Internal Influences on Consumer Behavior: Motivation - Assignment Example

Consumer Behavior CONSUMER BEHAVIOR Internal Influences on Consumer Behavior: Motivation Consumer behavior in this case is the study of processes through which groups select and secure services and products to satisfy needs, as well as the impact that these processes portend on consumers (Solomon, 2014: p77). Consumer behavior is influenced by three main concepts: internal influences, external influences, and situational influences. Internal or personal influences are representative of one’s ability as a consumer to directly benefit from the service or product in question. Motivation is one of these internal influences that drive a consumer to satisfy their needs, especially as an energizing force that acts to activate his/her behavior. Only an unmet need has the ability to motivate when the consumer realizes they have a need, which arouses tension that drives the consumer to reduce the tension and achieve this need (Solomon, 2014: p77). Consistency Motivation McGuire contends that there are several psychological motives that would drive a consumer to buy a service or product. One of them is a need for consistency, which involves a consumer doing what is consistent with his/her self-image. This motive is an urge that drives the consumer to strive for psychological balance, while also urging the consumer to maintain his/her beliefs and values over time (Ali et al, 2010: p111). In this case, I purchased non-alcoholic drinks like Lipton Tea because I have been addicted to caffeinated products for a long time and would like to maintain this value. In addition, I also purchase Nandos chicken meal often because I am used to it as it is the only food that is available all the time where I live. The same thing applies for going to the Dawat Indian restaurant. Also, I believe in eating healthy and conveniently, which accounts fro my Aldi mixed grain bread and rice purchases, particularly since, on top of being healthy, mixed grain products are more convenient to eat than whole grain products. For a long time, I have valued Max Brenner as a non-alcoholic drink, and to maintain my value system, I also purchase it often. Novelty Motivation Another motive for psychological motive for consumer behavior according to McGuire is a need for novelty. Accordingly, people will also seek variety in their buying behavior, which may account for impulse buying and brand switching. For people who are undergoing a period of rapid change, buying behavior reflects striving for stability, while consumers who are in a stable period of life will seek change in their buying behavior (Wänke, 2010: p81). With regards to a need for novelty, I purchase chicken and cheese once in a while because I am used to purchasing Nandos chicken meal and eating at the Dawat Indian restaurant that serves Indian food. I have also purchased Hydro-peptide facial treatment to try something new as I have already tried my usual products and would like to seek variety and try something new. In addition, I also purchased tuna and avocado mini sushi for my nephews and nieces because they were most likely used to what I bought them before. My purchases of grande melt Sushi Ginza were made in order to try something new and for a variety in an otherwise monotonous diet. Finally, I also bought a shirt online from Zara since I had never done it before and wanted to try it out. Physiological Motivation My purchases were also affected by physiological motives as postulated by Maslow in the hierarchy of human needs. For every product that is purchased, the need being fulfilled will have both positive and negative aspects. Therefore, products purchased to fulfill psychological needs are meant to satisfy an objective of the consumer, while also avoiding the unwanted consequences of not purchasing it (Belk, 2014: p44). Needs are structured hierarchically and those that have a lower position must be satisfied prior to satisfying those that are higher up the hierarchy. In this case, the physiological needs come first, followed by security, social, self-esteem, and self-actualization needs. From my diary, I purchase bread and out-of-home meals, clothing, dairy products, fruits and vegetables, and healthcare products, because they are more important to my everyday life and it is only after I satisfy my needs for food and clothing that I can move on to satisfying my other needs. In addition, purchases of bread and necessary full out-of-home meals were more of a physiological motive because others like Nandos chicken are simply for gratification. However, bread, dairy products, and vegetables are essential for nutritional purposes. Deprivation of such needs would make it difficult to achieve other growth needs and would give rise to dissatisfaction (Belk, 2014: p44). Other Internal Influence: Affiliation The affiliation motive of consumer behavior involves the need to establish, develop, maintain, and/or repair relationships that are mutually helpful and satisfying with other people when purchasing a product (Simintiras et al, 2014: p431). Two types of affiliation have been posited, one of which is affiliation interest that involves the act giving others a feeling of affiliation due to genuine interest. The other is affiliation assurance, which has to do with the consumer’s need to receive affiliation for other people. Consumers who are affiliation motivated will always seek to ensure they maintain close relationships with other people through their purchasing habits (Kardes et al, 2014: p57). Regarding my buying behavior, I purchased alcohol for myself and my friend Harry in order to create a strong relationship with him and maintain it as we both enjoy a drink or two. My motive for paying for entertainment and leisure at Hoyts Cinema and a youth retreat at the Church were similar, particularly as I would create new relationships and maintain already existing ones. In addition, my purchases of coffee at Gloaria Jeans and cigarettes at Coles were also for affiliation motives as some of my best friends also drink coffee and smoke, which helps to maintain a cool relationship with them. External Influences on Consumer Behavior Culture External influences are vital in influencing individual behavior, especially among consumers. One of these external influences is culture, which involves a