Final Take Away

I feel like this class has been very useful to me, in more ways then just one.  However for the most part, what I really took away from it, was how to think about thinking.
I realized there is so much  more to all of my decisions then I had previously thought.  Lots of hidden agendas, or even just reasons that trace back to a long time ago.  I do many things out of desire and many out of habit.  But rarely do I do anything just because.
Consumer Behavior has definitely opened up my eyes to the fact that we as consumers are simply "rationally irrational".  We all have a system, and it almost makes sense because we all do it, however if you really look into our reasoning, most of the time there is no just cause, we have just forced ourselves to think that we are being rational.

I like this class because it was so open ended, and it allowed me to think critically and also voice  my opinion.  I for one and not big on speaking aloud in class, but I still feel like I was able to express myself through the many papers and assignments I did, along with keeping this blog throughout the semester.

It was interesting to get to hear all the different perspectives from my fellow students along with my professor.  I not only learned what the book and other reading material had to say, but what my peers thought, and that insight took my learning to a whole new level.

I have definitely had a lot of fun with this class and will most likely be analyzing my behavior as a consumer along with everyone elses'... which may be fun, or just really annoying... I guess I will find out! 

Rituals

When writing about an important ritual in my life, I really reflected on all the things I do in my daily life that I had never previously thought of as rituals.

I ended up writing about my ritual of taking insulin before each meal, and it made me think of so many other things that I do consistently the same on a day to day basis.
My morning routines are almost always the same, along with my nighttime activities to get ready for bed.  And then I started thinking about little things, like what I do when I get in the car.  And it made me realize that I am definitely a creature of habit.

I feel like many other consumers could say the same thing, and as much as we sometimes like to "live on the edge" a lot of the common themes in our life come from rituals and habits we have formed over time.  Without even realizing it, these things/actions have deep meanings to us, and when studied closely can actually reveal quite a lot about the identity of the person to which they belong.

For me, someone observing my rituals would know that I am a diabetic, without ever having to be told. They would know that I am active and like to eat an egg every morning for breakfast, and they would know that I find it almost impossible to take a shower without listening to music at the same time.

It is crazy how much you can learn about someone by just observing their rituals, which the majority of the time really have been formed out of habit.

Why People Consume

A main topic that has been discussed all through out this semester in our Consumer Behavior class is the question of why people consume.  It is something, prior to this, I had not given very much thought, about either others or myself.  And actually until just the other day, I still didn't realize why I did what I did.

After reflecting, I have found that I consume.... because it makes  me happy.  I genuinely get excited about making purchases and it makes me feel good about myself.  I would definitely say that I have a shopping problem, and I don't mean that in any sort of joking way.  I would say I am actually addicted to the feeling I get when I make purchases.  There is something intoxicating about buying something that you desire, and it then becoming your own, apart of your identity. 

I think the most addicting part of consumption is the power that you hold as the consumer.  You get to choose what you buy, your in complete control.  I love that my purchases are an expansion of my own identity and a lot of times put a tangible aspect to the intangible idea of personality.  Not many other things in life can do that.  

Putting A Price Tag On Experience

Discussing the article about Burning Man in class, made me realize how often we as consumers by something simply for "the experience".  In the article people paid actual money to basically live like homeless people.  But they did it because they wanted to gain that experience to add value to them as a person.

We as consumers pay for intangible things because of the experience we gain from them, or we buy things, in order to get an experience out of the product.  So my question is, can you really put a price tag on an experience?  My answer... You can't!!

I found many interesting articles on why it is so hard to put a price tag on an experience.  Something may seem like a lot of money, however the value that the experience may add to your life is priceless.  An experience is different then a product because there is no substitute for it.  It is something you have to do for yourself, and it has to be that exact specific thing, otherwise it will not be the same and you won't take away what you otherwise might have.

The whole idea is crazy to me so here are some great articles that might help!

Is It Worth It?

Can You Put A Price On Experience?

You Can't Put A Price On Experience

Thinking of others...

Today's in class assignment was about coming up with a Presidential candidate that you think would win the election.  At first, it didn't seem to be too hard of a task, however once you realize that not everyone else thinks the same way you do, it becomes more complicated.

Obviously it is easy to come up with a list of qualities that I personally would like our next president to have, however, everyone has their own wants/needs, and its hard to make everyone happy.

This relates to a problem I'm sure marketers have when deciding how to promote their brand.  They cannot please everyone, but they can try to capture the majority.  I'm sure one of the most difficult parts of the job is thinking outside of their comfort zone and trying to put themselves in other people's shoes.

That is a skill that is so useful in almost any part of someone's life.  Having the ability to thinking about how others feel will help you be an all around more successful person.  

The Paralyzing Problem of Too Many Choices

After we all read Predictably Irrational, everyone seemed to say the the book was really just stating the obvious, and in a lot of ways I agree.  However I think it pointed out a lot of things that while after we read them we think, "oh of course," but before we read it, we were probably completely unaware of.

My favorite chapter in the book was chapter 8, "Keeping Doors Open."
I myself have a really difficult time when I am faced with multiple options, I would honestly rather have few, or even just have one choice, that way I am forced to make it.  I, like many other people, believe that too many choices can be paralyzing.

Options distract us from our main goal, and they draw too much energy and commitment away from the once choice that is probably best for us.
I really liked how the book used the analogy of doors and talked about how we need to close some doors to better ourselves.  I really had never thought of that before.  I always thought the more options I had, the better off I was.  When in reality, I completely agree, that when faced with so many choices, it takes away from the best choice.

For example, if I'm shoe shopping, and I find a pair that I absolutely love, I immediately want to buy them.  But instead of just going with my gut, I continue to look around and find two other pairs that I really like as well.  Now I don't know what to do because it is almost like finding more pairs that I "liked" took away from how much I originally "loved" the first ones.

Check out this link for more examples and insight on the problem of choices! TOO MANY CHOICES!

Brand Relationships

In the article we read in class "Consumers and Their Brands", there was a table discussing the different types of brand relationships we as consumers have.  Here are some of mine!

Arranged Marriages: When I'm staying at home with my family in the summers, I use tons of bounty products because that is what my mom buys for the household so it has become an nonvoluntary union.

Buddies: My household cleaning brands, I am a big fan of everything Lysol!

Marriages of Convenience: I use a lot of elf makeup products, such as eyeshadows because they are very similar to high end brands at a much cheaper price.

Committed partnerships: I am absolutely in love with dove soap.  It is the only thing I will ever wash my face with, and I would never switch to another brand, no matter how much cheaper it may ever be.

Rebounds: After going through a breakup, I will no longer buy frozen chicken in large amounts, like those big bags of chicken breast you buy at costco.  It is just something that bothers me now, so I would rather buy a few fresh chicken breasts.

Dependencies:  Michael Kors!!  I really feel like this brand is irreplaceable in my life!

Flings:  I have flings with my makeup and shampoos a lot.  I like to try new things and see what other brands have to offer.

Secret Affairs: I am a big tea person, anytime I need something hot to drink, I go for a green tea.  So when I occasionally order a skinny mocha from Starbucks, I feel like I'm betraying my herbal teas!