CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR

FAMILY INFLUENCES AND CONSUMER BEHAVIOR

Family and Household

A family is a group of two or more persons related by blood, marriage, or adoption

who reside together. There are two main types of family nuclear and extended family.
The nuclear family is the immediate group of father, mother, and children living
together. The extended family includes the nuclear family, plus other relatives, such
as grandparents, uncles and aunts, cousins, and in-laws. The family into which one is
born is called the family of orientation, whereas the one established by marriage is the
family of procreation.

Household is another term frequently used by marketers when describing consumer

behavior. Household differs from family in that household describes all the persons,
both related and unrelated, who occupy a housing unit.

Variables Affecting Family Purchase

Families have higher median incomes than do households because of the greater
number of employed individuals in families. For both families and households, the
four structural variables that impact purchasing decisions most and that are therefore
of primary dimensions to marketers are the

 Age of head of household or family,

 Marital status,
 Presence of children,
 And employment status.

However, the way families make decision can be better understood by considering
sociological dimensions such as cohesion, adaptability, and communication.

I. Cohesion: Cohesion is the emotional bonding that family members have toward one
another. It is a measure of how close to each other family members feel on an
emotional level.

II. Family adaptability: Family adaptability is the ability of a marital or family system
to change its power structure, role relationships, and relationship rules in response to
situational and developmental stress. Family adaptability is measure of how well a
family can meet the challenges presented by changing needs.

III. Communication: Communication is a facilitating dimension, critical to movement

on the other two dimensions. Positive communication skills (such as empathy,
reflective listening, and supportive comments) enable families to share with each
other their changing needs and preferences as they relate to cohesion and adaptability.

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Traditional Family Life Cycle

Traditional family lifecycles involves nine stages of Single, Newly Married Couples,
Full Nest I, Full Nest II, Full Nest III, Empty Nest I, Empty Nest II, The Solitary
Survivor, and The Retired Solitary survivor.

I. Single Stage: Although earnings are relatively low, they are subject to few rigid
demands, so consumers in this stage typically have substantial discretionary income.
Part of this income is used to purchase a car and basic equipment and furnishings for
their first residence away from home usually an apartment. They tend to be more
fashion and recreation oriented, spending a substantial proportion of their income on
clothing, beverages, food away from home, vacations, leisure time pursuits, and other
products and services involved in the mating gave.

II. Newly Married Couples: Newly married couples without children are usually
better off financially than they have been in the past and will be in the near future
because the wife is usually employed. Families at this stage also spend a substantial
amount of their income on cars, clothing, vacations, and their leisure time activities.
They also have the highest purchase rate and highest average purchase of durable
goods, particularly furniture and appliances, and other expensive items, and appear to
be more susceptible to advertising in this stage.

III. Full Nest I: With the arrival of the first child, some wives stop working outside the
home, and consequently family income declines. Simultaneously, the young child
creates new problems that change the way the family spends its income. The couple is
likely to move into their first home, purchase furniture and furnishings for the child,
buy a washer, dryer, and home maintenance items, and purchase such products as
baby food, chest rubs, cough medicine, vitamins, toys, wagons, sleds, and skates.
These requirements reduce family savings and the husbands and wives are often
dissatisfied with their financial position.

IV. Full Nest II: At this stage the youngest child is six or over, the husband’s income
has improved, and the wife often returns to work outside the home. Consequently, the
family’s financial position usually improves. Consumption patterns continue to be
heavily influenced by the children as the family ends to buy food and cleaning
supplies in larger sized packages, bicycles, pianos, and educational lessons.

V. Full Nest III: As the family grows older, its financial position usually continues to
improve because the husband’s income rises, the wife returns to work or enjoys a
higher salary, and the children earn money from occasional employment. The family
typically replaces several pieces of furniture, purchases another automobile, buys
several luxury appliances, and spends a considerable amount of money on health
services and education for the children.

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VI. Empty Nest I: At this stage the family is most satisfied with their financial
position and the amount of money saved because income has continued to increase,
and the children have left home and are no longer financially dependent on their
parents. The couple often makes home improvements, buy luxury items, and spend a
greater proportion of their income on vacations, travel, and recreation. This is mostly
apply to Western World than Africans.

VII. Empty Nest II: By this time the household head has retired and so the couple
usually suffers a noticeable reduction in income. Expenditures become more health
oriented, centering on such items as medical appliances, medical care products that
aid health, sleep, and digestion, and perhaps a smaller home, apartment, or
condominium in a more agreeable climate.

VIII. The Solitary Survivor: If still in the labor force, solitary survivors still enjoy
good income. They may sell their home and usually spend more money on vacations,
recreation, and the types of health-oriented products and services mentioned above.

IX. The Retired Solitary Survivor: The retired solitary survivor follows the same
general consumption pattern except on a lower scale because of the reduction in
income. In addition, these individuals have special needs for attention, affection, and
security.

Modern Family Life Cycle

During recent years, many changes in the family have occurred, particularly in
smaller family size, postponement of marriage, and rising divorce rates. Thus, another
conception of the family life cycle, which includes such stages as divorced, single
parents and middle-aged married without children, has been offered. This modernized
version is described as consisting of the following groups.

I. Bachelor I: head is 18-34, single (never married, divorced, separated, widowed), no

dependent children.

II. Young Couple: female head is 18-34, couple (marriage or unmarried), and no
children.

III. Full Nest I: female head is 18-34, couple (married or unmarried), youngest child
under 6.

IV. Full Nest II: female head is 18-34, couple (married or unmarried), youngest child
6 or over.

V. Single Parent I: head is 18-34, single (never married, divorced, separated,

widowed), youngest child 6 or over.

VI. Single Parent II: head is 18-34, single (never married, divorce, separated,
widowed), youngest child 6 or over.

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VII. Bachelor II: head is 35-64, single (never married, divorced, separated, widowed)
no dependent children.

VIII. Childless Couple: female head is 35-64, couple (married or unmarried), and no
dependent children.

IX. Delayed Full Nest: female head is 35-64, couple (married or unmarried),
youngest child under 6.

X. Full Nest III: female head is 35-64, couple (married or unmarried), youngest child
6 or over. XI. Single Parent III: head is 35-64, youngest child 6 or over.

XII. Bachelor III: head is 65 or older, single (never married, divorced, separated,
widowed), not dependent children.

XIII. Older Couple (Empty Nest): female head is 65 or older, couple (married or
unmarried), no dependent children. The modernized family life cycle is based on age
(of the female in the household, if appropriate), which is traced through the groups of
young, middle aged, and elderly. These various ages are affected by two types of
critical events: (1) marriage and separation (by divorce or death), and (2) arrival of the
first child and departure of the last child. Thus, the modernized family life cycle
accounts for four household types over three age groups through a person’s lifetime.

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