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Life
and
Patterns
Style
CommercialBank
JOSEPH T. PLUMMER
Credit
Card
Usage
2 H. Lee Mathews and John W. Slocum, Jr., "Social Class and Commercial
JOURNAL OF
cators of Consumer
Credit Behavior,"
JOURNAL
Journal
of Marketing,
1971), pp. 35-41.
Vol.
35
(April,
MARKETING,
Vol. 33
(January, 1969), pp. 71-78; and "Social Class and Income as Indi-
35
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OF MARKETING,Vol.
36
Nature of the Study
Data for the present study were derived from
a nationwide survey of activities, interests, and
opinions of female homemakers and male heads
of households---called "life style research."5 The
study was sponsored jointly by the Leo Burnett
Company, Inc., and Market Facts, Inc., and conducted in the fall of 1968. A sample of 1,000
representative female homemakers and a separate
sample of 1,200 male heads of households were
utilized from Market Facts' national mail panels.
The base of usable questionnaires consisted of 858
women and 987 men; the demographic composition
of each sample was very close to U.S. Census figures.
Life style research is designed to indicate the
differences between heavy users and light or nonusers of a product in terms of their life styles or
their activities; i.e., how they spend their time;
their interests; what is of importance in their
immediate surroundings; their opinions; where
they stand on important issues; and their demographics. A wide range of activities, interests, and
opinions is covered in life style research through
300 statements that have been developed from previous research.6 These 300 Activity, Interest and
Opinion statements (AIO's) measure such activities as club membership, community organizations,
hobbies, travel, shopping, work, and entertainment.
The kinds of interests and opinions that are represented in the 300 AIO statements are interest
in their home, their family, and their community,
and opinions on such topics as economics, fashion,
politics, business, and mass media. Each of the 300
AIO statements is rated by a respondent on a sixpoint agreement scale.
Three types of information were collected in
order to determine the differences between product
users and nonusers. First, each respondent indicated his level of agreement along the six-point
scale for each of the 300 AIO statements. Second,
each person specified his "average usage" of over
125 products. In the case of bank charge card
usage, individuals were asked the following question: "Thinking of all members of your family,
how many times in the average month do all members of your family use a bank charge card?"
Finally, the demographics of the respondents were
collected.
From these three sets of data (AIO, demo5 William D. Wells and Douglas J. Tigert, "Activities,
Interests and Opinions," Journal of Advertising Re-
Marketing,
J. S. Wright
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37
TABLE 1
DEMOGRAPHICCHARACTERISTICS
OF
BANK CHARGE CARD USERS AND NONUSERS
Male Sample
User
Indexa
Users
(183)
Nonusers
(804)
Female Sample
Total
(987)
User
Index
Users
(150)
Nonusers
(708)
Total
(858)
1967
User
Index
Under 25
25-34
35-44
45-54
55+
Less than high school
High school graduate
College
Under $4,999
$5,000-$7,999
$8,000-$9,999
$10,000-$14,999
$15,000 and over
57
124
95
110
87
44
97
147
4%c,4
26
21
22
26
12*
38
50*
8%
20
22
19
31
30
40
30
7%
21
22
20
30
27
39
34
109
121
104
95
63
67
103
118
12%
23
24
19
17*
14*
41
45*
11%7(
19
21
20
29
24
40
36
19
23
20
27
21
40
38
104
140
130
65
70
70
97
127
44
100
94
128
157
11*
19
16
32*
22:
25
22
17
24
12
25
19
17
25
14
67
58
106
157
131
16*
14
17
36*
17*
24
19
15
20
12
24
24
16
23
13
42
79
90
148
130
Craftsman
Clerical and Sales
Managerial
Professional
Other
82
100
104
145
109
32"
16
24
16*
12
41
15
23
10
11
39
16
23
11
11
94
121
86
190
71
29
17
18
19*
17*
32
13
21
9
25
31
14
21
10
24
80
112
90
173
77
11%
NOTE: *Significant at the .05 level, using "t" test for significance of two sample proportions (two-tailed test).
% of segment who are users ). The higher the User Index for a demographicsegment the
(User Index
%0of segment in total sample
more overrepresentedis that demographicamong users than its representationin the total sample which suggests
richness of potential.
a
The Findings
Seventeen percent of the life style sample were
users of bank charge cards. Ten percent used their
charge card less than three times in an average
month, and 7% used their card three or more
times in an average month. This 17% corresponds
with a comparable usage figure of 12% in the
1967 life style study. The percentage of bank
charge card users is quite small, however, when
compared to more established credit cards, such
as gasoline cards, which are carried by 62% of
the sample.
Table 1 sets forth the demographics of male and
female card users and discloses that a surprising
proportion did not go beyond high school and earn
less than $8,000 a year. This point was also expressed in the previous studies by Mathews and
Slocum.8 However, when one examines the card
usage of the demographic segments relative to
their representation in the total sample, it is evident that card usage is considerably greater among
people with higher incomes and better education.
This fact is illustrated by the large proportional
differences between users and nonusers as shown
in the User Index column in Table 1. Thus, in
terms of potential markets, the data suggest the
richness of potential among higher income, better
educated, and more professional demographic segments.
