kay consultant talks about the use of cosmetics for two hours and gives attendees complimentary makeup lessons, with the expectation that most guests will purchase some of the beauty products just demonstrated. The hostess is paid a commission of 15% of the sales amount and is given a discount on the price of the cosmetics she personally purchased. About 60% of guests will definitely buy something, partly because of the desire to look good in the eyes of other women.

"Sales meetings" at home are used to sell cosmetics, kitchen utensils, household goods, dresses, shoes, underwear. Tupperware Home Parts, which has been in existence for 32 years, sells 140 different products in this way through 80,000 independent sellers and has an annual turnover of about $200 million (1981 data). Cosmetics firm Mary Kay uses a deeply thoughtful, motivational approach to reward saleswomen for bringing in new consultants. The best of them are honored at the annual general meeting, giving them the title of "Queen of Personal Selling" and giving each of them a pink Cadillac for a whole year. The Mary Kay enterprise rests on an understanding of the psychology of women on the Atlantic coast of the United States, on their mutual influence when shopping.

FAMILY. Members of his family can have a strong influence on the behavior of the buyer. The guiding family consists of the individual's parents. From them a person receives instructions about religion, politics, economics, ambition, self-respect, love. Even when the buyer no longer interacts closely with his parents, their influence on his unconscious behavior may still be significant. In countries where parents and children continue to live together, parental influence can be decisive.

A more direct influence on everyday buying behavior comes from an individual's progeny family, i.e. his spouse and children. The family is the most important consumer buying organization within society and is subjected to extensive scrutiny. Marketers are interested in the roles of husband, wife, and children and the influence each has on the purchase of a variety of products and services.

The ratio of the influences of husband and wife varies widely depending on the product category. The wife traditionally acts as the main purchaser for the family of food, household items and basic clothing. However, with the increase in the number of working wives and the increased willingness of husbands to make more family purchases, the situation is changing. So mainstream sellers will make the mistake of continuing to think of women as the main and only buyers of their products.

When it comes to expensive goods and services, the husband and wife usually make a joint decision. The marketer needs to find out whose opinion is more important when it comes to buying a particular product or a particular service. This is how the influence of each is most often distributed in relation to a number of goods and services.

Husband's opinion: life insurance, cars, television.

Wife's opinion: washing machines, carpets, furniture, except for living room furniture, kitchen utensils.

General solution: living room furniture, vacation, choice of accommodation, entertainment outside the home.

In the case of Betty Smith, her husband will be the main influencer in buying a camera. Perhaps he will have his own opinion about this purchase in general and a particular type of camera in particular. At the same time, Betty herself will be the main steward, buyer and user.

ROLES AND STATUS. An individual is a member of many social groups. His position in each of them can be characterized in terms of role and status. Let's say Betty plays the role of a daughter in relation to her parents, in her own family - the role of a wife, within the company - the role of the head of the production of branded goods. A role is a set of actions that are expected from an individual by those around him. Each of Betty's roles will influence her buying behavior in one way or another.

Each role has a certain status, reflecting the degree of its positive assessment by society. The role of the head of the production of branded goods has a higher status in the eyes of this society in comparison with the role of the daughter. As a branded product manager, Betty will purchase clothing that reflects her role and her status.

A person often chooses goods that speak of his status in society. Thus, company presidents drive Mercedes or Cadillac cars, wear expensive, well-tailored suits, and drink Cutty Sark whiskey. Marketers are aware of the potential for products to become status symbols. However, such symbols turn out to be different not only for different social classes, but also for different geographical areas. In New York City, status symbols are jogging to work, fishing, hunting, and cosmetic surgery for men; in Chicago, buying goods from catalogs, bagels, tacos (a Mexican variety of cheburek), a telephone in a car; in Houston - social evenings, caviar and the appearance of a graduate of a private educational institution; in San Francisco, skydiving, freshly cooked spaghetti, and Izod shirts.

Personal Factors

Buyer decisions are also influenced by external characteristics, especially age, family life stage, occupation, economic status, personality type, and self-image.

AGE AND STAGE OF THE FAMILY LIFE CYCLE. With age, there are changes in the assortment and nomenclature of goods and services purchased by people. In the early years, a person needs products for baby food. In the years of growing up and maturity, he eats a wide variety of foods, in old age - special dietary ones. Over the years, his tastes in clothing, furniture, leisure and entertainment also change.

The nature of consumption also depends on the stage of the family life cycle. In table. Figure 5.2 lists nine stages, indicating the financial situation and typical product preferences of the family at each stage. Marketers often define their target markets on this basis and develop stage-specific products and targeted marketing plans.

In some recent works, the classification is carried out according to the psychological stages of the family life cycle. An adult goes through certain transitional periods, periods of transformation in his life. Thus, Betty Smith can go from being a satisfied brand manager and a satisfied wife to a dissatisfied person looking for a new way to express and develop her abilities. Perhaps it was this circumstance that stimulated her increased interest in photography. Marketers must be aware of changing consumer interests that may be associated with transitions in an adult's life.

