What Affects Ones Choices - Essay Example

Module What Affects one’s Choices? Every day, we come across different adverts. Whether in the print media, outdoors, or even via the internet, adverts are all over. The issue is not whether they are there but how their presence affects the decisions of those it is targeting. For instance, the advert on Coca cola zero has been termed as a masculine product while Diet Coke is seen as a feminine product. How does this affect the choices we make when choosing which soft drink to take off the shelf? With every purchase, human beings try to emphasize who they are or who the society perceives them to be. As a man, the society expects you to behave in a certain way with the feminine gender expected to behave in a different way. This means that the adverts must be tuned towards what the society perceives to be feminine or masculine. But what if you pick a product that is feminine or masculine while you are of a different gender? Does it make you a lesser human? The answer is all in the psychological imprint that the society has placed as a benchmark for what we feel and how we are expected to react to these feelings. The feelings are then transferred and commoditized into products which mean that each must pick that which is “gender correct”. All in all, there are those who are oblivious of what people think about their choices. They should not be condemned. Personally, anytime I feel like picking a soft drink and I come across a diet coke or Coke Zero, I do not think about it as a gender-based product. I pick that which I feel is right for me at that particular moment, whether people stare back or whisper in secret. CONSUMER KNOWLEDGE Last week was such an informative outing for me. While I was just walking across the shopping mall, I realized that people were baffled by all the products that were on display. It got me thinking, ‘why are people staring and admiring display items whereas they can just go in, get what they need and go back home?’ but I realized that many of these people have only seen the adverts and do not have any clue about the products rather than what they have heard. When these products, mainly clothes and accessories are displayed, people are dismayed by the prices and also the way they appear. They do not have any knowledge about the products they want or even how they can access that information. The sources of information could be many if one chose to look. People who have already bought and used these products could form the first source of inspiration. However, they may be biased given the chances that the products may have been irrelevant or not amounting to what they expected. Another way is to get an expert in that sector and get firsthand information on the best products to buy. This may be costly as some may offer information in exchange for money, citing consultation fees. But the presence of the internet offers one a chance to get as much information as possible with the click of a button. Therefore, next time you go shopping, make sure you have the details, the prices, and the quality of the product you need rather than stand in front of a shopping mall to admire what is on display. PRODUCT APPEAL For a long time now, companies have been looking for the best way of appealing to their target client through advertising. As people look for the best, they are mainly attracted by the visual aspect of the product before quality comes to focus. Many companies have come under attack for what has been termed as sexist adverts but let us be honest: in the current digital world, sex sells! Women will always oh-ah when they see Brad Pitt or David Beckham. Men will always stand and stare when Angelina Jolie or Eva Longoria passes by. The young generation has identified Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga as some of their favorite musicians. These are people known for their sex appeal. Is it wrong when products capitalize on these? Passing through the streets of the nearby town, one cannot miss these sexual innuendos. A beautiful woman is advertising a skin lotion while a man with all the society’s definition of masculine is photographed with a bottle of drinking water or even men body lotion. Such are the adverts that strikingly spur some into impulse buying. Celebrities have also been used to promote these products. The products themselves have been packaged in a way that attracts the target customers from afar. So is it the product or the package or the advert? This is something that many researchers cannot frankly answer because it baffles many alike. Personally, the products are mainly determined by the appeal because they seemingly appear cool when one buys or possesses such. PRICING AND BUYING: ARE THEY CONGRUENT? The shopping mall and some of these big supermarkets always offer a chance for extra understanding of consumer behavior. There has always been a trend that my parents have ascribed to since time immemorial. There are certain products that we buy from the local mall, others from Wal-Mart and others from Woolworths. At first, it was fun because I had an opportunity to window shop in different areas and admire things which I knew would be difficult to find. However, with time, this trend became quite instilled in me that I still find myself going to these shops to get different items. I believe this is a predicament in which people always find themselves. One day, I went and compared the prices of all the items we bought from all three areas and found several discrepancies. Each of the retails had a different pricing for each of the quality and that is the time I discovered that we shopped in relation to the pricing rather than quality. That may be bad to the ear. But all in all, we all want to save some extra cash given the harsh economic conditions. Upon in-depth research, I realized that the price discrepancies were due to a myriad of factors, ranging from economic to social to political and environmental. Thus, when you find it difficult to live on what you have, conduct some price analysis. You may just get the right product for a good price and within your locality. It costs nothing and saves much at the end of the day MUSIC AND MOVIES: PIRATE OR BUY? When people hear about piracy, they always get a negative notion that morality must be observed at all times. But it is important to note despite these calls, the cases are on an increase. Within the first half of 2012, more than 700 million files had been downloaded all over London this is just one city in the UK the statistics will be even higher if the same survey was conducted in the US, more so in New York. I have friends who would rather download a music album over the internet rather than go and buy them from the music stores. Movies have also been uploaded to peer-to-peer file sharing software that makes it easy to download for other connected users and yet, these industries are making billions of dollars every year and the celebrities are still rolling in their BMWs, Cadillac and Benz’s as if nothing has happened. Others have made their music available via iTunes and other music stores and even over the social sites such as Facebook where people can download them free of charge. But is it okay to do that? Many will say that the economic trends are harsh and the luxury of buying a CD or DVD from the stores cannot be afforded. When my friends download these songs or movies from the internet, they eventually land on my laptop and I keep them. Therefore, I do not think it is wrong provided the musician or movie director has given a link from which one can access their videos from. LIFESTYLE: HOW AND WHY? Every day, people want to look like the Hollywood actors and actresses. But what is the real reason why people want