Individual purchasing decisions are influenced by various factors. Which are; their personality and self-concept, perception, learning and attitudes to social and cultural factors such as reference groups, family and family life-cycle, social class, culture and sub cultures. In my recent interview of two different ages subcultural consumers have indicated interesting contrast figures. First consumer is born in 1961 and known as baby boomer group, and the other consumer belongs to generation Y group. The interview was mainly focused on what types of factors does influenced their recent clothes purchasing decision. However, both consumer have showed some similar aspect while interview as they are women shoppers. The women shoppers are most large demographical shopper group as they do shopping about 75 percentage of all shopping and various studies indicates this is the norm for shopping of all kinds. (Jim pooler, 2003) The contrast shapes of their personality and self-concept, reference groups, family and family life-cycle, and social class was interesting and significant.
The first contrast figure between two selected consumers is their different characteristics of age group. The baby boomers are a huge group of potential shoppers who are at midlife, on the other hand the generation y group are young potential shoppers which can divided by three sub-segments, which are; Gen Y adult, teens, and kids. In a case of recent cloth purchase, a baby boomer consumer that I have interviewed explained her purchase decision mostly influenced by family. But gen Y adult of generation Y group of consumer clearly explained that her purchase decision mostly influenced by reference group.
A first consumer is in post-parenthood of family life-cycle stage and she is suffering the empty-nest syndrome. All of the activities such as errands that used to be associated with the children’s live will cease to exist, and this means more leisure time will be available to aging boomers. The baby boomers are in an extremely difficult position when it comes to shopping for clothing. In a most of youth-driven market, it is nearly impossible for the middle-aged baby boomer to shop for clothing as most items are seems too young or old. As a result, this is one of the most difficult markets for clothing retailers to target. (Jim pooler, 2003) As she gets older, she tends to more and more rely on something that she can trust and for her it is her religion and family. Like wisely she asked her son to go shopping together and purchase item which her son have recommended. Even though she is in post-parenthood of family life-cycle, she still wishes to support her sons rather than fulfil her need.
A second consumer is in young single of family life-cycle stage and she has shown more desire on cloth shopping than first consumer. When we look at her recent purchase of shoes, she spent most of her break time in a week to search her favourite shoes in many retail shoes stores. Her need of shoes firstly occurred as she does not have convenience shoes to wear for work. But her need of shoes have changed from easy working shoes to her favourite high-hill shoes after she have visited many retail stores. She have mentioned that family issues are less influenced in her recent purchase decision as she has her own ability as a young adult to buy whatever she wants even the capability range is limited. But she tend to purchase less than she desire as her need is huge, future plan have sets, and currently she is developing herself.
The personality is a part of the way in which we perceive other people (Chris Rice, 1993) and it reflects individual differences of two interviewed consumer. The five-factor theory indicates individual significant as it can used to determine one’s personality and how it has shaped. A first consumer have showed that external influences affect her personality most and second consumer showed characteristic adaptations affect her personality most out of five-factors. Peter and Olson recognize that consumers will see a brand product as a bundle of attributes, a bundle of benefits, and a bundle of value satisfaction. (Chris Rice, 1993) This suggests that consumer’s personality towards brand is important for success of business however it is the way to understand self of consumers by measure their personality toward brands. Both consumers were self-confident while interviewing and I have figured that a first consumer seems little higher in dogmatism than second consumer. For instance, a first consumer buys a well-known brand cloth mostly which she have tried before. Similarly but differently, second consumer buy a cloth from famous brand which she have tried but desire to buy a cloth from unfamiliar brand if it suit her style and she is more than happy to try a cloth if new brand come out with high quality.
The one of most interesting contrast figure between two consumers was shown on their self-concept and image. Self-concept has been considered a multidimensional construct, with various forms of the self. (Leon S, Aron O, Angela P, Steven D, David B, 2010) A first consumer does not only shop to reward her, also shop to emulate her peers. It appears her situation is very important time with her age as people measure their success in life by things they own, and by the experiences of the purchases. (Jim pooler, 2003) Thus her current situation is about to meet the desire of ideal social self-image, and expected self-image to be her true self-image. She wishes others to see her as a success person as she expected by what she own. On the other hand, second consumer is in very important time as she has strong desire of expected self-image. Even though she has expectation for her future but her social and ideal self-image is even more important to her. Thus she purchase item with limited range of budget to gain and retain proper respect of her age and keep dreaming her future self-image. She mentioned her shopping habits are moderate level compare with her age sub culture group and have a small shopping plan to satisfy her needs and retain her imagery respect from others.
