Marketing

Introduction

The materialistic world is very complex in the circumstance that consumers ultimately desire everything but can only afford so much. The products and services we use invaluable money to buy are hopefully used to create a more secure and fulfilling life. Certainly, this will assume that we cherish all possessions and consumption is ultimately defined by constant factors. Thus there is a need to determine effective marketing strategies to various target markets and groups. A plethora of factors are present which may affect consumer behavior and it is vital to explore these in detail. Consumer behavior, “the action of people seeking to satisfy their wishes and needs while purchasing and consuming goods and services” (citied in Banyte et al., 2007, p.50), is vital in that the overall marketing aim is to improve business profits and sales.

Self-concept, personality, and perception are but a few key aspects in the complexity of consumer behavior. These three keys are all factors in an individual’s situation which affect the overall mindset and positioning of current products and brands. The idea of self-image and ideal-image is imperative in consumer purchases as products are commonly known to align with their own style and beliefs. Furthermore, this is influenced by the perception of consumer brands and products as well as the consumers personality in view of products and services. This paper will discuss the methods and theories used in uncovering the importance of self-concept, personality and perception in a rapid market with intense pace, “revealing the need for deeper consumer and their preference studies” (citied in Banyte et al., 2007, p.50)

Self-concept

Self-concept is a factor that is overlooked by many marketing experts for other psychological factors. The image portrayed by a consumer is however an important factor in the notion of consumer behavior. It is defined as the “totality of the individual’s thoughts and feelings having reference to...