Consumer motivation
What motivates us to buy in fashion, what influences our buying behavior, how do our attitudes, interests and opinions affect our purchasing choices?
On a simplistic level, you could say that the motivating force to buy a garment, a handbag or a pair of shoes is a real physical need.
In other words, we don't have a receptacle to carry our keys, our money and our cell phone, or a pair of winter boots to protect us from the cold and the humidity, therefore to satisfy this need, we need to purchase the required item.
Motivation and consumer behavior
Motivation and consumer behavior: what motivates us to buy in fashion, what influences our buying behavior, how do our attitudes, interests and opinions affect our purchasing choices?
Motivation and Brand Management
Danish brand guru and futurist Martin Lindstrom claims in his book Buyology: How Everything We Believe About Why We Buy Is Wrong that motivation is neurological.
University of New Mexico evolutionary psychologist Geoffrey Miller argues in his Spent book: Sex, Evolution and the Secrets of Consumerism that evolutionary biology is behind our need to buy and display conspicuous consumption.
Miller's theory of “display signage” proposes that we wear certain styles or brands of fashion in order to signal specific qualities of character to others.
Someone wearing an ethical or eco-fashion brand, for example, is trying at some level to communicate that they are conscientious.
A person wearing ostentatious designer brand labels promotes qualities of wealth and desirability, while a person with an active, sporty style tries to signal his health and fitness.
You could argue that content is the new social currency, and that it has overtaken clothing as a method of display signage.
Consumer buying decision
Consumer buying decision process Obviously, fashion buying decisions are rarely based on logical criteria alone.
The motivations for our buying behavior are driven by a complex interplay of demographic, geographic, psychological, neurological, economic, social, cultural and personal factors.
Recognizing the need
The basic steps are: "Recognizing the need"" Finding information and identifying options" "Evaluating options". Decision The decision process begins with the recognition of the need.
It can be a valid physical need; a person can gain or lose a significant amount of weight and need to purchase new, suitable clothing.
A couple may be planning a traditional wedding and need to buy or rent appropriate outfits and accessories, or someone may start a new job where they have to dress a certain way.
I better buy some new clothes. This thought becomes the motivation, leading to action and a potential buying decision.