The reference groups and its meaning have changed over time. Now reference group have broadened and there are four types of reference group, which are contractual, aspirational, disclaimant, and avoidance. These types of reference group illustrate both direct and indirect influences to consumers. And listed major reference groups are, in sequence; family, friends, social class, selected subculture, one’s own culture, and other cultures. (Leon S, Aron O, Angela P, Steven D, David B, 2010) The important of reference group is that induce changes in consumer attitude and behaviour. As a first consumer is house wife, her attitudes towards product and brand are dominantly based on her past experiences. Her family and friends who have retains long-term relationship, can easily influence each other. She does influence by direct reference group more than second consumer and less influenced by indirect reference group. In contrast, second consumer often influenced by mass media. For example, the famous actress wears lovely shoes in television drama and that influenced her shoes purchase decision as it formed trend of young adult and she have changed her need from flat shoes to trend shoes. She did not purchase exactly same brand product but the mass media changed her favour and she searched retail shops for similar trend style. Thus the credibility, attractiveness and power of aspirational reference group have influenced her decision. But contractual and disclaimant reference groups are dominant influence to first consumer as conspicuousness of the product and the verbal information sharing. Refer to Heider’s Balance theory, if relation of object, reference group or person, and individual is imbalanced, individual would change attitudes to reduce tension. (Chris Rice, 1997) This theory support first consumer’s changed attitude towards product by purchase influence of her friends and/or family.
The last contrast figure between two consumers was their differentiated social class. As the social class status is set by family income, educational attainment, and occupational status their differences means comparing two consumer’s whole families. Briefly a first consumer appears to be in lower social class than second consumer when comparing their family’s above three factors. But interesting thing is a first consumer’s family shows upward social class mobility meanwhile a second consumer shows downward. A second consumer is Generation Y young adult and not yet achieved her goal and unlikely do better than parents. This contrast figure illustrates a first consumer have tendency to purchase product even it might exceed her capacity but to creates higher self-image for her family. A second consumer have tendency to purchase less product, especially clothes purchase. She have mentioned that she wish to purchase more when she is ready.
In conclusion, two consumers have indicated that they weight on different factors while purchasing cloth. A first consumer, she tends to more and more rely on something that she can trust and for her it is her religion and family. Even though she is in post-parenthood of family life-cycle, she still wishes to support her sons rather than fulfil her need. And she seems little higher in dogmatism than second consumer as she buys a well-known brand cloth mostly which she have experienced. Her current situation is about to meet the desire of ideal social self-image, and expected self-image to be her true self-image. She does influence by direct reference group more than second consumer and less influenced by indirect reference group. The contractual and disclaimant reference groups are dominant influence for her as conspicuousness of the product and the verbal information sharing. On the other hand, second consumer mentioned that family issues are less influenced in her recent purchase decision as she has her own ability as a young adult even the capability range is limited. And even she has expectation for her future but her social and ideal self-image is even more important to her. Thus she purchase item with limited range of budget to gain and retain proper respect of her age and keep dreaming her future self-image. The credibility, attractiveness and power of aspirational reference group have influenced her decision. A first consumer appears to be in lower social class than second consumer. Upward social class mobility was shown in her family when second consumer shows downward. Above contrast aspect creates different characteristics of two interviewed consumers and to all other individual consumers.
References
Leon, S., Aron, O., Angela, P., Steven, D., David, B. (2010). Consumer Behaviour (5th ed.). NSW, Australia: Pearson Australia.
Pooler, J. (2003). Why we shop: emotional rewards and retail strategies. Westport, USA: Praeger Publishers.
Chris, R. (1997). Understanding Customers (2nd ed.). Oxford, UK: Butterworth-Heinemann.
Chris, R. (199). Consumer Behaviour: Behavioural aspects of marketing. Oxford, UK: Butterworth-Heinemann.
