{"id":492,"date":"2014-11-16T16:50:29","date_gmt":"2014-11-16T16:50:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.candelalearning.com\/principlesmktg1x2kscope\/?post_type=chapter&p=492"},"modified":"2019-06-25T12:20:04","modified_gmt":"2019-06-25T12:20:04","slug":"buying-behaviors-personal-factors","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/oakwood-principlesofmarketing\/chapter\/buying-behaviors-personal-factors\/","title":{"raw":"Buying Behaviors: Personal Factors","rendered":"Buying Behaviors: Personal Factors"},"content":{"raw":"

LEARNING OBJECTIVES<\/h3>\r\n
    \r\n\t
  1. Describe the personal factors that may influence what consumers buy and when they buy it.<\/li>\r\n\t
  2. Explain what marketing professionals can do to influence consumers\u2019 behavior.<\/li>\r\n\t
  3. Explain how looking at lifestyle information helps firms understand what consumers want to purchase.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n

    Personal Factors<\/h2>\r\n
    \r\n

    Personality and Self-Concept<\/h2>\r\nPersonality<\/span><\/span> describes a person\u2019s disposition, helps show why people are different, and encompasses a person\u2019s unique traits. The \u201cBig Five\u201d personality traits that psychologists discuss frequently include openness<\/strong> or how open you are to new experiences, conscientiousness<\/strong> or how diligent you are, extraversion<\/strong> or how outgoing or shy you are, agreeableness<\/strong> or how easy you are to get along with, and neuroticism<\/strong> or how prone you are to negative mental states.\r\n\r\nDo personality traits predict people\u2019s purchasing behavior? Can companies successfully target certain products to people based on their personalities? How do you find out what personalities consumers have? Are extraverts wild spenders and introverts penny pinchers?\r\n\r\nThe link between people\u2019s personalities and their buying behavior is somewhat unclear. Some research studies have shown that \u201csensation seekers,\u201d or people who exhibit extremely high levels of openness, are more likely to respond well to advertising that\u2019s violent and graphic. The problem for firms is figuring out \u201cwho\u2019s who\u201d in terms of their personalities.\r\n\r\nMarketers have had better luck linking people\u2019s self-concepts to their buying behavior. Your self-concept<\/span><\/span> is how you see yourself\u2014be it positive or negative. Your ideal self<\/span><\/span> is how you would like<\/em> to see yourself\u2014whether it\u2019s prettier, more popular, more eco-conscious, or more \u201cgoth,\u201d and others\u2019 self-concept, or how you think others see you, also influences your purchase behavior. Marketing researchers believe people buy products to enhance how they feel about themselves\u2014to get themselves closer to their ideal selves.\r\n\r\nThe slogan \u201cBe All That You Can Be,\u201d which for years was used by the U.S. Army to recruit soldiers, is an attempt to appeal to the self-concept. Presumably, by joining the U.S. Army, you will become a better version of yourself, which will, in turn, improve your life. Many beauty products and cosmetic procedures are advertised in a way that\u2019s supposed to appeal to the ideal self people seek. All of us want products that improve our lives.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n
    \r\n

