consumer buying behavior

? Read the article below about the factors that influence buying behavior.

? For each question 23-28 on the opposite page, choose the correct answer.

? Mark One letter (A, B or C) on your Answer Sheet.

Factors That Influence Buying Behavior

Throughout the buying process, various factors may influence a buyer's purchase decision. An awareness of these factors and consumer preferences enables companies to appeal to the group most likely to respond to its products and services. Some of these factors include the following.

? Culture. The cultures and subcultures we belong to shape our values, attitudes, and beliefs, and they influence the way we respond to the world around us. Understanding culture is therefore an increasingly important step in international business and in marketing in diverse countries such as the United States.

? Social class. In addition to being members of a particular culture, we also belong to a certain social class — be it upper, middle, lower, or somewhere in between. In general, members of various classes enjoy different activities, buy different goods, shop in different places, and react to different media.

? Reference groups. A reference group consists of people who have a good deal in common — family members, friends, co-workers, fellow students, teenagers, sports enthusiasts, music lovers, computer buffs. We are all members of many such reference groups, and we use the opinions of the appropriate group as a benchmark when we buy certain types of products or services. For example, shopping malls are today losing what has long been their most faithful audience — teens. That's because Generation Xers (those born between 1965 and 1978) think that malls are for parents and that malls have too many rules. So some retailers like Urban Outfitters and Tower Records refuse to open stores in most malls.

? Self-image. The tendency to believe that "you am what you buy" is especially prevalent among young people. Marketers capitalize on our need to express our identity through our purchases by emphasizing the image value of products and services. That's why professional athletes and musicians are frequently used as product endorsers — so that we incorporate part of their public image into our own self-image. After all, doesn't everyone want to "be like Mike Jordan"? Situational factors. These factors include events or circumstances occurring in our lives that are more circumstantial in nature. For example, you have a coupon, you're in a hurry, it's Valentine's Day, it's your birthday, you're in a bad mood, and so on. Situational factors influence our buying patterns.

Consumer preferences help companies

A．to manufacture products customers like most.

B．to improve their products.

C．to satisfy their customers.

•Read the following passage below about the factors that influence buying behavior.

•For each question (23-28), choose the correct answer.

•Mark one letter (A, B or C) on your Answer sheet.

FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE BUYING BEHAVIOR

Throughout the buying process, various factors may' influence a buyer's purchase decision. An awareness of these factors and consumer preferences enables companies to appeal to the group most likely to respond to its products and services. Some of these factors include the following.

CULTURE. The culture and subcultures we belong to shape our values, attitudes, and beliefs, and they influence the way we respond to tike world around us. Understanding culture is therefore an increasingly important step in international business and in marketing in diverse countries such as the United States.

SOCIAL CLASS. In addition to being members of a particular culture, we also belong to a certain social class — upper, middle, lower, m' somewhere in between. In general, members of various classes enjoy different activities, buy different goods, shop in different places, and react to different media.

REFERENCE GROUP. A reference group consists of people who have a good deal in common—family members, friends, co-workers, fellow students, teenagers, sports enthusiasts, music lovers, computer buffs. We are all members of many such reference groups, and we use the opinions of the appropriate group as a benchmark when we buy certain types of products or services. For example, shopping malls are today losing what has long been their most faithful audience — teens. That's because Generation Xers (those born between 1965 and 1978) think that malls are for parents and that malls have too many rules. So some retailers like Urban Outfitters and Tower Records refuse to open stores in most malls.

SELF-IMAGE. The tendency to believe that "you are what you buy" is especially prevalent among young people. Marketers capitalize on our need to express our identity through our purchases by emphasizing the image value of products and services. That's why professional athletes and musicians are frequently used as product endorsers—so that we incorporate part of their public image into our own self-image. After all, doesn't everyone want to "be like Mike Jordan"?

SITUATIONAL FACTORS. These factors include events or circumstances occurring in our lives that are more circumstantial in nature. For example, you have a coupon, you're in a hurry, it's Valentine's Day, it's your birthday, you're in a bad mood, and so on. Situational factors influence our buying patterns.

Consumer preferences help companies

A．to manufacture products customers like most.

B．to improve their products.

C．to satisfy their customers.

A scientist who wants to predict the way in which consumers will spend their money must study consumer behavior. He must obtain 【C1】______ both on resources of consumers and on the motives that 【C2】______ to encourage or discourage money spending.

If an 【C3】______ were asked which of three groups borrow most—people with rising incomes, 【C4】______ incomes, or declining incomes—he would 【C5】______ answer: those with declining incomes. Actually, in the past, the answer was: people with rising incomes. People with declining incomes were next and people with stable incomes borrowed the 【C6】______ . This shows us that traditional 【C7】______ about earning and spending are not always 【C8】______ . Another traditional assumption is that if people who have money expect prices to go up, they will 【C9】______ to buy. If they expect prices to go down, they will postpone buying. 【C10】______ research surveys have shown that this is not always 【C11】______ The expectations of price increases may not stimulate buying. One 【C12】______ attitude was expressed by the wife of a mechanic at a time of rising prices. Her family had been planning to buy a new car but they postponed this purchase. 【C13】______ , the rise in prices that has already taken place may be resented and buyer's resistance may be evoked.

