Consumer Patterns and Consumer Buying Behavior
Discuss how consumption patterns [what consumer buy] can culturally innate using two examples from the article and one from your personal experience. ,
It is no exaggeration that for many individuals or households who decide to move from one country to another, apparently with different cultures, their consumption preferences or patterns remain the same or changes a bit (culturally innate). Unsurprisingly, however, most people prefer to maintain or adjust their consumption patterns a little bit by incorporating the new consumption pattern to their culturally innate pattern. Looking at Roger and Miriam, for example, a couple who relocated to Spain from the UK unaware of the contrasting cultures realized that the consumption patterns of Spain are completely different from their consumption pattern back in the UK. Notably, rather than ultimately adopting the new consumption pattern in Spain, the couple decided to integrate aspects of their previous consumption pattern with the new one in Spain. Moreover, in regard to Davina, her consumption patterns compel her to choose specific places as opposed to exploring new places. This, however, highlights explicitly the idea of how consumption patterns can culturally innate. In my case, when perhaps the organization I was working within New York decided to expand horizontally, I was among the employees that were moved to start a satellite branch in California. However, due to the slight differences between NY and California, in terms of culture, I always clung to the preferences that I was used to in NY. On weekends, for instance, I would take a plane back to NY to have some fun with my friends and return back late on Sunday evening. I have always been attached to NY clothes, food, and drinks.
How can consumers change their buying behavior due to the societal influences of a host or new culture ? Give (2) examples from the article and (1) example from your experience.
Depending on various factors such as societal influences, consumers can resolve to new or other buying behaviors. Looking at the case of Nathan and Leyla, for example, illustrates how their buying behavior has been affected by the social influences surrounding them. Nathan, a French married to Leyla (Turkish), more often than not compares the prices of the three countries and settles on the one that meets their budget line. The influences in the UK make them compare the various prices before purchasing a product. On the other hand, Fredrick, a student in the UK, decides not to stockpile since he is not familiar with some products. Moreover, he also a time decides to borrow given the high social life in the UK. For me, I was used to the official dress code in NY, unlike the casual dress code in California. However, when I settled in California, I decided to engage the casual dress code as it was hard locating the same type of clothes that I wore in NY.