Many outstanding psychologists and economists around the world were interested in questions of a research of behavior of consumers. Competently to develop and position any goods in the market, it is necessary to make a start from behavior models of consumers. Besides, the weighed strategy of promotion of goods in the market cannot be constructed without studying the main consumer groups.
Main types of consumers
In modern marketing it is accepted to divide people who use goods and services, on separate groups. Within one such group the consumers have similar behavior models depending on which people behave in the market in one way or another:
- Carry consumers whose feature of behavior is purchase of goods only for the (personal) use to the first group. The lonely aged people who for one reason or another remained alone with themselves adhere to this strategy of communication with the market. Also here it is possible to carry the citizens living without family. These people, first of all, are interested in consumer qualities of products: price, external execution, usefulness.
- To the second, most numerous group, consumers of family type whose behavior depends on opinion of other inhabitants of their small world belong. Decisions on acquisition of nonfoods and food are accepted by these people on family council or the responsibility is taken by the head of the family.
- The following type of consumers – suppliers. Here it is about the persons representing the large companies and firms which buy manufactured goods. The major factors affecting behavior of consumers of this group consist of complex assessment of each goods. So, these professionals are interested in quality characteristics, the range, expenses on transportation, the wholesale and retail cost, reputations of the producer explaining documents and so forth.
- The intermediaries or people making purchases for the purpose of the subsequent sale. This class of consumers is interested, first of all, in profitability of goods. Also other economic indicators of products belong to the factors affecting behavior of consumers of this group. It is a goods period of storage, speed of its delivery, visual appeal of packing, etc.
- The last group of consumers on this classification – true professionals in the sphere. These are the officials holding various positions up to heads of states and representatives of the government. During commission of trade operations these people use the formalized approach, spending not personal, but public means.
Known theories of behavior of consumers
Last century, economists in many countries were engaged in studying behavior of consumers, and some of the first the English representatives of classical school formulated the theory. The main postulates of this doctrine on the person in the light of economic terms are that – the consumer is independent (itself solves, to buy to it or not goods to use or not service), is rational (soberly estimates the benefit), is selfish (seeks to satisfy the requirements first of all) and is informed (knows about all nuances at purchase of goods).
But this theory showed the imperfection over time, and by means of its denial the view of the person consumer in the light of features of his psychology was born. So, the person is dependent (cannot solve without assessment of society), is irrational (often works, being guided by emotions), badly sees benefit for himself and is badly informed (and presently his brain can be simply clogged with unnecessary information). As well as the previous, this theory has full authority for life, and many marketing specialists successfully use it. But one of the most known schemes relating to consumer behavior is Maslow's Pyramid. So, the American psychologist distributed all needs of the person in process of increase – at first the individual seeks to satisfy the most essential expectations (need for food, water, sexual aspiration, etc.), and already then passes to higher purposes (the need for respect, thirst for esthetic satisfaction, thirst to knowledge new and so forth).