OCCUPATION. A certain influence on the nature of goods and services acquired by a person is exerted by his occupation. The worker can buy work clothes, work shoes, lunch boxes, bowling equipment. The president of the firm can buy himself expensive blue serge suits, travel by plane, join privileged country clubs, buy himself a large sailing yacht. The marketer seeks to identify such occupational groups whose members show an increased interest in his goods and services. The firm may even specialize in the production of goods needed by a particular professional group.

Table 5.2. Life cycle stages and family purchasing behavior

Single life stage; young singles living separately from their parents Financially burdened a little. Opinion leaders in the field of fashion. Ready for an active holiday. Buyers of basic kitchen equipment, basic furniture, cars, vacation packages

Young newlyweds without children The financial situation is better than it will be in the near future. The highest intensity of purchases, the highest average purchases of durable goods. Buyers of cars, refrigerators, stoves, basic and durable furniture, vacation packages

Full Nest, Stage 1: Youngest child under 6 years of age Home buying peak. Working capital is low. Dissatisfaction with their financial situation and the amount of money saved. Interest in new products. Fans of advertised goods. Buyers of washing machines, dryers, televisions, baby food, cough medicines, vitamins, dolls, strollers, sleds, skates

Full nest, 2nd stage: youngest child 6 years or older Financial situation has improved. Some wives work. Advertising has less impact. They buy goods in larger packaging, conclude deals for the purchase of many commodity units at once. Buyers of a variety of food, cleaning supplies, bicycles, music teachers, pianos

Full Nest, Stage 3: Elderly couple with children in their care The financial situation has become even better. More women work. Some children get jobs. Advertising has very little effect. High average intensity of purchases of durable goods. Buyers of new, sleeker furniture, car travelers, buyers of non-essential appliances, boats, dental services, magazines

Empty nest, 1st stage: elderly spouses whose children already live separately, the head of the family works The largest number of owners of their own dwellings. Most are satisfied with their financial situation and savings. Interested in travel, active recreation, self-education. Make gifts and charitable contributions. Not interested in new products. Buyers of vacation packages, luxury goods, services and home improvement products

Empty Nest, Stage 2: Elderly spouses with separate children, retired head of family Sharp drop in income. Mostly dwellings are preserved. Buyers of medical devices, medical products that promote health, sleep and digestion

Dowager, works Income is still quite high, but the house is already tempted to sell

Dowager, retired The needs for medical care and goods are the same as for other groups of pensioners. Sharp decline in income. Acute need for attention, affection and well-being.

ECONOMIC SITUATION. The economic position of the individual to a large extent affects his choice of goods. It is determined by the size of the expenditure side of income, the size of savings and assets, creditworthiness and views on spending funds as opposed to their accumulation. So, if Betty Smith has a large enough expenditure side of her income and savings, is creditworthy and prefers to spend rather than save, she may consider purchasing an expensive Nikon camera. Retailers selling goods dependent on consumer income must constantly monitor trends in personal income, savings, and discount rates. If economic indicators show a decline, the manufacturer must take action to change the design, positioning and price of its product, reduce production and inventory, and do everything necessary to protect itself financially.

LIFESTYLE. Individuals belonging to the same subculture, the same social class, and even the same occupation can lead very different lifestyles. Betty Smith, for example, may prefer the life of a skilled housewife, a business woman, or a carefree person. She plays multiple roles, and how she combines them is the outer side of her lifestyle. If she becomes a professional photographer, this will further affect her lifestyle.

Lifestyle- established forms of human existence in the world, which find their expression in his activities, interests and beliefs.

Lifestyle paints a "comprehensive portrait" of a person in his interaction with the environment. It reveals more than the fact of belonging to a certain social class or personality type. Knowing that a person belongs to a particular social class, we are ready to draw certain conclusions about his intended behavior, but we will not be able to imagine him as an individual. Knowing a person's personality type, we can draw certain conclusions about his distinctive psychological characteristics, but we are unlikely to learn much about his activities, interests and beliefs. And only a way of life will draw us an exhaustive portrait of a person in his actions and interaction with the outside world.

When developing a marketing strategy for a product, the marketer will seek to uncover the relationship between a generic or branded product and a particular lifestyle. A yogurt manufacturer may find that among the active consumers of his drink there are many successful men of liberal professions. By figuring this out, he can more clearly target his branded product to these people.

PERSONALITY TYPE AND IMAGE OF YOURSELF. Each person has a very specific type of personality that influences his buying behavior.

Personality type- a set of distinctive psychological characteristics of a person, ensuring the relative consistency and constancy of his responses to the environment. Personality type is usually described on the basis of such inherent traits of an individual as:

self-confidence,

influence,

independence,

impermanence,

respectfulness,

lust for power

sociability,

alertness,

attachment,

aggressiveness,

consistency,

striving for success

love for order

adaptability.