    Gender, Age, and Stage of Life<\/h2>\r\nWhile demographic variables such as income, education, and marital status are important, we will look at gender, age, and stage of life and how they influence purchase decisions. Men and women need and buy different products. They also shop differently and in general, have different attitudes about shopping. You know the old stereotypes. Men see what they want and buy it, but women \u201ctry on everything and shop \u2018til they drop.\u201d There\u2019s some truth to the stereotypes. That\u2019s why you see so many advertisements directed at one sex or the other\u2014beer commercials that air on ESPN and commercials for household products that air on Lifetime. Women influence fully two-thirds of all household product purchases, whereas men buy about three-quarters of all alcoholic beverages. The article references the 2006 Behavioral Tracking Study by Miller Brewing Company.<\/span> The shopping differences between men and women seem to be changing, though. Younger, well-educated men are less likely to believe grocery shopping is a woman\u2019s job and would be more inclined to bargain shop and use coupons if the coupons were properly targeted at them. One survey found that approximately 45 percent of married men actually like<\/em> shopping and consider it relaxing.\r\n\r\nOne study by Resource Interactive, a technology research firm, found that when shopping online, men prefer sites with lots of pictures of products and women prefer to see products online in lifestyle context\u2014say, a lamp in a living room. Women are also twice as likely as men to use viewing tools such as the zoom and rotate buttons and links that allow them to change the color of products.\r\n\r\nhttp:\/\/youtu.be\/yIutgtzwhAc\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nMany businesses today are taking greater pains to figure out \u201cwhat men want.\u201d Products such as face toners and body washes for men such as the Axe brand and hair salons such as the Men\u2019s Zone and Weldon Barber are a relatively new phenomenon. Some advertising agencies specialize in advertising directed at men. There are also many products such as kayaks and mountain bikes targeted toward women that weren\u2019t in the past.\r\n\r\nYou have probably noticed that the things you buy have changed as you age. Think about what you wanted and how you spent five dollars when you were a child, a teenager, and an adult. When you were a child, the last thing you probably wanted as a gift was clothing. As you became a teen, however, cool clothes probably became a bigger priority. Don\u2019t look now, but depending on the stage of life you\u2019re currently in, diapers and wrinkle cream might be just around the corner.\r\n\r\nIf you\u2019re single and working after graduation, you probably spend your money differently than a newly married couple. How do you think spending patterns change when someone has a young child or a teenager or a child in college? Diapers and day care, orthodontia, tuition, electronics\u2014regardless of the age, children affect the spending patterns of families. Once children graduate from college and parents are empty nesters, spending patterns change again.\r\n\r\nEmpty nesters and baby boomers are a huge market that companies are trying to tap. Ford and other car companies have created \u201caging suits\u201d for young employees to wear when they\u2019re designing automobiles.\u201c <\/span>The suit simulates the restricted mobility and vision people experience as they get older. Car designers can then figure out how to configure the automobiles to better meet the needs of these consumers.\r\n\r\nhttp:\/\/youtu.be\/_hcw17EsE7A?t=2s\r\n\r\n \r\n
    \r\n
    \r\n\r\nThe \u201caging suit\u201d has elastic bindings that hamper a car designer\u2019s movement and goggles that simulate deteriorating eyesight. The suit gives the designer an idea what kinds of car-related challenges older consumers face.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\nLisa Rudes Sandel, the founder of Not Your Daughter\u2019s Jeans (NYDJ), created a multimillion-dollar business by designing jeans for baby boomers with womanly bodies. Since its launch seven years ago, NYDJ has become the largest domestic manufacturer of women\u2019s jeans under $100. \u201cThe truth is,\u201d Rudes Sandel says, \u201cI\u2019ve never forgotten that woman I\u2019ve been aiming for since day one.\u201d Rudes Sandel \u201cspeaks to\u201d every one of her customers via a note tucked into each pair of jean that reads, \u201cNYDJ (Not Your Daughter\u2019s Jeans) cannot be held responsible for any positive consequence that may arise due to your fabulous appearance when wearing the Tummy Tuck jeans. You can thank me later.\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\nYour chronological age<\/span><\/span>, or actual age in years, is one thing. Your cognitive age<\/span><\/span>, or how old you perceive yourself to be, is another. A person\u2019s cognitive age affects his or her activities and sparks interests consistent with his or her perceived age. Cognitive age is a significant predictor of consumer behaviors, including people\u2019s dining out, watching television, going to bars and dance clubs, playing computer games, and shopping. Companies have found that many consumers feel younger than their chronological age and don\u2019t take kindly to products that feature \u201cold folks\u201d because they can\u2019t identify with them.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n
    \r\n

    Lifestyle<\/h2>\r\nIf you have ever watched the television show Wife Swap<\/em>, you can see that despite people\u2019s similarities (e.g., being middle-class Americans who are married with children), their lifestyles can differ radically. To better understand and connect with consumers, companies interview or ask people to complete questionnaires about their lifestyles or their activities, interests, and opinions (often referred to as AIO statements). Consumers are not only asked about products they like, where they live, and what their gender is but also about what they do\u2014that is, how they spend their time and what their priorities, values, opinions, and general outlooks on the world are. Where do they go other than work? Who do they like to talk to? What do they talk about? Researchers hired by Procter & Gamble have gone so far as to follow women around for weeks as they shop, run errands, and socialize with one another.\r\n\r\nA number of research organizations examine lifestyle and psychographic characteristics of consumers.Psychographics<\/span><\/span> combines the lifestyle traits of consumers and their personality styles with an analysis of their attitudes, activities, and values to determine groups of consumers with similar characteristics. One of the most widely used systems to classify people based on psychographics is the VALS (Values, Attitudes, and Lifestyles) framework. Using VALS to combine psychographics with demographic information such as marital status, education level, and income provide a better understanding of consumers.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\nhttp:\/\/www.openassessments.com\/assessments\/431\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/div>","rendered":"

