You will hear an interview with Ricky Bland, the author of a report on training

Retailer: A person’s life style has a significant effect on the purchasing process. So how do I determine and understand the life style of my target market?
Sociologist: The consumer’s activities, interests, and opinions or AIO can be used to analyze life styles and their impact on purchase behavior. Activities, interests, and opinions are especially useful when they can berelated to demographic data. Grouping people according to these three criteria will reveal substantial differences in product usage, time spent shopping, enjoyment of shopping experience, location and hours of the store, and so on. A typical consumer AIO survey would include questions on membership, hobbies, travel, shopping, work, and entertainment activities, involvement in the home, the family, and community interests and feelings about economics, politics, and advertising. The use of the AIO measurement has also been called psychographics ; it is in the early stages of development.
Retailer:So the AIO survey of consumers is not enough. What else should I pay attention to?
Sociologist: Culture, social class, reference groups and class consciousness are social dimensions of life style that have an impact on purchasing behavior. A person’s culture affects the importance of family, religion, education and other concepts. North Americans act differently than South Americans or Europeans because of their cultural heritage. For example, in the United States, purchasing decisions are more decentralized; religion has a declining impact on behavior. From a retailing perspective, the norms or standards of behavior that are influenced by culture are most important. Culture has an impact on all aspects of the purchasing process.
Retailer: How do social classes influence a person’s purchasing behavior?
Sociologist: Lower-class consumers have limited information sources and seek local, friendly retailers. Middle class consumers utilize media information and extensive searches. They are willing to shop out of their neighborhoods. Upper-class consumers use media information and shop at prestige stores. For products or services that are conspicuous,reference groups have an important role in the purchasing process. Those reference groups that are face-to-face have the most impact on the purchasing process. The different types and uses of reference groups need to be understood, As an example, one’s neighbours are a membership reference group. However,a retailer must distinguish between the use of neighbours as a reference group by suburbanites and the use by city dwellers. The suburbanite will follow his or her neighbours and know them much better. City dwellers are more independent and know little a-bout their neighbours.
Retailer: Don’t you think motives are very important in purchasing behavior?
Sociologist: Yes. Personality, motives, and performance are individual dimensions of life style that have an impact on purchasing behavior. A consumer’s personality traits affect the purchase process. For an impatient person, the process is short. For someone with little self-confidence, the process is long. Post purchase satisfaction is very important to a status seeker. Consumers have different motives (reasons) when they buy products. Motives are critical when the consumer ranks alternatives and makes a final decision. Motives do change in different situations. A person’s performance in various roles determines his or her social acceptance and influences the purchasing process.
Retailer: Thank you very much. I think I’ve learned about the importance of life style.