Buying Behavior Of Youth Towards Cosmetic Products Marketing Essay

ABSTRACT

The proposal is focused on the behaviour and attitudes on the perception of the youth buying behaviour pattern towards cosmetics product in UK, Consumers move through a series of steps when buying a product but mainly the consumer emphasis the product in a way that, it should deliver to them on low or more affordable price with good quality and value added features to satisfy there needs. However, to investigate the aspect of buying behaviour of youth, what factors influence them while purchasing the cosmetics and how the consumer addresses their buying decision when purchasing a specific product of cosmetics. The study will explores the buying behaviour of youth and different kind of consumer behaviour models supporting with background theories. The research is base on the questionnaires and finally the conclusion is drawn on the bases of findings.

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INTRODUCTION

Consumer behaviour in buying pattern is differences when comes to the product, price, features, quality, packaging, lifestyle, status. However, youth is the most complicated group to correspond with. The youth changing preference affect the buying pattern because they mostly follow the rhythm of fashion and taste according to the shifting time. Therefore, Marketers spend millions on market research every year to identify and predict the changing youth behaviour. With the continually flourish of varieties in cosmetics the youth encourage with the flavour of attractiveness through affordable price and changing trend in the market. All this makes it extremely difficult to understand and target their behaviours.

Background

The consumer will respond according to the product quality and reliability, the fundamental understanding of products is necessary to understand the product features, products reliability and product benefits (Baker, 2004). The consumer is the end user for the product; consumers buy the products in market; in order to perform successful sales operations in the market an effective distribution channel and networks are required for the organizations. Distribution channels and networks play an important role in the consumer goods industry. Consumer is the ultimate user of every product, without any consumer there is no market as such (Baker, 2004). The consumer does not compare the products’ advantages and disadvantages at each purchase occasion, but is lead by previous experiences and acts out of habits. Only when the consumer really takes the time to value a new product does consider factors such as price, taste and quality

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF STUDY.

The aim of study is to identify the key aspect that makes change the decision when they buy the cosmetic product. The youth has very exclusive choices or taste and preferences of cosmetic brands that make them self-esteem in the society with changing their lifestyle. The main issue of focus of spot is does the branding is important to them or product quality, price or it can be wearing cosmetic for self image. Youth is very difficult group to evaluate because they have changing preferences with changing time.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

The purpose of this proposal is to contribute to a better understanding and knowledge of consumer buying behaviour towards purchasing of cosmetics. The aim of the project is to find out the factors influencing the youth in purchasing cosmetics.

This research work is also designed to achieve the following specific objectives. To:

Examine the influence of advertising on consumer buying behaviours

How branding play a role to influence consumer buying behaviours

To develop the better understanding that Price can be the factor to manipulate the decision

Consideration on lifestyle or Status characteristic to determine the changing key for buying behaviour

Does product quality have strong background to influence purchase decision.

LITERATURE REVIEW

The consumers mind is different from one another in this as author said in the definition that according to the human psychology, demographical differences, age & sex and to understand people needs and to assess the influences of every consumer approach is different, in theory explained that consumer is treated as decider of the company, what ever the product comes to the market, the consumer is the ultimate purchaser for every product, some times the consumers are choosing, selecting and going for family decision making to choose differently, in one point of time the consumers differentiated and explained that they are going for personal and some of the them are using products for profit. (Kotler, 2004).

When consumers have had no experiences with a product, they tend to trust a favored as well known brand name. Consumers often think well known brands are better and are worth buying for the implied assurance of quality dependability, performance and services. .( Schiffman, Kanuk, 2009)

During the 1940s, cosmetics company executives began targeting specific groups of consumers by age and other demographic factors. Ads for cosmetics were placed in magazines that teenagers read. Marketing experts helped the industry to gear certain products to that young market, packaging then in a way that would appeal to teens, and offer them at prices young people could afford. Inexpensive lipsticks were among the first of these products.( Sherrow, 2001)

The consumer behaviour influences in 3 aspects, they are acquiring, using and disposing. The acquiring means that how the consumer spends money on the products, such as leasing, trading and borrowing. Using means some of the consumers use the high price products and some of the consumer sees the quality. Disposing is nothing but distribution, order or places a particular product (Hoyer, Deborah, 2001).

