Factors Influencing Consumer Behavior - Essay Example

Consumer Behavior People spend an average of 6 hours a week shopping (Walsh, Brown. “Media Literacy for the Unconscious Mind”. The Journal of New Media & Culture. Winter 2002, Vol.1, No.1). “Shopping is the central focus of human activity,” says retail anthropologist Paco Underhill in his book “Why we Buy”, hailed by the San Franciso Chronicle as “a Sherlock Holmes” for retailers. The three major factors that influence consumer behavior are: I) Atmospherics A new approach to marketing ideas has been created on the basis of psychological research that no longer is interested in directly targeting consumers’ conscious mind, but rather appeals to their unconscious, and influences their behaviors and beliefs without he or her being aware of it. Phil Kotler defines “Atmospherics” as “the effort to design buying environments to produce specific emotional effects in the buyer that enhance his or her purchase probability.” The majority of the American public is unaware that they are spending more or less time in stores, moving slower or faster through the aisles, and purchasing items that have no concrete value to them because their unconscious is being told to make decisions contrary to that which they desire. Atmospherics create an illusion that stores try to sustain throughout the consumer’s shopping experience. In “Marketing of the Mind”, the authors argue that people visit a mall solely for its disorientating effect; they call it a “vacation from the senses, much like drinking alcohol.” (Walsh, Brown. “Media Literacy for the Unconscious Mind”. The Journal of New Media & Culture. Winter 2002, Vol.1, No.1). Storeowners attempt to influence consumers by creating an innovative store layout. Victor Gruen is accredited with conceiving an ideal environment for a shopping mall. Departmental stores, which were the main impetus to go to malls, are placed at opposite ends of the interior walkway – the logic being that consumers must pass all of the smaller shops when traversing between them. Along with climatic control, a lack of clocks, and centrally controlled lighting, the consumer loses all sense of direction, time of day and duration of his or her stay; the consumer’s eye literally becomes glazed over, and he or she loses the ability to make economically realistic decisions. Parking is often located underneath the store’s premises, so consumers cannot determine where in the store they are making their entrance, which adds to their disorientation. The shopping environment is thus transformed from a relatively neutral place to one that harbors numerous stimuli that urge its patrons to behave in such a way as to be beneficial to the store but financially detrimental to the consumer (Walsh, Brown. “Media Literacy for the Unconscious Mind”. The Journal of New Media & Culture. Winter 2002, Vol.1, No.1). II) Store interior décor and product layout 1) Lighting Display windows, says Dan Frering of the Lighting Research Center (LRC), “create visual interest and make the merchandise stand out from the background.” Accordingly, proper lighting in display windows is important. Proper lighting is also crucial inside a store. Consumers do not like glaring lights in the interior of the shopping environment. Most important, direct lighting tends to make the human skin look older, and this does not auger well particularly with women consumers. Retailers attempt to influence customers by adopting revolutionary lighting methods. They use LEDs or light-emitting diodes in display windows to illuminate merchandise and mannequins, attract attention of consumers, and even send a message about the quality of their store. A field study by the LRC found that colored lighting effects created with LEDs can not only cut energy in display windows by 30 to 50 percent, but also attract more attention from shoppers (“LED Lighting saves energy and attracts Shoppers”). In the interior, the use of non-glaring white lights is preferred. Indirect use of non-glaring white lights makes women look younger. 2) Wider aisles Paco Underhill disclosed about the “butt brush” factor which influences consumer behavior inside a shopping environment. Bumped from behind by sales persons or other shoppers, consumers (especially women) become irritated and move elsewhere. Storeowners attempt to influence consumers by providing wider aisles in their inner environment, so that they do not give patrons ‘butt brushing’ nightmares (Vince, Juliano. “Why we Buy: The Science of Shopping”). 3) Male containment Women are undoubtedly the primary buyers in the American market place. They frequently go shopping with their husbands or boyfriends. They need an area, within the shopping environment or adjoining it, to keep their men passively restrained so that they are happier and in a more relaxed frame of mind to spend more money and time in the store. Wise stores attempt to influence valuable women consumers by providing a space within the store environment where women can “check” their husbands or boyfriends. Such a room is provided with a big screen T.V that shows the latest sports events. Alternatively, the location of the store is next to a Radio Shack or Circuit City so that husbands and boyfriends are distracted long enough for women to do some serious shopping (Walsh, Brown. “Media Literacy for the Unconscious Mind”. The Journal of New Media & Culture. Winter 2002, Vol.1, No.1). 