FACTORS AFFECTING

CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR

PRESENTED TO,
PROF. SHAFALI RAWAT PRESENTED
BY:-
Brajesh kumar
G.SB.A, GREATER NOIDA
 Social Class
“Birds of a feather flock together”
• Social class – a status hierarchy by which
groups and individuals are classified on the
basis of esteem (regard, respect) and
prestige (reputation, influence derived
from achievements). – American Marketing
Association
• The different lifestyles of social classes
lead to different benefits being sought
 Social Class
Membership
• Members of the same social class
tend to share common values, beliefs,
and behaviors that unite them (as
opposed to simple demographics).
• Common factors used to place people
into different social classes:
occupation, source of income,
possessions, associations with others,
and level of influence.
 Associations
• Consumption patterns and interaction networks
are inherently linked.
• People tend to associate with others that share
the same tastes and recreational activities.
• Class consciousness – sense of belonging to a
certain class is reinforced by our associations.
The higher our class the more class conscious
we are.
 Income Source
• Level of income is not by itself a good
indicator of class.
• Income source along with occupation may
help us determine whether two individuals
that have the same income belong in the
same class: investments, inheritance, old
wealth, etc.
• Does a professional athlete making $20
million belong in the same social class with
a physician making $150,000?
 Occupation
• What a person does for a
living.
• It is an indicator of other signs
of class membership: income,
personal associations, and
status.
• Further, class assumptions
within an occupation may be
based on performance level.
 Social Class in India
• A five-class hierarchy
– Upper class (Business Men governing large business houses)
• Attend elite clubs, hotels etc.
– Upper-middle class (Professional class, Cultural protectors)
• Professionals, independent businesspeople, corporate executives
– Lower-middle class (Moral compass of society, “Typical Indian”)
• Salespeople, clerical workers, supervisors, construction contractors, small
retail store owners, “white collar”
– Upper-lower class (“Medium” existence)
• Skilled and semi-skilled blue-collar workers, narrow existence
– Lower-lower class
• Lower blue-collar workers, the unemployed, families on welfare, and unskilled
workers
 Values, Attitudes, and
Lifestyles across Social
Classes
• Social class is an important source of
beliefs, values, and behaviors
• Different social classes value
education differently.
• Attitudes toward family life, raising
children, the role of women, etc. vary
from class to class.
• People in various social classes exhibit
markedly different lifestyles.
 Influence on Shopping and
Choice Behavior
• Lower-class women are the most
“impulsive” about shopping.
• Outlet choice varies by social class (class
match very important)
• Upper-lower class women are likely to
respond to promotions offering coupons or
other special inducements
• Most activities enjoyed by middle- and
upper-class people are less time
consuming than lower-class choices.
 Reference Group Types
• Primary reference group: one with which the
individual has frequent face-to-face contact and
in which members are close-knit.
– Examples: families, households, study groups, work
teams, roommates, etc.
• Secondary reference group: one in which
interaction with other members is less frequent
• Formal group: one in which there is some sort of
structure and/or for which there are specific
membership requirements.
• Informal group: one that has no special
membership or attendance requirements, other
than common interests.
 Reference Group
Influences
• A reference group is the
group whose perspective
an individual takes on in
forming values, beliefs,
attitudes, opinions, and
overt behaviors.
– They set levels of aspiration
– They help define the actual
items/services considered
acceptable for displaying
those aspirations.
 Level of Influence

• Membership in a higher
class generally leads to
greater influence within the
workplace, organizations,
and society as a whole.
• The more responsibility one
has the greater the
influence s/he can exert on
others.
 Social Norms and
Conformity
• Social norm – any rule or behavior for
meeting societal expectations  normative
system
• Conformity pressures – actions taken to
encourage or force members to act, think
and/or express themselves in certain ways.
• The more important a group is in our lives,
the greater our desire to accept and
conform to its norms