BU7402 Marketing Across Boundaries

Buyer Behaviour
Objectives

1. To evaluate the TORA model

2. To examine the influences of groups on individuals buying habits
3. To examine the role of groups in the marketing of products

Pressure on Fashion
Teens may feel pressure from an array of
sources such as friends, non-friend peers and
even the media to follow the current trends and
wear fashionable clothes. Yet younger people
will imitate their parents in terms of behaviour
and taste of styles which helps their socialisation
process.

Peer pressure doesn’t only apply to underage

drinking, doing illegal drugs, smoking or
engaging in other activities. As teens grow more independent, their friends gradually exert
a greater influence when it comes to how they spend their leisure time and the choices
they make. While a teen’s friends might not pressure him to smoke or drink alcohol, they
may influence him in others ways such as how to dress and what is considered
fashionable, and each teen will look at their peers as sources of information about what to
wear or not to wear and which brands are the ones to buy today. Often it’s the visual cues
which are used to help them construct their world and foster the socialisation process
which then, through purchases of the latest fashion brands, they build their own identity in
association with their peers. Girls in particular are more inclined to share secrets and filter
their own perceptions to conform to the group’s view and build the group acceptance.

The influence isn’t just from friends. They have perceptions of the "popular kids" who may
be the aspirational group in which they can join by sending out the right signals to gain
acceptance. Teens may adopt a style of dress to indicate their sense of affiliation with
something, such as a style of music or a sports team. For example, to fit in with the
popular cheerleaders, she may opt to ditch her old style of dress for something closer to
their ideas of what constitutes fashionable clothing. Employment opens up the younger
generations to a new set of values beliefs and sub cultures adding to the pressures of
what is acceptable. The boss dictating what is acceptable fashion and the work colleagues
from a range of walks of life following different fashions and celebrities add to the array of
messages of which are the desirable groups to associate with and the need to consume to
belong.

The influence to buy the latest fashion may be much closer to home with trendy siblings or
parents. There may be intentional or unintentional influences on perceptions of socially
acceptable products to buy, or perceptions of which brands offer good value or make a
better statement about yourself. Even if the tastes in fashion are different the
reinforcement of the beliefs that being fashionable is a positive thing contributes to the

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individual’s social identity and need to belong the all-important cool group. This sense of
belonging and recognition of the individual’s actions to conform helps make the teens even
more enthusiastic about following the latest fashion.

The media is full fashion ideas and tips with colourful pictures of celebrities all shouting at
the audience to buy the latest must have items to gain that ever important social
acceptance. The natural instinct of the younger people to learn through imitation and lap
up the social norms of the aspirational rich and famous celebrities and gain the social
acceptance and acknowledgement of peers is too hard to resist for many.

Theory Of Reasoned Action model.

(Ajzen & Fishbein 1980, p5).

Evaluation of Beliefs that certain

outcomes outcomes derive from
particular behaviours

Attitude towards
the behaviour

Intention Behaviour

Subjective norm

Beliefs about what Desire to comply with

others think of the these others
proposed behaviour

In groups examine the TORA model above.

1. Evaluate how buyers may arrive at their decision to buy particular fashion clothes

2. Consider the influences on young individuals buying fashion clothes. To what extent do
you agree that young people are heavily influenced by their peers when buying fashion
clothes?

3. To what extent is the subjective norm a predictor of purchase intention?

4. What factors would encourage an individual to conform with the group norms

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