Introduction
Consumer behavior can be “defined as the study of when, why, how and where people do or do not buy a product” (Torocsik, 2003, p. 2). The study tries to comprehend what drives buyers to decide on what to or what not to purchase (Murray, 2002). Several studies conducted have revealed the basic factors that determine what a buyer is likely to purchase. Age and generation have been cited to have a great impact on the consumer’s buying decisions (Murray, 2002). There has been a contention on whether it is the age or generation that has the bigger influence buyer decision. Therefore this research paper seeks to make use of available literature to establish whether consumer behavior is more a function of a person’s age or generation.
Determination of whether buying behavior is more age or generation oriented is a complex task that requires careful evaluation (Torocsik, 2003). The basic values that guide purchasing behavior are developed through generational interaction but age too is a major that determines what a person is likely to purchase.
Generational analysis
The “generation based behaviors have been studied for decades by a series of researches in the United States” (Torocsik, 2003, p. 2). Individuals of the same generation have been identified to be bound together by similar life experiences and thus they end up having shared values in life. The generational link is weak but is seen to have an immense impact on buying decisions. The uniformity of the shared values among people of the same generation seems to be playing an important role in the decisive trends observed between different generations (Torocsik, 2003). The diversity created by value orientations divides individual buyers into large groups that can consist of up to 30 years. Thus a more feasible research is often performed by breaking down a generation “into smaller groups and if appropriate lifestyle based orientation is carried out also” (Torocsik, 2003, p. 4). According to the outcome of generational studies it has been found that shopping behaviors can be divided into the following groups:
Experience shoppers
This group accounts for about 23% of all shoppers and is composed of the young generation who mainly live in big cities. There income varies from average to high and most of them are childless women (Torocsik, 2003). Members of this group regard shopping as a fulfilling activity and thus they do it regularly. They don’t often use shopping lists and usually make buying decisions on the spot (Torocsik, 2003, p. 6).
Classical shoppers
This “group includes women of middle age to older generations with an average income and two children”. In most cases these woman are found to have studied up to secondary school level and stay in cities. The members of this group are likely to buy food stuffs as part of their daily tasks. They often have a shopping list and usually select products based on what is in the list. “They like to take advantage of advertisements and special offers targeting house wives” (Torocsik, 2003, p. 6). This group accounts for 23% of all shoppers.
Necessity Shoppers
This group includes old individuals with limited education. This people are most likely to reside in small towns or villages and have lower income then the above groups. Shopping to them is not such an important activity. They “reject new products and shop as determined in advance by the shopping list” (Torocsik, 2003, p. 6). This group makes up to 17% of shoppers of all the shoppers surveyed.
Occasional shopper
“This group dislikes buying foodstuffs and are not diverted by shopping and attach no importance to it either” (Torocsik, 2003, p. 8). Young men who live in big cities belong to this group and in most cases they earn highly but have no children. This group does not take any interest in special offers. Shopping is in most cases done for them, probably by their parents or girlfriends.
Functional shoppers
This group is made up of members of the middle generation, especially women who reside in cities. They don’t find enthusiasm in shopping activities only that they have a responsibility to purchase essential things such as foodstuffs for their families. There purchases can be said to be thoughtful but is not essentially based on a shopping list (Torocsik, 2003).
In regard to the above analysis it can be established that the generation factor has a profound influence on buyer behavior. However, there are limitations that are mainly brought about by the issue of generation boundary. It is difficult to establish a boundary and even harder to try to describe the buying behaviors of those at the boundary (Torocsik, 2003).
Age Analysis
The change brought about by the aging process results in a profound shift in an individual’s wants and needs and hence influences the buying behavior to some extend. The shift in purchasing behavior mainly reflects the change in responsibilities of the individual. As much as age can be used to predict the buying behavior of individuals, it does not work in isolation. It relies a lot on other factors such as “social status, lifestyle, and religious affiliations, personality among others” (Murray, 2002, p. 7). A poor rural farmer who is an age mate of a flamboyant city resident will have a completely distinct buyer behavior as compared to the latter. Thus age is very limited if it it’s effects on purchasing behavior is to be looked at in isolation (Murray, 2002). However, if the influence of age on consumer behavior is analyzed in individuals who live in the same settings and with comparable scores in the other aspects then a more predictive value can be achieved. But it is generational analysis that really takes care of the ‘similar experience’ aspect that can be analyzed differently for different societies (Murray, 2002). Therefore the limitation that hounds age based buyer behavior analysis is greatly reduced when generational analysis is adopted. The generational analysis borrows significantly from culture, social beliefs and status to determine the shared values and experiences (Murray, 2002).
Conclusion
This paper sought to make use of available literature to establish whether consumer behavior is more a function of a person’s age or generation. As described earlier people of different ages are likely to indulge in different purchasing behaviors depending on the shared values. Age is an important factor in generational analysis but cannot, however be analyzed in isolation. The basic believes that guide consumers’ buying behavior is developed by the generation aspect. It is in the definition of the term ‘generation’ that the concept of shared experience is captured. Without shared experience then age may not in itself offer much help in predicting consumer’s buying behavior. Thus it is established that consumer behavior is more a function of a person’s generation rather than the age.
Reference list
Murray, S. (2002). The Age Effect on Consumer Behavior.
Torocsik, M. (2003). Generation Consumer Behavior and its Marketing Consequences. Budapest: Research Institute of Consumer Behaviour.