As a consumer, I’m definitely more of an individual consumer rather than an organizational consumer because I stick to purchasing goods to satisfy my wants and needs and don’t spend too much time or money purchasing goods to make into a new product and resell.

My buying decisions are influenced by brand laziness and intrinsic variety seeking. A good price, being convenient, and my habits or routines usually have me stick to the same old brand, not because I love them, but because I know the product works fine, fits in my budget and is sold in the stores I go to. But for other things, I like to try something new and change it up a bit. I’ve been buying the same trash bags for probably close to a decade but feel no true affinity for them. But, even in the last six months, I’ve probably tried dozens of different shampoos, perfumes, even pens, because I’m attracted to the excitement of trying something new.

Leading up to an actual purchase, I do a good amount of research. That’s the stage that actually persuades me to make that purchase. I like to know all of the facts possible- especially if it’s a pricier purchase. Even though I know I can return, I like to be as sure as I can without trying it that I’m going to like the product that I’ve purchased. Marketing design also plays into this factor because I really am a sucker for the design of a product- whether it’s the ad or the box or the post on social media- and it can actually be what makes me choose between two products I can’t make my mind up about. I really like simple, minimal almost classy looking marketing designs. For some reason, and I know this probably isn’t accurate, but my brain equates that design style as being a non-gimmicky, well informed, and credible brand. Something about it makes me trust their claims, their ingredients, and their brand as a whole more than an ad or social media post that seems chaotic and to me clustered with colors and words and details.

I rarely experience post purchase behavior. I think because I do so much research and also stick to brands out of laziness I don’t often feel regret one might feel after buying something new. The rare times I do feel it typically happens I try something new, mostly because I don’t like the smell of the new perfume or because the soap doesn’t clean as well as I wanted it too not because I actually regret the literal purchase.

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Kardes, F., Cronley, M., & Cline, T. (2014). Chapter One: Consumer Behavior and Marketing Strategy. In Consumer Behavior [Adobe Digital] (2nd ed., pp. 5-36). Retrieved from https://mbsdirect.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781305161689/cfi/0!/4/2@100:0.00