“Consumer buying behavior is the sum total of a consumer's attitudes, preferences, intentions and decisions regarding the consumer's behavior in the marketplace when purchasing a product or service. The study of consumer behavior draws upon social science disciplines of anthropology, psychology, sociology, and economics.” [Shawn Grimsley]. Advertisers track what people buy to determine what kind of consumer they are. They use this to their advantage because by knowing what type of consumer someone is they can direct certain advertising to you. People argue now that there are far more than 8 types of consumers with all the technology and resources used by advertising companies, they are able to be even more specific with almost 70 types. What type of consumer you are is based on where you live, how much money you make, where you shop, buying behaviors, socioeconomic factors, and other personal information. Retailers are also able to use this information to decide where they should put their next store, which television station to advertise on, or which customers they should market a new product towards.
All of this happens without most consumers or shoppers even knowing. I had no idea this was happening until I started to receive advertisements while I was on the internet of stuff I had recently looked at online. To be honest, it was frightening. The fact that I was now getting advertisements that were specifically directed towards me because of the things I had recently looked at really made me feel like my privacy was being invaded.
The 8 types of consumers that I found to be most commonly recognized were married sophisticates, truckin’ and stylin’, collegiate crowd, shooting stars, apple pie families, city mixers, metro parents, and timeless elders. Married sophisticates are illustrated as, “You're in your late 20s or early 30s, recently married and likely have a household income between $50,000 and $100,000. You probably own a home, most likely in an upscale suburban neighborhood. You're a fan of "green and trendy cars," shop at Banana Republic (GPS) and The Gap (GPS) and are a loyal Netflix Inc (NFLX) subscriber.” Truckin’ and stylin’ are described as, “You're in your 30s or 40s, live in a rural town and earn a moderate income. You may be married, but you don't have any children. You shop at stores like Wal-mart (WMT) and AutoZone and enjoy watching NASCAR and classic shows on TV Land.” The collegiate crowd are, “Between 18 and 23 years old, you're single and highly mobile. You're likely a renter and probably live in a college town. You buy clothes from American Eagle (AEO) and Express Inc (EXPR) and are a frequent liquor store patron. Your TV is tuned to Family Guy and you probably have copies of Rolling Stone and Us Weekly lying around.” Shooting stars are described as, “You're in your 30s or 40s, married without any kids. You enjoy a six-figure household income and likely have a graduate degree. You shop at stores like Ann Taylor (ANN ) and Sephora, read magazines like Men's Health and Real Simple and use the web to check your stock investments and make travel plans.” Apple pie families are labelled as, “You're part of an upper-middle class family, likely living in a smaller city or nearby suburb. You probably drive a minivan. You shop at stores like Home Depot (HD), Target (TGT) and Best Buy (BBY), read Sports Illustrated and listen to NPR.” City mixers are labelled as, “You're a childless, single "urbanite" living in a city like New York, Los Angeles or Chicago. Well-educated, you likely enjoy museums and the theater. You buy groceries from Trader Joe's and Whole Foods, outfit your home with Crate & Barrel and buy clothes from Banana Republic. You read The New York Times (NYT) and watch The Office.” Metro parents are defined as, “You're a single parent living in a city, likely on an income of less than $50,000. You shop at Kmart (SHLD) and Payless ShoeSource, read magazines like Ebony and Seventeen and watch soap operas and BET.” The last type of consumer, timeless elders are explained as, “You're a retiree, likely living alone on a modest income. You are active in your community, frequently clip coupons and shop primarily at discount stores like Kmart. Your favorite TV shows include The Price Is Right, Wheel of Fortune and 60 Minutes.”
http://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-consumer-buying-behavior-definition-types-quiz.html
http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/04/20/what-type-of-consumer-are-you/#!slide=976922
All of this happens without most consumers or shoppers even knowing. I had no idea this was happening until I started to receive advertisements while I was on the internet of stuff I had recently looked at online. To be honest, it was frightening. The fact that I was now getting advertisements that were specifically directed towards me because of the things I had recently looked at really made me feel like my privacy was being invaded.
The 8 types of consumers that I found to be most commonly recognized were married sophisticates, truckin’ and stylin’, collegiate crowd, shooting stars, apple pie families, city mixers, metro parents, and timeless elders. Married sophisticates are illustrated as, “You're in your late 20s or early 30s, recently married and likely have a household income between $50,000 and $100,000. You probably own a home, most likely in an upscale suburban neighborhood. You're a fan of "green and trendy cars," shop at Banana Republic (GPS) and The Gap (GPS) and are a loyal Netflix Inc (NFLX) subscriber.” Truckin’ and stylin’ are described as, “You're in your 30s or 40s, live in a rural town and earn a moderate income. You may be married, but you don't have any children. You shop at stores like Wal-mart (WMT) and AutoZone and enjoy watching NASCAR and classic shows on TV Land.” The collegiate crowd are, “Between 18 and 23 years old, you're single and highly mobile. You're likely a renter and probably live in a college town. You buy clothes from American Eagle (AEO) and Express Inc (EXPR) and are a frequent liquor store patron. Your TV is tuned to Family Guy and you probably have copies of Rolling Stone and Us Weekly lying around.” Shooting stars are described as, “You're in your 30s or 40s, married without any kids. You enjoy a six-figure household income and likely have a graduate degree. You shop at stores like Ann Taylor (ANN ) and Sephora, read magazines like Men's Health and Real Simple and use the web to check your stock investments and make travel plans.” Apple pie families are labelled as, “You're part of an upper-middle class family, likely living in a smaller city or nearby suburb. You probably drive a minivan. You shop at stores like Home Depot (HD), Target (TGT) and Best Buy (BBY), read Sports Illustrated and listen to NPR.” City mixers are labelled as, “You're a childless, single "urbanite" living in a city like New York, Los Angeles or Chicago. Well-educated, you likely enjoy museums and the theater. You buy groceries from Trader Joe's and Whole Foods, outfit your home with Crate & Barrel and buy clothes from Banana Republic. You read The New York Times (NYT) and watch The Office.” Metro parents are defined as, “You're a single parent living in a city, likely on an income of less than $50,000. You shop at Kmart (SHLD) and Payless ShoeSource, read magazines like Ebony and Seventeen and watch soap operas and BET.” The last type of consumer, timeless elders are explained as, “You're a retiree, likely living alone on a modest income. You are active in your community, frequently clip coupons and shop primarily at discount stores like Kmart. Your favorite TV shows include The Price Is Right, Wheel of Fortune and 60 Minutes.”
http://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-consumer-buying-behavior-definition-types-quiz.html
http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/04/20/what-type-of-consumer-are-you/#!slide=976922