Price is so often considered an indicator of quality, some product advertisements deliberately emphasis a high price to underscore the marketers claims of quality. Marketers understand that at time, product with lower price may be interpreted a reduced quality. At some time, when consumers evaluate more concrete attribute of a product, such as performance & durability they rely less on price & brand name as indicates of quality than when they evaluate the product’s prestige and symbolic values.( Merrie, Valarie, 2000)

Advertising informs consumers about the existence and benefits of products and services, and tries to persuade consumers to buy them (MacKenzie, 2004).The goal of advertising is to persuade the consumer to do something, usually to purchase a product. If advertising is to attract and communicate to audiences in a way that produces this desire result, advertisers must first understand the consumers.(Lee, Johnson,2005) Advertiser’s primary mission is to reach prospective customers and influence their awareness, attitudes and buying behaviour. They spend a lot of money to keep individuals (markets) interested in their products. To succeed, they need to understand what makes potential customers behave the way they do. The advertisers goals is to get enough relevant market data to develop accurate profiles of buyers-to-find the common group (and symbols) for communications this involves the study of consumers behaviour: the mental and emotional processes and the physical activities of people who purchase and use goods and services to satisfy particular needs and wants (Arens, 1996).

Consumer often judges the quality of a product or service on the basis of a variety of information cues that they associate with the product. Some of these clues are intrinsic to the product and service other is extrinsic. Either single or together such are provide the basis for perception of product and service quality. ( Schiffman, Kanuk, 2009)

The consumer may expect price to reflect the quality level of the product. Quality perception may be to do with the materials or components used in the product. Price, quality can be compared objectively, the image of the product and the contribution of the chosen item towards needs satisfaction and lifestyle. (Cant et al, 2009). Consumers were more likely to switch brands after the price increased than if they were simple exposed to the higher price to begin with. As pricing can influence the decision of consumer to take or drop the purchasing idea by which they are go for substantial product with low price and perceived quality. (Mullen, Johnson, 1990)

Personality characteristics are often revealed in a person concept, which is the way people see themselves and the way they believe others see them( Kerin et al, 2003) .People express their personalities not so much in world as inn symbols. Most people are increasingly concerned about their social status. Different products vary in their status symbol values (Kumar, Sharma ,1998) Moreover, all people are individual; hence have a unique personality of different characteristics, which is often portrayed with traits, such as self-confidence, dominance, sociability, autonomy, defensiveness, adaptability, and aggressiveness (Blackwell et al. 2001).

Brand image takes place when brand associations held in the mind of consumers are conveyed onto a consumer’s perception about a brand. These associations can either be developed from direct experience with the product, from the information communicated by the company, or from previous associations held about the company and origin, etc. (Martinez et al. 2003).

Lifestyle is a way of living that is identified by how people spend their time and resources, what they consider important in their environment and what they think of themselves and the world around them.(Kerin et al, 2003). The life styles concept provides description of behaviour and purchase pattern, especially the ways in which people spends their time and money. Personality, motives and attitudes also influences lifestyle. (Cant et al,2009). Lifestyle defines a pattern of consumption that reflects a person’s choices hoe spend money and time.( Solomon, 2009)

According to Kotler, Armstrong there are Four major factors that influences consumer buyer behaviours

Consumer buying behaviour is influenced by four key set of buyer characteristics: cultural, social, personal, and psychological. Although many of these factors cannot be influenced by the marketers, they can be useful in identifying interested buyers and in shaping product and appeals to serve consumer needs better.

Culture: is the most basic determinant of a person’s wants and behaviour. It includes the basic values, perceptions, preferences, and behaviours that a person learns from family. But where as Subculture is “culture within cultures” that have distinct values and lifestyle and can be based on anything from age of ethnicity.

Social factors: also influences a buyer’s behaviours. A person’s references groups has strongly effect product and brand choices.

Personal: characteristics influence the buying decision. The consumer lifestyle is the whole pattern of acting and interacting in the world are also an important influences on purchase decisions.

Psychological factors: consumer buying behaviour is influences by motivation, perceptions, learning and beliefs and attitudes. Each of these factors provides a different perspective for understanding the working of the buyer. (Kotler, Armstrong, 2005)

The consumer buying behaviours steps in decision process model

Their mainly five stages of consumer buying behaviour

1. Problem/Need Recognition

Problem recognition occurs whenever there is a significant difference between our current states of affairs and some states. The need recognition depends on the situation and it occurs in the several ways. Firstly find the problem which it has to need alternation and then switch to the opportunity recognition, when exposed to different or better quality products and this is happen when there is change in the circumstances.

2. Information search

Once a consumer recognizes a problem and then its needs to adequate information to solve it. Information search is the process by which survey the environment for appropriate data to make a reasonable decision.

3. Evaluation of alternatives

The next stage of the consumer decision process is evaluating alternative options identified during the search process, in this stage consumer seek answer to the questions, when they evaluate and select from the various product. Consumer will compare what they know about different products and brands with what they consider the most.

4. Purchase decision

After deciding whether or not to purchase, a consumer might move through the first the decision process as it plans and intend to purchase a particular product or brands.