set of shared beliefs, behaviors, and attitudes that can be associated with a group, including customs and religion (Hoyer & McInnis, 2013: p39). High context cultures leave little room for an individual self-expression, while low context cultures are more receptive of individualistic consumption and behaviors. High context cultures will encourage consumers to be more cooperative, rather than competitive, while also encouraging less risk taking in buying behavior (Cheung et al, 2009: p8). In this case, the consumer’s consumption habits are highly influenced by their belief systems with sub-cultures having distinctive groups that have similar cultural behaviors and meanings that impact on their buying behavior. This explains why I purchased bread a lot because, culturally, bread is a staple food in developed countries like Australia. In addition, attending the MYO youth retreat at Our Lady of Lebanon Church is as a result of high context culture that determines my attendance as I am from a long tradition of Catholicism. Moreover, my purchase of alcohol can also be explained under this influence because drinking has been a social need in my community for as long as I can remember. A similar thing can be said about drinking coffee, which is a favorite pastime in Australian cities. Reference Groups Reference groups can be defined as a group of individuals that have significant influence on the behavior and/or attitude of an individual. These groups are used by individuals as reference points in developing their behavior, beliefs, and attitudes. Close friends and family are considered as primary reference points for most individuals in their lives, which makes them substantially influential in that individual’s buying behavior (Saito, 2009: p28). This can be used to explain why, for example, I purchase cigarettes. Growing up, my friends and relatives included some heavy smokers, which had a profound influence on my smoking habits. Something similar can be said of my coffee and tea purchases, which are as a result of my family’s non-alcoholic drink preferences. There was always tea and coffee every morning and this has shaped my behavior towards the beverages. Close friends and family are primary references in an individual’s purchasing behavior because of the frequency at which we interact with them, as well as their primacy in the individual’s life (Kidwell & Jewell, 2013: p630). There are also secondary reference groups that influence consumer behavior of an individual. This reference group includes the neighborhood one lives in and schoolmates. For example, because I lived in a neighborhood where the church was conspicuously present, I am very involved in church youth activities like the MOY youth retreat. Learning and Memory Learning in consumer behavior is a variable that significantly affects the behavior of consumers in buying specific products and services, especially as it is the process through which the individual consumer acquires new knowledge, as well as modifies existing knowledge, values, behaviors, and preferences (Cornwell et al, 2008: p60). Once the individual ahs synthesized this information, it is stored as memory and can be retrieved when one has to make a purchase. Therefore, learning and memory in combination have a significant impact on the consumer’s buying behavior. In combination with personality, motivation, beliefs, values, perception, and attitudes, learning and memory will have dramatic effects on the purchasing behaviors of the consumer (Duesenberry, 2009: p51). For instance, my tendency to purchase out-of-home meals at McDonalds is because I always remember the delicious burgers every time I am hungry. A similar thing can be said about my tendency to purchase chicken loaf, ham, lamb mince, and chicken thigh at Woolworths Deli. I have already learnt that they have the best tasting food, especially when one is hungry, while I also remember that some of my friends are allergic to some foods and prefer lamb mince and chicken thigh, which I purchase for them. Also, buying pizza at Eagleboys with my friends was informed by the fact that I know my friends like pizza and will always prefer to eat pizza at Eagleboys. Situational Influences on Consumer Behavior Physical Situations Finally, the behavior of a consumer when buying products and services is influenced situational factors that can impact on the perception of the consumer when making a purchase, making them more likely to buy specific products and services. One of these influences is physical surroundings, such as the weather, atmosphere, and surroundings, which have significant impact on the behavior of the consumer in buying products (Paul & Rana, 2012: p417). Store locations are a prime example of situational influences on buying behavior, especially if one passes by a specific store every day all often. For example, McDonalds and Starbucks are two examples of stores that are conveniently located in areas where most people pass, either on their way to and from work or school. For my case, I always pass by the McDonalds store on my way to and fro campus, which means that my buying behavior has been impacted by passing by McDonalds almost every day. Time Situations The consumer’s buying behavior is also influenced by the time of the year, time of the day, and the amount of time that consumers feel they have to shop around. The buying behavior of a consumer is affected by whether they are more active in the evening, afternoon, or morning. Most sellers are very sensitive to this fact, tending to monitor what consumers buy at specific times and stocking these products, as well as making services available at the most opportune time (Darley et al, 2010: p101). Their goal mainly involves getting the product to the point of sale at the time when the consumer is most likely to buy them. In addition, because most working or studying consumers are pressed for time, some sellers will make essential services available at their stores, such as local taxes and utility bill payments, which give them an opportunity to take advantage of the consumer’s buying behavior (Kukar-Kinney et al, 2012: p66). For example, I tend to buy petrol at the Starmart petrol station because it is closest to the university and also offers various essential services like a photocopy machine. 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