Understanding consumer behavior and “knowing customers” is never simple

Understanding consumer behavior and “knowing customers” is never simple

 

Understanding consumer behavior and “knowing customers” is never simple. 

• Customers may say one thing but do another. 
• They may not be in touch with their deeper motivations.
• They may respond to influences that change their minds at the last minute.

e.g. Impulse purchase because the product has an excellent display.Garments put on mannequins attract window shoppers to make purchase.

Small companies, such as a corner grocery store, and huge corporations, such as whirlpool, stand to profit from understanding how and why their customers buy:

Whirlpool corporation In the appliance industry, consumer brand loyalties are built up over decades and passed from generation to generation.  To shake up entrenched market shares and tap into consumers’ often expressed needs, appliance giant whirlpool corporation hired an anthropologist.  The anthropologist went to people’s homes, observed how they used their appliances, and talked with all the household members.  Whirlpool found that in busy families, women are not the only one doing the laundry.  Armed with this knowledge, company engineers came up with color-coded washer and dryer controls to make it easier for kids and men to pitch in.