APPLICATIONS OF CONSUMER BEHAVIOR
The study of Consumer Behaviour can be applicable in the following areas:
1. Market strategy
2. Regulatory policy
3. Social Marketing
4. Informed individual
MARKET STRATEGY
The most obvious is for marketing strategy—i.e., for making better marketing campaigns. For example, by understanding that consumers are more receptive to food advertising when they are hungry, we learn to schedule snack advertisements late in the afternoon. By understanding that new products are usually initially adopted by a few consumers and only spread later, and then only gradually, to the rest of the population, we learn that
(1) companies that introduce new products must be well financed so that they can stay afloat until their products become a commercial success and
(2) it is important to please initial customers, since they will in turn influence tenancy subsequent customers’ brand choices.
REGULATORY POLICY
A second application is public policy. For example, in the 1980’s of the US, Accutane, a near miracle cure for acne, was introduced. Unfortunately, Accutane resulted in severe birth defects if taken by pregnant women. Although physicians were instructed to warn their female patients of this, a number still became pregnant while taking the drug. To get consumers’ attention, the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) took the step of requiring that very graphic pictures of deformed babies be shown on the medicine containers.
SOCIAL MARKETING
It involves getting ideas across to consumers rather than selling something. Marty
Fishbein, a marketing professor, went on a sabbatical to work for the Centres for Disease Control trying to reduce the incidence of transmission of diseases through illegal drug use. The best solution, obviously, would be if we could get illegal drug users to stop. This, however, was deemed to be infeasible. It was also determined that the practice of sharing needles was too ingrained in the drug culture to be stopped. As a result, using knowledge of consumer attitudes, Dr. Fishbein created a campaign that encouraged the cleaning of needles in bleach before sharing them, a goal that was believed to be more realistic.
INFORMED INDIVIDUAL
As a final benefit, studying consumer behavior should make us better consumers. Common sense suggests, for example, that if you buy a 64 liquid ounce bottle of laundry detergent, you should pay less per ounce than if you bought two 32 ounces bottles. In practice, however, you often pay a size premium by buying the larger quantity. In other words, in this case, knowing this fact will sensitize you to the need to check the unit cost labels to determine if you are really getting a bargain.
