Being a college student, and just recently turning 21, I am easily attracted to nightlife and well, having an occasional drink. Because I don’t have a huge spending budget happy hour and drink specials are the ways to go when selecting a restaurant for dinner.
1. Gender has a huge impact on purchase behaviors. As a woman there are definitely certain items that appeal to me that guys never even notice. I don’t often find myself wandering in the sports section unless I am searching for a Father’s Day gift or brothers birthday (and I don’t even have a brother…)
3. I love running. It is a great way for me to enjoy what God created, especially here in Austin, and talk with friends. Running magazines, clothing, shoes, etc are all appealing to me and I often like to think I am becoming a better runner just by making these purchases!
4. Lots of choices stress me out. Yes, I like to compare products but too many choices is overwhelming and makes me not want to make a decision at all. There is a store in Dallas called Sam Moon’s that has just oodles and oodles of jewelry and various other accessories, as well as crazed mothers trying to find a good deal. When I was younger I thought I loved this store. Now, however, I would be fine if I never set foot back in that mad house!
5. I hate being watched in stores. Sometimes you walk into a store and you may be the only customer as several employees are occupying the store. As you browse you can constantly feel the eyes and possible feet of the hopeful sellers follow you just in case you need assistance. I hate this feeling. It makes me feel awkward and as if I cannot shop in freedom and as if they are analyzing my every move. It’s important that employees know how to serve a customer without being too forceful.
6. Waiting in a line is boring, thus I browse what is surrounding me and more often than not make a fun purchase under $5. Gum, chap stick, mini bottles of lotion, magazines as well as more creative things such as tide-to-to, iTunes gift cards can all be found surrounding me as I wait to check out.
7. I am a sucker for bargains. If there is a deal such as buy one get one free or any discounts I heavily consider making the purchase. Often times I find myself buying 2 or something with no real need for the product just because it was 2 for the price of 1 or I had a coupon for it. Though coupons can sometimes be a hassle, I pride myself in the money I save using them!
8. I am a fan of simple. This has been a more recent development in my life but I find that the more simple descriptions and labels are the more appealing to my eye they are. There is so much information out there that it is hard to keep up and quite frankly no one has time anymore to make the attempt. I like products that tell what they are/do and are done. Lots of words and pictures just seem like a waste to me and can lead to stressful headaches.
9. Even more important to me than the labels found on a product is the placement within a store. I am not necessarily a clean person, BUT I love seeing items that are organized or presented in a simplified manner. I love going into certain stores simply because the presentation of items is incredible and somewhat relaxing. Stores such as Wal-Mart, Target, Old Navy, etc cannot really be included in this category of places I like to visit. I am more attracted to stores such as The Container Store, J.Crew, Gap. Apple, White House Black Market, etc. The presentation of the item is what catches my attention the most.
10. TV is not a part of my daily activities, therefore advertisements never reach me in that area. If I am watching television the LAST thing I pay attention to are the commercials. To reach me through media advertising the radio and definitely the internet are better channels.
Allison - Really interesting stuff here. The length is just right, so be sure your future posts are at least this long. I like the content and the only thing I would have asked you do differently is to push past the characteristics of you as a shopper into other parts of your life. I don't think my instructions were explicit about that (which is good feedback for me as a mock researcher, in this case), so no worries. But, as we start to explore this topic of insights more throughout the semester, we will want to know more about people than just how they feel, think, and behave while shopping. Good job, overall, on this one.
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