Environmental and Consumer Influences Analysis Essay

People should not be locked into the use of one or two categories of products, therefore companies have to expand their brands to fit into the lives of consumers. People are unique and so are the preferences of their needs and wants. A basic product such as laundry detergent that so many consumers use on a continuing basis can be affected solely by the consumer. There are many factors that influence consumer purchases, psychological and social being the main facts. Everything from motives, perception and attitudes contribute to the influence consumer behavior toward the products. I want to explore three external factor traits and the effects they have on a social, ecological and cultural consumer plain. Cultural The factors that influence consumer behavior toward laundry detergent purchases are personal and from family among other. It is almost guaranteed that whatever detergent that was used in the house during their childhood will be the detergent they buy in their adult age. Ironically they can choose from more than 80 different laundry detergents in the United States. Personality also can have an impact on choice, however which brand they decide to purchase is what they will purchase on a consistent basis, is generally a recognizable order and regularity to cultural behavior. When dealing with consumers from two different cultural backgrounds are married then they have to make a compromise. This in turn creates a new cultural purchasing desire for the next generation. From the perspective side of it when growing up the thought and idea of laundry soap does not appeal to you. All you know is that your clothes are clean and they smell good. As you  get older your perspective changes and you take notice of the brand use and how effectively it works. Once out on your own you either, stay with the product you grew up with or you make a change. It is your attitude toward the long history of the product you use, more importantly you trust in your parent’s judgment as to why they chose the product they used so therefore you use it without really noticing. Tide and Gain has a great way of advertising toward good wholesome family values. This in itself is why they both are the top leading brands in sales. These two products among others have also learned from extensive studies to not only tap into the social aspect of the customer, but to also look into the social aspect relevant to the environment. Detergents now reach out and advise to the environmental side of a new social group. In other words being more environmental friendly, this along with the psychological need helps to create the feeling of doing more for the environmental needs of the world and still holding true to family values. Consumers feel empowered when they go to the store to purchase the detergent for his or her family. Each consumer has buying power and that power determins which brand is worth the money he or she has earned. Manufactures know and understand this hence why they try to market toward the emotional, historical or strongest social grouping to keep that market interested in staying loyal to that brand. Social As consumers we are either pressured or constantly being influenced as to what, when and how we should spend our money. Marketers have learned to advertise on most if not all social media, plus word of mouth. Detergent fits into social marketing with young people cause most of the time clothes are washed in a Laundromat or dorm type atmosphere. When at first the consumer was influenced by cultural and family. Being with his peers can create a different reason for purchasing detergent. If a particular brand is still testing on animals or still using harmful chemicals for the environment, the consumer through social understanding might make a different choice in the detergent they use. Price perception plays a part in the choice also. Consumers want to know that there hard earned money is being spent on fair and reasonable products. Marketers take this into effect when advertising. A consumer’s attitude toward something that might be overpriced and did not work will not be apt t o make the same purchase  again. This experience affects expectations, and interest. When conversation comes up as to what detergent you use a negative experience will result in notifying shoes within their social group as to why not to use product so and so. I know it seems far fetch that the younger generation sits around and talks about laundry detergent. However in the middle class families do talk about things like this. This external factor affects consumer behavior in many ways, considering that America is actively changing. Society has undergone a constant change in response to the development of new technology. Laundry detergent has changed its formula to meet the needs of a socially environmentally aware society, and so has new washing machines. Ecological The ecological factors that affect consumer behavior are physical and social surroundings. The physical surroundings of the consumer at the time of purchase can affect the brand purchase if the store does not offer the brand of choice. Then the consumer can choose another brand that they feel is close enough to the brand they normally purchase. This is why most stores now carry a store brand that is located close to the leading brand. Pricing plays a part also, with prices increasing and the economy still trying to make its way back into good standings. It no longer seems reasonable to pay high prices for a product when you get a similar product that does the exact same thing but at a lesser price. Then we look again at the environment effects of the way we shop. We now have more environmental friendly detergents, being able to use cold water rather than hot water. We also have less chemicals and better machines to efficiently get more out of the laundry detergent we use. Conclusion The factors that influence us as consumer to purchase the products we do connects to our psychological and social being. Our motives, perception and attitudes contribute to the influence of goods we consume. Marketers study our behavior toward products to see what mostly influence us to spend the way we spend. It is our external factor is that have the most effects. How we engage in our social environment draws from our cultural background, this also gives way to our ecological consumption of goods. References Household Care. (2012). 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