    LEARNING OBJECTIVES<\/h3>\n
      \n
    1. Describe the personal factors that may influence what consumers buy and when they buy it.<\/li>\n
    2. Explain what marketing professionals can do to influence consumers\u2019 behavior.<\/li>\n
    3. Explain how looking at lifestyle information helps firms understand what consumers want to purchase.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Personal Factors<\/h2>\n
      \n

      Personality and Self-Concept<\/h2>\n

      Personality<\/span><\/span> describes a person\u2019s disposition, helps show why people are different, and encompasses a person\u2019s unique traits. The \u201cBig Five\u201d personality traits that psychologists discuss frequently include openness<\/strong> or how open you are to new experiences, conscientiousness<\/strong> or how diligent you are, extraversion<\/strong> or how outgoing or shy you are, agreeableness<\/strong> or how easy you are to get along with, and neuroticism<\/strong> or how prone you are to negative mental states.<\/p>\n

      Do personality traits predict people\u2019s purchasing behavior? Can companies successfully target certain products to people based on their personalities? How do you find out what personalities consumers have? Are extraverts wild spenders and introverts penny pinchers?<\/p>\n

      The link between people\u2019s personalities and their buying behavior is somewhat unclear. Some research studies have shown that \u201csensation seekers,\u201d or people who exhibit extremely high levels of openness, are more likely to respond well to advertising that\u2019s violent and graphic. The problem for firms is figuring out \u201cwho\u2019s who\u201d in terms of their personalities.<\/p>\n

      Marketers have had better luck linking people\u2019s self-concepts to their buying behavior. Your self-concept<\/span><\/span> is how you see yourself\u2014be it positive or negative. Your ideal self<\/span><\/span> is how you would like<\/em> to see yourself\u2014whether it\u2019s prettier, more popular, more eco-conscious, or more \u201cgoth,\u201d and others\u2019 self-concept, or how you think others see you, also influences your purchase behavior. Marketing researchers believe people buy products to enhance how they feel about themselves\u2014to get themselves closer to their ideal selves.<\/p>\n

      The slogan \u201cBe All That You Can Be,\u201d which for years was used by the U.S. Army to recruit soldiers, is an attempt to appeal to the self-concept. Presumably, by joining the U.S. Army, you will become a better version of yourself, which will, in turn, improve your life. Many beauty products and cosmetic procedures are advertised in a way that\u2019s supposed to appeal to the ideal self people seek. All of us want products that improve our lives.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

      \n

      Gender, Age, and Stage of Life<\/h2>\n

      While demographic variables such as income, education, and marital status are important, we will look at gender, age, and stage of life and how they influence purchase decisions. Men and women need and buy different products. They also shop differently and in general, have different attitudes about shopping. You know the old stereotypes. Men see what they want and buy it, but women \u201ctry on everything and shop \u2018til they drop.\u201d There\u2019s some truth to the stereotypes. That\u2019s why you see so many advertisements directed at one sex or the other\u2014beer commercials that air on ESPN and commercials for household products that air on Lifetime. Women influence fully two-thirds of all household product purchases, whereas men buy about three-quarters of all alcoholic beverages. The article references the 2006 Behavioral Tracking Study by Miller Brewing Company.<\/span> The shopping differences between men and women seem to be changing, though. Younger, well-educated men are less likely to believe grocery shopping is a woman\u2019s job and would be more inclined to bargain shop and use coupons if the coupons were properly targeted at them. One survey found that approximately 45 percent of married men actually like<\/em> shopping and consider it relaxing.<\/p>\n

      One study by Resource Interactive, a technology research firm, found that when shopping online, men prefer sites with lots of pictures of products and women prefer to see products online in lifestyle context\u2014say, a lamp in a living room. Women are also twice as likely as men to use viewing tools such as the zoom and rotate buttons and links that allow them to change the color of products.<\/p>\n