8 Same reference as footnote 2, pp. 73 and 71.
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38
Card Users
Definite
and General
Agreement
25%
27
53
36
56
#
8.
10.
17.
18.
23.
24.
Noncard Users
Definite
and General
Agreement
17%
41
21
26
42
Statement
I enjoy going to concerts.
A woman's place is in the home.
In my job I tell people what to do.
I am a good cook.
My greatest achievements are ahead of me.
I buy many things with a charge
or credit card.
39
22
29. We will probably move once in the
next five years.
46
37
39. Five years from now the family income will
71
probably be a lot higher than it is now.
60
42. Good grooming is a sign of self-respect.
52
71
53. There is too much advertising on TV today.
59
70
70. Women wear too much make-up today.
43
51
74. My job requires a lot of selling ability.
51
37
77. I like to pay cash for everything I buy.
26
67
86. Television is a primary source of our
entertainment.
25
40
94. Investing in the stock market is too risky
for most families.
47
56
109. To buy anything other than a house or car
on credit is unwise.
29
47
117. Young people have too many privileges today.
52
64
112. I love the outdoors.
54
76
126. There is too much emphasis on sex today.
52
64
130. There are day people and there are night
58
people; I am a day person.
69
135. I expect to be a top executive in the next
ten years.
44
27
152. I am or have been president of a society
or club.
51
36
174. I would like to have my boss' job.
42
33
175. A party wouldn't be a party without liquor.
29
17
177. I would rather live in or near a big city
than in or near a small town.
46
34
183. I often bet money at the races.
18
8
184. I like to think I'm a bit of a swinger.
38
26
194. I stay home most evenings.
62
71
198. Advertising can't sell me anything
I don't want.
55
68
200. I often have a cocktail before dinner.
36
20
202. I like ballet.
26
16
209. When I must choose between the two,
I usually dress for fashion, not comfort.
19
10
214. Liquor is a curse on American life.
34
49
217. Movies should be censored.
41
57
218. I read one or more business magazines
34
regularly.
18
230. I am active in two or more service
organizations.
28
17
248. I do more things socially than most
of my friends.
19
10
269. We often serve wine with dinner.
30
16
272. I buy at least three suits a year.
25
11
273. Playboy is one of my favorite magazines.
25
16
275. I spend too much time talking on the
telephone.
31
17
282. It is good to have charge accounts.
33
21
283. Hippies should be drafted.
48
61
286. When I think of bad health, I think of
doctor bills.
31
46
290. My days seem to follow a definite routine.
47
58
NOTE: All differences are significant above the .05 level based on Chi-square tests
of significance.
differentiate him from the nonuser at
He is a busy, young businessman
who knows where he is going since he
"I expect to be a top executive within
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. . . is a salient
factor
affecting
39
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40
Noncard Users
Definite
and General
Agreement
32%
Statement
#
8. I enjoy going to concerts.a
41%
14. The next car our family buys will
32
18
probably be a station wagon.
19. I usually have my dresses altered to
52
the latest hemline levels.a
39
13
27
22. There should be a gun in every home.
24. I buy many things with a credit
64
or charge card.a
28
17
7
41. If I had my way, I would own a convertible."
17
45. I would like to own and fly my own airplane.
10
22
10
55. I would like to be a fashion model.
70
57
62. I would like to take a trip around the world."
51
42
73. I enjoy going through an art gallery.
33
64
77. I like to pay cash for everything I buy."
81. I bowl, play tennis, golf or other active
28
14
sports quite often.,
16
6
84. I would like to be an actress.
47
37
101. I have more than ten pairs of shoes.
109. To buy anything other than a house or car
21
36
on credit is unwise."
44
29
123. Our family travels quite a lot.'
55
41
125. I belong to one or more clubs.
127. I must really admit I don't like
40
32
household chores.
29
16
141. I like to play bridge.
22
33
146. I like to be considered a leader."
28
40
151. I'd like to spend a year in London or Paris."
157. I would rather spend a quiet evening
31
45
at home than go out to a party.
165. I would like to know how to sew like
68
77
an expert.
177. I would rather live in or near a big city
47
28
than in or near a small town.a
5
16
183. I sometimes bet money at the races.
24
11
184. I like to think I am a bit of a swinger."
44
58
188. I am a homebody.a
63
194. I stay home most evenings.
73
21
9
200. I often have a cocktail before dinner.
18
202. I like ballet.
27
213. I like danger.
3
13
223. I do volunteer work for a hospital or
service organization on a fairly regular basis.a
11
27
230. I am an active member of more than
16
one service organization."
26
237. I enjoy most forms of housework.
36
47
248. I do more things socially than most
of my friends.a
23
11
258. Clothes should be dried in the fresh air
and sunshine."
26
37
269. Movies should be censored.
55
65
270. I would like a maid to do the housework.
41
27
282. It is good to have charge accounts."
41
62
"Statements appearing in both the 1967 and 1968 studies.
NOTE: All differences are significant above the .05 level based on Chi-square tests
of significance.
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41
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