When we look at consumer behavior, we have to look at where the new habits are pointing, thinking not today, but where we are going.
We are going through a period of great uncertainties that perhaps all of our plans have started to make little sense, and it is in this scenario that we have to find new opportunities.
Let’s analyze some questions that can help you to understand more the consumer’s wishes:
Consumers do not follow a pattern
We live in a country with continental territory, and habits can change a lot from one region to another. In addition, we have the opportunity to purchase according to what adds value to that consumer or not.
The choice of purchase is made where the consumer sees value, and each consumer is a universe. In addition to buying a product, people today buy brands, stories, experiences, buy what they “perceive” of the products.
Perception
One of the most important words, when we talk about consumption trends, is perception, because it is through it that we can capture “the world” through the 5 senses (sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste) and we join our value system to it, and so we assign some meanings.
In short, things may or may not have values according to our perception of values.
We often don’t buy a product for what it does, but we buy for what it means. We buy to express our lifestyle, it goes beyond a commercial transaction.
The secret is to unite a product/brand to a consumer who perceives value in that product/brand, is to seek the best strategy to create this perfect union.
The shopkeeper has to position himself as someone who has the product that his customer wants to buy, analyzing very well the desire of his consumer, to be someone who seeks products thinking about his customer’s desire.
Lifestyle
The purchase is usually made based on our self-concept, based on the person I think I am, the personality I want to impress in the world mixed with my lifestyle. So it is very important to analyze and understand how people spend their time and money. Based on the Maslow Pyramid, we can understand a little how this consumption happens:
1- Need for personal fulfillment
2- Need for self-esteem
3- Personal needs
4- Security needs
5- Physiological needs
Before this pandemic period, many areas of this pyramid had taken a different position, some values were occupying the wrong places, but in this post-pandemic, we can analyze that this pyramid had its base (physiological needs such as food and health) having more importance than other sectors.
Consumer Behavior
From this analysis, the shopkeeper, in addition to looking for new fashion trends, has to pay attention to the consumption and behavior trends of his client.
The consumer is the person who identifies a need or desire, makes a purchase, and then discards the product throughout the three stages of the consumption process:
1- Pre-purchase
2- Purchase
3- Consumption / Disposal
Marketing does not create needs, the need is within the human being, what marketing does is create desire. And what are the wishes ???
Desires are forms shaped by society to meet needs. Therefore, we can remember and awaken needs, but not create them, and desire is the way used to awaken need …
So, we can already put some things into practice, if we start to ask ourselves:
• What are the biggest desires of my customers?
• What are the (internal) needs of my client?
• How does my client see himself?
• How does my client want to be seen by society?
• What product arouses my client’s desire ???
• How is my client’s lifestyle?