such lifestyles? Maybe it is because it is described as the most appealing state of affairs within the social standards. Scenes of actresses and actors being driven in sleek cars while their outfits receive the whole attention from different fashion magazines become the order of the day. Their private lives become public. But these are the stories that juice up everyday fun fare all over the world. But more so, their outfits provide an avenue through which designers and artists can sell their products to the whole world. The celebrities become the advertisements they are the promoters. People then choose their outfits based on the way each celebrity is dressed and the comments that come their way from the critics. So, is it the products’ quality or the lifestyle attached to it that people end up using as their determinants for the products they purchase? It is understandable that some of the celebrities are accredited with making fashion an everyday affair. People want to have a hairstyle like Beyonce’s or a suit like P-Diddy’s. It is thus a clear indication that people want that which is in fashion and want to remain in step with every fashion statement made by their favorite celebrities. Thus, the next time you are out for some shopping, you can watch what you look at and decide whether it is the lifestyle that coaxed you into getting that product or whether the products were out of personal choices. STRATEGIC SHOPPING Every day, we pass by malls, supermarkets, cloth stores and other retail businesses within the locality. As each person shops, there are certain things they look for in a retail shop one of these is the location of the retailer. Most stores have everything under one roof while others are specifically meant for certain products. This is something I found quite interesting given the different expectations of each individual on what they look out for when location comes to mind. Most people will bypass shops along their way and head straight to the one that appeals to them as being closer to where they stay. It is clear that people have somewhat become lazy and would rather shop at the store within their neighborhood rather than go to one that is further away and has cheaper prices for the same product quality. Convenience is thus an important attribute in each shopping trip with every individual having a personal definition of what convenience is all about. Someone with an automobile will want to drive to the closest store while those without will just shop around to avoid carrying the heavy bags all the way home I am a victim of these choices too. Anytime my parents are around, we always go shopping within the town center while being alone means that I have to make all my shopping trips to the local shopping store as opposed to going all the way to the center. And this is not tied to me alone. My neighbors and my friends also do the same. I guess having a car is important after all since it also determines where we shall shop. INTERIOR DECOR: CUSTOMER PREFERENCE This is one topic that very few will wish to talk about but everyone expects it to be done in the right way. Owning a home is every person’s dream once you have owned it, you want it to feel like it is truly a comfortable place to be in. This is where interior decor comes in. The bathrooms, the bedrooms and the living rooms all have different requirements and this means that the customer has to choose from a myriad of styles to come up with something that they like. As people build more homes in the country, architectural designs are also changing. So what is the best for the living room, the bedroom and the kitchen? Many will say that the sitting room is supposed to have a well-balanced color scheme which will come in different schemes, styles and architectural designs. The furniture will thus have a contrasting color form that of the room as a means of creating a lively experience when entertaining guests or resting. The bedroom is supposed to have a different feel altogether. As people get to sleep, they need something relaxing. As a client, the colors that make you feel relaxed and in agreement with those who will use this room should be chosen. They should be kept clean, neat and be cool colors. They may be a mixture of pastel colors that are soothing and provide a relaxing effect for the individual. The kitchen should have an inspiring feeling. As people cook, they will need to be inspired but not distracted. The colors should thus be elegant and those that promote neatness people want to feel that their food is being prepared in places that appeal to their imagination. PERCEPTION It is said that what we perceive creates the greatest aspect of what we construe as the best for our lives. Many have been tied to traditional perspectives while others are enjoying the sweet freedom that society is offering. However, the consumer will also play into the hands of the promoter because they believe that what the promoter has shown them is the real deal. Let us take for instance the detergents we see on our televisions. Each advert comes with an extra brightness tag that ensures each component of the fabric is taken care of while the hands will not be damaged. The clothes are put up to show that indeed, the detergent is as powerful. But this is just a mindset that the advert seeks to create as a means of selling its products. Every client will create an expectation that seeks to experiment and determine the truth of this. However, many are let down when they buy the real product. Perception is something that consumers have been trained to create but have not been trained to decipher. As a consumer, the best qualities are those that one has tried and proven that they are genuine. The internet is one tool that one can use to create a perception about the product because of the many suggestions that will arise from one search. This will ensure that the best is bought over one that is perceived to be the best. Furthermore, it will give the customer a good return for their money. BUYING AMERICAN BUILDS AMERICA? It is often said that buy America build America. But is this really true? For example, GM and Ford are American companies which in 2008 were bailed using taxpayers' money to save them from closure. At the same time, companies such as Honda and Toyota continued with their services. In this case, who built America? Many will say that am not patriotic. May be am not but I am rationally looking at this ideology that was condemned by all citizens when the CEOs of these two companies arrive in private jets to receive the bailout money. The uproar caused by this extravagance at a time when the companies were busy downsizing to keep them in business cannot be termed as patriotism despite being American CEOs. If this is how America will be built, then customers are willing to look the other way. This is my reasoning. In a time when the economic hardship is biting every citizen, each cent has to be accounted for. The other companies are producing cost-effective products at affordable prices compared to the American companies. If we are to build America, then competition should be allowed since this favors the customer. We should not pretend that patriotism will chain us to poverty because we do not want to fail the economy. The customer is always right. The other countries have industries in our country and employ our citizens and even pay taxes to our country. As a consumer, I will go for that product that favors my pocket before I look at the label to discriminate against its producers. May be it is not right, but certainly, it is part of my right as a consumer. Work Cited Kardes, Frank R., Cronley, Maria L. and Cline, Thomas W. Consumer Behavior. Mason, OH : Cengage Learning, 2011. Print. Read More