The 【C14】______ mentioned above was carried out in America. Investigations 【C15】______ at the same time in Great Britain, however, yielded results that were more 【C16】______ traditional assumptions about saving and spending patterns. The condition most contributive to spending 【C17】______ to be price stability. If prices have been stable and people consider that they are 【C18】______ , they are likely to buy. Thus, it appears that the common 【C19】______ policy of maintaining stable prices is based on a correct understanding of 【C20】______ psychology.

【C1】

A．data

B．materials

C．money

D．things

A scientist who wants to predict the way in which consumers will spend their money must study consumer behavior. He must obtain 【C1】______ both on resources of consumers and on the motives that 【C2】______ to eencourage discourage money spending.

If an 【C3】______ were asked which of three groups borrow most--people with rising incomes, 【C4】______ incomes, or declining incomes--he would 【C5】______ answer: those with declining incomes. Actually, in the past, the answer was. people with rising incomes. People with declining incomes were next and .people with stable incomes borrowed the 【C6】______ . This shows us that traditional 【C7】______ about earning and spending are not always 【C8】______ . Another traditional assumption is that if people who have money expect prices to go up, they will 【C9】______ to buy. If they expect prices to go down, they will postpone buying. 【C10】______ research surveys have shown that this is not always 【C11】______ . The expectations of price increases may not stimulate buying. One 【C12】______ attitude was expressed by the wife of a mechanic at a time of rising prices. Her family had been planning to buy a new car but they postponed this purchase. 【C13】______ , the rise in prices that has already taken place may be resented and buyer's resistance may be evoked.

The 【C14】______ mentioned above was carried out in America. Investigations 【C15】______ at the same time in Great Britain, however, yielded results that were more 【C16】______ traditional assumptions about saving and spending patterns. The condition most contributive to spending 【C17】______ to be price stability. If prices have been stable and people consider that they are 【C18】______ , they are likely to buy. Thus, it appears that the common 【C19】______ policy of maintaining stable prices is based on a correct understanding of 【C20】______ psychology.

【C1】

A．data

B．materials

C．money

D．things

Which of the following statements is always TRUE according to the surveys mentioned in the passage?

A．Consumers win put off buying things if they expect prices to decrease.

B．Consumer behavior. is influenced by the price condition.

C．Consumers will spend their money quickly if they expect prices to increase.

D．Traditional assumptions about earning and spending are reliable.

Which of the following statements is always true according to the surveys mentioned in the passage?

A．Consumers will put off buying things if they expect prices to decrease.

B．Consumer will spend their money quickly if they expect prices to increase.

C．The price condition has an influence on consumer behavior.

D．Traditional assumptions about earning and spending are reliable.

Which of the following statements is always true according to the surveys mentioned in the passage?

A．Consumers will put off buying things if they expect prices to decrease.

B．Consumers will spend their money quickly if they expect prices to increase.

C．The price condition has an influence on consumer behavior.

D．Traditional assumptions about earning and spending are reliable.

Which of the following statements is always TRUE according to the surveys mentioned in the passage?

A．Consumers will put off buying things if they expect prices to decrease.

B．Consumers will spend their money quickly if they expect prices to increase.

C．The price condition has an influence on consumer behavior.

D．Traditional assumptions about earning and spending are reliable.

Which of the following statements is always TRUE according to the surveys mentioned in the passage?

A．Consumers will put off buying things if they expect prices to decrease.

B．Consumers will spend their money quickly if they expect prices to increase.

C．The price condition has an influence on consumer behavior.

D．Traditional assumptions about earning and spending are reliable.

A scientist who does research in economic psychology and who wants to predict the way in which consumers will spend their money must study consumer behavior. He must obtain data both on resources of consumers and on the motives that lend to encourage or discourage money spending.

If an economist were asked which of three groups borrow most—people with rising incomes, stable incomes or declining incomes—he would probable answer: those with declining incomes. Actually, in the years 1947～1950, the answer was: people with rising incomes. People with declining incomes were next and people with stable incomes borrowed the least. This shows us that traditional assumptions about earning and spending are not always reliable. Another traditional assumption is that if people who have money expect prices to go up, they will postpone buying. But research surveys have shown that this is not always true. The expectations of price increases may not stimulate buying. One typical attitude was expressed by the wife of a mechanic in an interview at a time of rising prices, "In a few months," she said, "we'll have to pay more for meat and milk; we'll have less to spend on other things." Her family had been planning to buy a new car but they postponed this purchase. Furthermore, the rise in prices that bas already taken place may be resented and buyer's resistance may be evoked. This is shown by the following typical comment: "I just don't pay these prices; they are too high."

The investigations mentioned above were carried out in America. Investigations conducted at the same time in Great Britain, however, yielded results that were more in agreement with traditional assumptions about saving and spending patterns. The condition most conducive to spending appears to be price stability. If prices have been stable and people consider that they are reasonable, they are likely to buy. Thus, it appears that the common business policy of maintaining stable prices is based on a correct understanding of consumer psychology.

According to the passage, if one wants to study consumer behavior, he should ______.

A．study the knowledge of psychology

B．obtain data on the motives that tend to encourage or discourage consumers to spend money

C．carry out investigations on consumers behavior. and obtain data on consumers' incomes and money spending motives

D．do researches in consumer psychology in different countries