Consumer Behavior

1. The individual difference variables that influenced my behavior.
A product I frequently purchase is Nike's football shoes: The individual variables that influenced my behavior is "motivation".
Actually, I may be influenced by an advertisement on television sowing a sports hero using the product. This picture remains in my mind even when I am not thinking about hero. I may want to copy the football star by using the product and so choose it. At other times, I buy products to get the attention of other people. A particular car, for example, might be chosen because I am trying to prove that I am rich, attractive, and exciting. Other purchases are for pleasure rather than need. Tickets to baseball game or to a dock concert are examples of this kind of "motivation" inducement, or reason for buying. Of course, need remains the most important reason for buying something. Food is a real need, but what about the sugarcoated breakfast food advertised on television? It is neither necessary nor nutritious. What causes or motivates me to buy this product? Most likely it is a "motivation" inducement. Marketers are interested in motivation when this motivation relates to purchasing behavior. This behavior relates to the motive for wishing to possess the goods or services in question, and it has been termed ‘goal-related behavior’. For a motive to exist there must be a corresponding need. Motives like hunger, thirst, warmth and shelter are physiological. Others, like approval, success and prestige are psychological. Motives like staying alive are instinctive whilst motives like cleanliness, tidiness and proficiency are motives that are learned during life. We can also discern between rational and emotional motives. Most purchasing decisions are a composite of such motives, quite often a deciding factor might be price which is of course