4) Pleasant odor and sound Contemplative consumers (those who do not generally make unplanned purchases) spend more money when a pleasant odor is in the background. Scent enhances their more seasoned and cognitive processing efforts. On the other hand, impulsive consumers (those who make unplanned purchases very often) tend to spend more when pleasant music is played in the background, as music enhances their emotions (Rutgers. “Smell & Sound Key to Sales”). By hearing particular song combinations, consumers’ behavior is influenced, making them more emotionally involved in the store’s inner environment. Business owners attempt to influence contemplative customers by diffusing a citrus scent at regular intervals (usually 6 minutes) through devices throughout the stores. The intensity and concentration of the scent is well controlled, thus guaranteeing it will be noticed by consumers without overwhelming them (Rutgers. “Smell & Sound Key to Sales”). As a attempt to influence impulsive consumers, business owners use the widely acclaimed “piped-in music” system. By focusing on particular moods, tempos and styles of music, a store’s image is both invented and sustained. The most popular is pop songs played as “easy-listening instrumentals”; listening consumers recognize the song, but only unconsciously. Stores with a target audience of young consumers normally play upbeat electronic and other music that is usually heard on a night out on the town, inferring an unconscious association with a more jet-setting lifestyle. Fast-food restaurants play faster music to encourage a larger turnover rate by urging consumers to eat faster (Walsh, Brown. “Media Literacy for the Unconscious Mind”. The Journal of New Media & Culture. Winter 2002, Vol.1, No.1). 5) Proper display Consumers prefer “eye contact”, meaning that they do not buy what they cannot see. It is important that the store has a proper display of products. Retailers attempt to influence consumers by displaying products in a display zone running from knee level to slightly above eye-level, as visibility is highest in this zone. On bottom shelves, large products are displayed whose packaging attracts the consumer’s attention. Some retailers install bottom shelves that tilt upward to improve visibility. Stores also place an item next to another to create some spark (and sell more of both) like displaying peanut butter and jelly together, or pasta with tomato sauce together (Walsh, Brown. “Media Literacy for the Unconscious Mind”. The Journal of New Media & Culture. Winter 2002, Vol.1, No.1). 6) ‘Test and try’ facilities Shopping is a “contact” sport because shoppers want to experience the product they are considering. Storeowners attempt to influence consumers by proving “trial rooms” where consumers can view themselves from all angles in 3 way mirrors, and “testing” areas at appropriate counters where consumers can try out products. At the cosmetic counter, a consumer can test a lipstick or makeup to see if the shade is right. A consumer at the lingerie section can visit the trial room to try out an alluring negligee to see if she looks as alluring in it. At the clothes counter, a male consumer can visit the trial room and try on a tuxedo to see if it fits him well. Many stores have fitters on their premises, allowing for alterations to clothes (Walsh, Brown. “Media Literacy for the Unconscious Mind”. The Journal of New Media & Culture. Winter 2002, Vol.1, No.1). III) Employees Employees of the selling environment should be well versed in the needs of the consumers that visit them. The psychological set up of the consumers is the prime target because they tend to act in certain ways given certain situations. Business owners attempt to influence consumers by having well-trained, handpicked employees in different sections. A cardinal rule is laid down: “The customer is always right.” Some examples are provided below. Women consumers demand information and service from sales personnel; when two or more women shop together, they absolutely dominate, as each shopper encourages and cheers on her partners. Men rarely ask for help; they would rather obtain information from a brochure or video. Teens are assertive shoppers: they know exactly what they want. Obese consumers are susceptible to discriminatory feelings. Sales persons are trained to provide all the information women consumers require; particular attention is focused on two or more women shopping together, making sure they have all the information they need as fast as possible. In fashion stores, sales persons encourage women to take time to try out the clothing item in their trial rooms, also making known that fitters are on the premises to conduct alterations if needed. A variety of brochures are made available to male consumers so that they can browse at leisure. Sales persons are trained to go along with teens, being reticent yet suggestive at the same time. Sales persons are strictly taught not to overtly discriminate against obese consumers such as avoiding eye contact, rudeness or hurrying the sale (Vince, Juliano. “Why we Buy: The Science of Shopping”). In future? Maybe in future we might witness storeowners employing macabre methods to influence consumers. An example from France tells how to do it. On 11th May 2003, The Guardian newspaper reported that the Paris fashion store “Galeries Lafayette” offers free striptease lessons to women shoppers. Half hour courses are given by professional striptease artists who demonstrate hints like: “always wear heels, never wear knee-high stockings, always unbutton your blouse from the bottom, try to avoid getting your skirt caught on your shoes, and make sure the whole thing is over in five minutes maximum.” (Henley, John. “Parisian Store hopes Striptease Plan will take off”). References used: Anon. “LED Lighting saves energy and attracts Shoppers”. Retailindustry.about.com. No date. http://retailindustry.about.com/od/storeatmospherics/a/bl_lrc052305.htm Anon. “Smell & Sound Key to Sales, says Rutgers-Camden Marketing Research”. Rutgers-The State University of New Jersey. 2005. http://ur.rutgers.edu/medrel/viewArticle.html?ArticleID=4506 Henley, Jon. “Parisian Store hopes Striptease Plan will take off”. The Guardian Co. Limited. 2003. http://shopping.guardian.co.uk/clothes/story/0,1586,1078759,00.html Vince, Juliano. “Why we Buy: The Science of Shopping”. Uconn.edu. July/August 2000. http://cla.uconn.edu/reviews/whybuy.html Walsh, Brian. “Media Literacy for the Unconscious Mind”. The Journal of New Media & Culture. Winter 2002, Vol. 1, No.1. http://www.ibiblio.org/nmediac/winter2002/mind.html Read More