How children make purchase decisions: behaviour of the cued processors

Abstract

Purpose This paper aims to analyse how children behave during a purchasing process in a simulated shop and how they put their goals into effect at the Point of Sale (POS). The focus of this research is children in Germany aged between 8 and 10 years. The results reveal answers to the following questions: which criteria do the children consider important when buying groceries? How efficiently and effectively do children pursue the goals demanded of them at the POS? This knowledge can support parents, teachers and educational organisations in teaching children consumer literacy. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected through interviews and a subsequent observation of the behaviour in a purchase simulation. A total of 436 school children aged 8 to 10 years answered a questionnaire about their behaviour at the POS and perceived demands during the purchasing process as well as their understanding of purchase-relevant concepts. Subsequently, purchase behaviour and decisions in a digitally simulated shopping environment of a supermarket were analysed for a subsample (n = 170). This combination of methods enables the collection of observable decision-making behaviour as well as of the declarative knowledge and the purchasing habits of the children. Findings Children often act differently from the way they themselves intended and expected during the purchase decision at the POS. Only a small number of children behaved purposefully, whereas the vast majority was distracted by the great amount of stimuli in the simulated supermarket. The results reveal factors that helped children cope with the shopping task and shielded them against purchase impulses from the stimuli at the POS. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to combine questionnaires about children’s declarative knowledge of the shopping process with observation of the real decision behaviour in a supermarket simulation task.

La influencia del estilo parental en las intenciones de compra en el consumidor infantil

“…Pero más allá de los resultados, y como se mencionó, los roles tradicionales de la socialización del niño están representados principalmente en los padres, por lo que un estilo parental participativo contribuye en las decisiones de compra competentes por parte de los niños. Conviene señalar que, los niños constantemente están expuestos a un número creciente de anuncios emitidos por los fabricantes y distribuidores, dirigidos al segmento infantil y orientados a sus necesidades (Gunnar et al, 2016); esto hace que el acompañamiento de los padres sea fundamental.…”

“…Comprender los comportamientos y las preferencias, así como identificar a tiempo las tendencias de consumo en los niños, son elementos clave a la hora de diseñar estrategias para alcanzar el posicionamiento de las marcas; toda vez que este segmento engloba a los clientes potenciales de las empresas fabricantes de dichas marcas. En virtud de ello, también debe considerarse el rol que desempeñan los padres, puesto que su influencia condiciona algunos comportamientos; de esta manera, los niños pueden ser entrenados para reconsiderar las diferentes alternativas antes de tomar decisiones de compra (Gunnar, Schuhen, Steinmann & SchrammKlein, 2016).…”

National Cultural Constructs and Consumer Socialization Effects on Adolescent’s Influence on Family Vacation Decisions

“…In addition, the family buying decision process is considered one of the least researched and difficult subjects within consumer behavior (Aleti et al 2015, Akinyele 2010, Beatty and Talpade 1994, Belch et al 1985. In that context, adolescents constitute an important segment for companies, mainly for the influence they exert on family purchase process (Al-Zu'bi 2016, Mau et al 2016, Kaur and Medury 2013, Luczak and Younkin 2012. Thus, it is important for marketers to understand adolescent consumer patterns (Luczak and Younkin 2012).…”

“…Given the limited research on the adolescent's influence on family buying decisions, several authors refer to the need to deepen the study of this phenomenon Singh 2006, Commuri andGentry 2000). Adolescents have increasingly become the focus of both research and companies (Ashraf and Khan, 2016, Mau et al 2016, Goswami and Khan 2015, Srivastava 2015. The efforts made by adolescents in family purchases have increased nowadays (Sondhi and Basu 2014, Singh and Nayak 2014, Chitakunye 2012, Kaur and Medury 2011.…”

Mothers’ Perceptions of Adolescents’ Influence on the Purchase Decisions of Family Vacations

“…In many studies, the adolescent is considered to be a less influential actor in family buying decisions, and his influence efforts are more successfulwith products for his own use, or products for family use only with a lower purchase value (Commuri andGentry 2000, Beatty andTalpade 1994). In fact, until the past century, research rarely perceived adolescents as decision making influencers within family units (Mau et al 2016, John 1999. With the increased significance of mobile media, as well as changed social and cultural perspectives, this picture has changed: adolescents have increasingly become the focus of both research and companies (Ashraf and Khan 2016, Mau et al 2016, Goswami and Khan 2015, Srivastava 2015.…”