How Demographic Factors Influence Consumer Behavior

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The roles that personal or demographic factors play in a customer’s decision to purchase a product or service is a trigger that affects the customers’ mind during the decision-making process.

According to the Introduction to the consumer behavior book published by Kwantlen Polytechnic University:

“Each stage of the Consumer Decision Making Process is influenced by a range of internal and external factors. From early childhood (e.g., learning, perceptions) to adulthood (e.g., attitudes, life experiences) individual forces combine with external ones (e.g., social networks, community) that we consider when we are making decisions that help us define who we are and how we want to be perceived by others.”

Let’s go back to the objective of purchasing. Why customers would like to buy a product? Is it purely because they need it or want it? No. There are a lot of factors that contribute to the decision-making process of the customers.

How Demographic Factors influence consumer behavior

1. Social Class: It is known that most consumers in the same social class exhibit similar purchasing behavior. For example, people from the middle class usually buy Toyota while people from the Upper class usually buy Roll Royce or Lamborghini as their preferred car. Their social class impacts their purchasing tendency because it’s human nature that people don’t want to be outcasted from their community, thus this factor will influence their purchasing behavior.
2. Marital Status & Family Influences: The married couple has different necessities compared to the person who lives alone (single). The interaction between partners/spouses and the number and ages of children (if any) in the family can have a significant effect on purchasing behavior. A young couple with babies will have different needs from an old couple without young children.
3. Gender: Man and women behave differently, they want different products, and they are likely to have different ways of liking and obtaining these. According to Swarna (2012) the differences between men and women about expectation, want, need, lifestyle, etc. reflect their consumption behaviors. For instance, studies have revealed that gender, education, income, and age differentiate the consumers’ information search process. Men are less likely than women to complain when they are dissatisfied with a good or service in comparison to women they do not spread word of mouth and they are significantly less likely than women going to use specialist magazines as a source of information (Lee, 2005)
4. Education: According to the research done by Vilcekova and Sabo in 2013, people with high education levels tend to be cautious compared to people with lower education levels. It was known from the research that: those who have university degrees care about the country of origin when they make their purchases, and consumers with primary/secondary education do not care where the products they buy were made. People with higher education also tend to pay attention more to the value and quality of the products.

How Personal Factors Influence Consumer Behavior

1. Personality: Introverts might prefer to shop online while extroverts might want to socialize and shop in-store. People with a high degree of openness may be more reactive with advertising compared to people who are conscientious.
2. Occupation: a college student might buy casual clothes, while a CEO of a big company might buy a formal business suit. The needs of customers will differ based on their occupation.
3. Lifestyle: People who live in the city within a community that brand conscious, need to maintain their status and image. Thus it’s important for them to buy branded clothes whereas other people who don’t live in this kind of environment might consider this as important.
4. Age: Human needs will change through their ages. Children might prefer to buy candies and snacks when they feel happy whereas adults might prefer to buy a nice wine to celebrate their achievements.

There are a lot of factors that might affect consumer behavior. However, we can’t predict consumer behavior solely using these factors as considerations because all individuals are different. No one’s behavior is the same. So in my opinion, the marketer needs a more personal approach in predicting consumer behavior.

References:

1. Demographic influences — Introduction to consumer behaviour. (n.d.). Kwantlen Polytechnic University — Where Thought Meets Action. https://kpu.pressbooks.pub/introconsumerbehaviour/chapter/demographic-influences/
2. Vilčeková, L., & Sabo, M. (2013, November). The Influence of Demographic Factors on Attitudes toward Brands. International Journal of Education and Research : August — 2021. https://www.ijern.com/journal/November-2013/36.pdf
3. Juneja, P. (2020). Personal factors affecting consumer behaviour. Management Study Guide — Courses for Students, Professionals & Faculty Members. https://www.managementstudyguide.com/personal-factors-affecting-consumer-behaviour.htm

Note:
This article is written based on University of The People Marketing Management (BUS 5112) written assignment by Fristy Tania in September 2021