Knowledge of personality type can be useful in the analysis of consumer behavior when there is a certain relationship between personality types and the choice of products or brands. For example, a beer company may find that many active beer drinkers are more outgoing and aggressive. And this suggests the possible image of the brand of its beer and the types of characters for use in advertising.

Many marketers base their activities on an idea that is directly related to the person - the idea of ​​a person about himself (also referred to as the image of his own "I"). We all have complex mental images of ourselves. For example, Betty Smith may appear to be extroverted, creative, and active. Based on this, she will prefer to opt for a camera in which the same qualities are focused. And if Nikon is advertised as a camera for outward-oriented, creative and active people, the image of the brand coincides with the image of Betty's own self. Marketers should strive to create a brand image that matches the self-image of the members of the target market.

Psychological factors

Four main psychological factors also affect the purchasing choice of an individual: motivation, perception, learning, beliefs and attitudes.

MOTIVATION. We know that Betty Smith is interested in buying a camera. But why? What is she really looking for? What need is it trying to satisfy?

At any given moment in time, a person experiences many different needs. Some of them are of a biogenic nature, i.e. are the consequences of such states of internal physiological tension as hunger, thirst, discomfort. Others are psychogenic, i.e. are the results of such states of internal psychological tension as the need for recognition, respect, spiritual intimacy. Most of these needs are not intense enough to motivate a person to take action at any given time. A need that has reached a sufficiently high level of intensity becomes a motive.

motive(or motivation) - a need that has become so urgent that it forces a person to look for ways and means to satisfy it.

Satisfaction of need reduces the internal tension experienced by the individual.

Psychologists have developed a number of theories of human motivation. The most popular of these, the theory of Sigmund Freud and the theory of Abraham Maslow, offer very different implications for consumer research and marketing activities.

Freud's theory of motivation. Freud believed that people are basically unaware of the real psychological forces that shape their behavior, that a person grows while suppressing many drives in himself. These cravings never completely disappear and are never completely controlled. They manifest themselves in dreams, slips of the tongue, neurotic behavior, obsessions and, finally, in psychosis, in which the human "ego" is unable to balance the powerful impulses of its own "id" with the oppression of the "superego".

Thus, a person is not fully aware of the origins of his own motivation. If Betty Smith wants to buy an expensive camera, she might describe her motive as a desire to satisfy her hobby or career needs. If you look deeper, it may turn out that by buying such a camera she wants to impress others with her creative abilities. And if you look even deeper, she may be buying a camera to feel young and independent again.

When studying the camera, Betty will react not only to its operational properties, but also to other small stimuli. The shape of the camera, its dimensions, weight, material from which it is made, color, case - all this evokes certain emotions. A camera that gives the impression of solidity and reliability can arouse in Betty a desire to be independent, which she will either cope with or try to avoid it. When designing a camera, the manufacturer must be aware of the effect of its appearance and texture on the arousal of consumer emotions that can either facilitate or hinder the purchase.

Motivation researchers have made a number of interesting, and sometimes strange, conclusions about what can influence the consumer's mind when making certain purchases.

Consumers resist buying prunes because they are shriveled and look like old people.

Men smoke cigars as an adult alternative to thumb sucking. They like cigars with a strong smell that emphasizes their masculinity.

Women prefer vegetable oil to animal fats, which make them feel guilty about slaughtered animals.

A woman takes the process of baking cupcakes very seriously, because for her it is subconsciously associated with the process of childbirth. She doesn't like easy-to-use cake mixes, as the easy life makes her feel guilty.

Maslow's theory of motivation. Abraham Maslow tried to explain why people are driven by different needs at different times. Why does one person spend a lot of time and energy on self-preservation, and the other on gaining the respect of others? The scientist believes that human needs are arranged in order of hierarchical importance from the most to the least urgent. The hierarchy developed by Maslow is presented in fig. 5.4. In order of importance, the needs are arranged in the following order: physiological needs, self-preservation needs, social needs, esteem needs and self-affirmation needs. A person will strive to satisfy the most important needs first. As soon as he manages to satisfy some important need, it ceases to be a driving motive for a while. At the same time, there is an incentive to satisfy the next most important need.

For example, a starving person (need No. 1) is not interested in what is happening in the art world (need No. 5), nor in how they are looked at and to what extent others respect him (needs No. 3 and No. 4), nor in whether the he breathes air (need No. 2). But as the next most important need is satisfied, the next one comes to the fore.

What light does Maslow's theory shed on Betty Smith's interest in buying a camera? One can guess that Betty has already satisfied her physiological needs, self-preservation needs and social needs that do not motivate her interest in cameras. And interest in the camera may stem either from a strong need for respect from others, or from a need for self-assertion. Betty wants to realize her creative potential and express herself through photography.

Chapter 1 Helping Behavior 1.1. What is helping behavior? If we generalize many definitions of helping behavior, then everything boils down to the fact that this is prosocial behavior associated with the provision of assistance (assistance) in its various manifestations to those who are in it.

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