Shopping Diaries (Essay Sample)

Shopping Diaries Name of Student College Affiliation Shopping Diaries Consumer behavior is characterized by consumer needs and wants, test and preferences, economic class, among other interests that a consumer might be having like religion and culture. The intention to buy a certain product is mostly necessitated by the consumer’s ability to buy, attitudes, motivation, perceptions, personality, lifestyle, knowledge of that product, the availability of the product in question and at the same time, that product must be holding the customer test and preferences. In this case, a consumer is perceived as having the distinct role as a user of the product, the buyer and the payer of that product. All factors held constant, consumers must make the right decisions while choosing one product at the expense of other complementary products in the market. Following my interest and preferences, I am planning to conduct a shopping mission on the following items: dress, shoes, mattress, plates and cups. The decision to take this route is supported by the fact that these items are available in the markets around me. At the same time, I am sufficiently capable of meeting their costs, not forgetting that I need them for my own use and expected visitors’ use. My intention is to have the best possible items that will fit my class status and preference to meet my desired satisfaction. Part one As time to shop draws near, my feelings as a consumer are spearheaded by the possibility of anticipated or budget price of item changing. This will affect my purchasing power either positively or negatively, depending on the price changes. In case the prices of the items exhaust my budget, then I will have to go for cheap subsidies of the same quality and those that derive the same satisfaction to me. The possibility of getting all products at the same place within the budgeted distance is another concern. In case these products will not be found in one place, I will have to meet an extra cost, which will reduce the possibility of me buying the same quality product. I have also assumed the risks of not getting the products of my interest at all. If this happens, then I will be forced to shift my interest to some other goods and services that will be offered at the market place. Part two While shopping, so many factors influenced my decision to buy. All the items on budget were present on the shelves and in that one particular roof. Though this was an advantage, there were so many alternatives that were displayed on the shelves. I was forced to evaluate their quality one by one and the price of each item compared to the items budgeted. The selective perception process was long due to so many promotion adverts that captured my attention. These effects therefore affected my planed items budget as I concentrated on the products on offers only. I happen to buy a television set that was on offer. I find it satisfying at that moment to own a television set due to the expected services that I was expecting from it. The display strategy was perfected because all items on offer were first placed on the entrances. Good and appealing marketing personals that were there managed to convince me on this item. After purchasing this television set, I was given after sale service by escorting me to the car park. The television set had a One year warrant. The television was properly parked and the value of my money could be easily seen. After shopping, things were not the same again. 1. The reasons for my intended shopping was to buy a dress, shoes, mattress, plates and cups because I was expecting visitors in one weeks time. Dress and a pair of shoes were to be worn during that day. Plates and cups were to be used to serve my visitors because I did not have enough of them at my house. A pair of a mattress was to offer a sleeping place to those visitors who could not make it to their home at that day. 2. My intention to follow the list of priority failed. The item products I hand in mind were not purchased. 3. The product acquisition motive was not fulfilled due to the impulse buying that I was involved in. The impulse buying totally affected my budget and plans of the occasion therefore diminishing the fulfillment of my initial motives. 4. My shopping (purchasing) ability is always compromised when buying expensive products such as television sets. This is aggregated by the fact that I am not permanently employed and therefore the effect is felt on the slim salary. This factor therefore affects my purchasing ability negatively due to the availability of other competing basic needs that I have to cater for with my scarce resources. At the same time my social and economic class allows me to live without these secondary class products. While buying basic commodities such as shoes, cups and dress, I find it accommodative as far as my purchasing power is concern and that is why I felt unsatisfied after purchasing what I had not planed to buy. 5. While shopping, it is always good to stick to your budget and to the product in plan. This helps the buyer to effectively manage the persuading sales persons whom he or she might find on his way while shopping. At the same time, it is important to be accompanied by those whom you share common necessities and interests, for example, one’s wife or husband. This reduces the possibility of pear influence and interest diversion while buying which might lead to heavy losses or even buying unwanted products. In my case I was accompanied by my boy friend. He did not have an idea of why I was intending to buy those items on budget. 6. His presence affected my intention in a way. He was the first one to get attracted by the product’s offer adverts hence diverting my attention from the prime goal. He explained to me the value and satisfaction derived from this television set hence pushing me to the corner to purchase it. My interests for this garget increased and I ended up enquiring more about it. For the reason that I did not want to let him down, I ended up buying the set which was not within my plans hence making my shopping trip unsuccessful. 7. The sales staffs on the other hand were a bit aggressive and they had convincing power which was very much important at that time. They successfully convinced me and I ended up buying the set. Another important quality they possessed was ability to listens and answering my question satisfactorily and the customer attendance gift which give me confidence while buying the set. 8. The atmosphere was not conducive. Round music and customers congestion made it not possible to give it a second thought. Although they were organized, they did not make the shopping place have a good atmosphere for customers who wanted to observe silence. Bad atmosphere made me feel uncomfortable at the shopping place hence making me execute my decision very first in order to give way to other customers that required the sales person attention. 9. All factors held constant, my shopping intention was not fulfilled because of not following my plans and budget. The second reason why I failed was because of pear pressure from my boy fiend and the unique and strategic marketing version that was used in the market place. The promotion idea that was impacted on me made it all round influencing my intentions as a consumer.