Consumers Flashcards
Why do consumers buy goods/services?
To satisfy need and wants
From bottom to top, describe Mazlow’s Hierarchy of Needs.
Physiological, Safety, Love/belonging, Esteem, Self-actualisation
What is scarcity?
There are an unlimited amount of wants but limited resources so we must allocate those resources to satisfy as many wants as possible
What is opportunity cost?
The cost of the good/service you forego for another purchase
What are the factors of production?
Land, Labour, Capital, Enterprise
What are the factors affecting consumer choices?
Customer service, Price, Convenience, Gender, Age, Disposable income, Environment and Cultural factors
How is customer service a factor affecting consumer decisions?
The pre- and post-sale treatment of a customer can make customers feel more valued and increase the chance of them coming to shop again
How is price a factor affecting consumer decisions?
A higher price means a less likely purchase, customers want the best value
How is convenience a factor affecting consumer decisions?
Could mean less time commuting to shops, more shops in one complex or flexible opening hours, the easier the experience the more likely a consumer will shop there
How is gender a factor affecting consumer decisions?
A person’s gender can mean they have different wants, eg: women tend to spend more on make-up than men
How is age a factor affecting consumer decisions?
Our wants change over time so purchase are influenced by what stage of life we’re in
How is disposable income a factor affecting consumer decisions?
The amount of money left to spend/save influences the type and ‘status of purchases, eg: people with more disposable income will buy more luxurious goods/services
How is the environment a factor affecting consumer decisions?
Consumers are more aware of the environmental impact of production and consumption and will lean towards buying the more eco-friendly option
How do cultural factors affect consumer decisions?
The values and beliefs of a person belonging to a particular group can affect what they want to purchase
What does a budget include?
All sources of income, variable and fixed expenses, potential savings to spend or save
What are 2 methods of deciding what to buy?
Impulse buying and comparison shopping
What is impulse buying?
Buying something without much consideration as to whether you really need it
What is comparison shopping?
Contacting sellers and shopping around for the best-valued item available
What are some comparison shopping tips?
- Think carefully about what you want
- Shop around for the best price
- Investigate the product’s features
- Decide beforehand your payment method
- Check refunds/returns policies
- Never sign a blank contract or anything you don’t understand
- Check after-sales guarantees
- Keep receipts/invoices
What are the features of generic products?
No brand name, cheaper but of acceptable quality, supermarkets/pharmacies have their own home brands as an alternative to branded products
What are some supermarket persuasion strategies
- Comfortable temperature
- Cheerful music
- Large ‘sale’ signs
- Expensive products at eye level
- Commonly purchased items at the back
- Confusing layout/signage
- Smell of bread is enticing
- Lighting
- Free samples
- Emphasis on freshness
What is a distribution chain?
The chain of businesses a product goes through to get from the manufacturer to the consumer, where the product appreciates as each business must make a profit
What is a typical distribution chain?
Manufacturer - Wholesaler - Retailers - Consumers
Which stage of the distribution chain is the secondary industry?
Manufacturer
Which stage of the distribution chain is the tertiary industry?
Retailer
What are some examples of non-store retail?
Mail order and online shopping
What is mail order?
Ordering a product from a catalogue and receiving it via the mail
What are the advantages of mail order?
- Great for disabled/remote consumers
- Large range of products
What are the disadvantages of mail order?
- Products can be different from photos
- Money is lost if a business doesn’t send the product
- Hard to obtain a refund
What is online shopping?
Consumers select and pay for a product on a website and receive it via the post
What are the advantages of online shopping?
- Large range of sources to buy from
- Quick and convenient comparison shopping
- Product itself could be cheaper
- You can use mobile apps and devices
What are the disadvantages of online shopping?
- Tracing a business if something goes wrong can be difficult
- Added delivery charge sometimes
- Giving credit card details is risky
- Lots of scams and internet fraud
What are the types of retail outlets?
Convenience, Specialty, Department store, Discount variety, Factory outlet, Supermarkets
Example of a convenience store?
7/11
Example of a specialty store?
The Body Shop
Example of a department store?
David Jones
Example of a discount variety store?
Kmart
Example of a factory outlet?
Costco
Example of a supermarket?
Coles
What are the advantages of a convenience store?
- A variety of products needed on short notice
- Convenient location (corner of a street)
- Open late or 24/7
What are the disadvantages of a convenience store?
- Expensive
- Small products
- Less variety than supermarkets
What are the advantages of a specialty store?
- Great customer service and product knowledge
- Range of the same product
What are the disadvantages of a specialty store?
- More expensive
- Limited variety
- Less convenient
What are the advantages of a department store?
- Large variety in one store
- Some product knowledge
- Good quality
- Cheaper than specialty stores (buy in bulk)
What are the disadvantages of a department store?
- More expensive than discount variety stores
- Large, complicated store layout
What are the advantages of discount variety stores?
- Large range
- Cheap