5. Outcome

Finally the purchase is made after critically analyzing each stages in the decision process. (Solomon, 2009)

According to Kotler (1994), the Consumers buying decision process is influenced by three steps those are as follows:

There are different types of buying behaviour decisions.

a. Complex buying behaviour: Consumers undertake complex buying behaviour when they are highly involved in purchase and complex buying behaviour and perceive significant difference among the brands. Consumers may be highly involved when the product are expensive, risky, purchased in frequently and are highly expensive

b. Dissonance – Reducing buying behaviour occurs when consumers are highly involved with an expensive, infrequent or risky purchase, but sees little difference among various brands

c. Variety – Consumers undertake variety seeking buying behaviour in situations characterized by low consumer involvement, but significant perceived brand difference. In such cases, consumers often do a lot brand scrutiny (Kotler, 1994).

HYPOTHESIS

To identify the factors influencing the behaviour of buyers of youth.

Brand

Brand can be one of the factors that why young people buy product, they believe on brand because their parents or friends use it. Or they build an image that this brand provides them the most satisfaction level to look them attractive.

Advertising

Advertising is an element that is used to convince message to in a very informal way to buy the product as it is most satisfy them when uses. Advertising can be an excellent tool to catch the youth attention; this may lead to switch the brand and try the other brand of product and look them more attractive then before.

Price

As the dissertation focus of attention is youth particularly with the working class, still some are conscious about the affordable price with good quality of product.

Product quality

The young generation is concern about the quality of the product. They want to use the product without any side effect or harm on their skin.

Status

The art of handling self-image can take on a great deal of importance in cosmetics specially developed and allow them to remain attractive in the eyes of other. Most youth of both genders wear makeup. Does this mean they are all looking for attention? Do all youth who wear makeup have self-esteem?

Lifestyle

The time youth dedicate to the lifestyle not only plays a part in building harmony between the body and the mind. It also takes part in building self-respect. The way we see ourselves affects the way others see us. This is why quality of life starts here, since essentially, men and women exist in the eyes of others. Youth wear cosmetic makeup because that would make them feel different about their looks.

METHODOLOGY OF STUDY

Introduction

The research methodology is a procedure of collecting data to find out purpose. The data collection distinguished in secondary and primary data including description of the target population, survey method, design of questionnaire and presenting and demonstrated finally, used methods for the analysis.

Types of research

Descriptive

The purpose of descriptive research is the exploration and description of phenomena in real life situations. This approach is used to generate new knowledge about concept or topic about which limited or no research has been conducted. Through descriptive research, concepts are described and relationships are identified that provides the basis for further quantitative research and theory testing.(Burns, Grove, 2004)

Research Approach

When conducting a research, the researcher can choose between two approaches; qualitative and quantitative method. The qualitative method involves the gathering of a lot of information from few examination units through interviews and observations, while the quantitative method entails that the researcher collects little information from many investigation units through, for instance questionnaires (Neuman, 2003).

Quantitative Method:

Quantitative research used to be the main method used by the large research companies because it uses number, logic, statistics and models and operates with large number of respondents. It attempts to use descriptive approach in the collection and analysis of data. (Wright, 2006, pp 512). The dissertation is on the consumer buying behaviour of the youth, the quantitative method can distinguish the logically through number of respondent that what particular age group use cosmetic product. Quantitative method of research provided insights into the problem and in developing approach by generating relevant questions. (Doole and Lowe, 2004).

Qualitative Method:

The data collection techniques for qualitative studies, are dept interview, focus group, discuss guide, project technique. These techniques are regularly uses in the early stage of attitude research to pinpoint relevant product related beliefs or attitudes & to develop an initial picture of consumer attitude. (Schiffman, Kanuk, 2009)

SOURCES AND ACQUISITION OF DATA

Conducting the quantitative research, the data collection tools that are required for the appropriate for this research are:

Secondary Data

The secondary data are collected from sources which have already been created for the purpose of first-time use and future uses. The secondary data can be obtained from internal sources and external sources and it depends on what sources most help to obtain the data. ( Panneerselvan, 2004). In the dissertation, the sources of information for secondary data will be journals, Books, magazine, newspaper, internet, articles. The advantage of secondary data is save time & cost; it’s also serves as a basis of comparison for other data and avoids data collection problems. Secondary data can be usually collect quickly compared to primary data. The data are source materials that have been collect for the study.

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Questionnaire

For quantitative research, the primary data collection instrument is the questionnaire, which can be sent through the mail to selected respondents for self- administration or can be administered by field interviews in person or by telephone. In order to motivate respondents to take the time to respond to surveys, researchers have found that questionnaires must be interesting, objective, unambiguous, easy to complete. (Lazar,Schiffman, 2008)

Main sample

Main sample of this dissertation research will be descriptive and particularly targeting youth and which is drawn between both the gender group of male and female. Sample will be focus on the those group that particular uses the cosmetic product, the sample mainly taken from the High school ,colleges, cosmetic shops, shopping centres, beauty saloons and parlours.

DATA ANALYSIS

Data analysis is conducted to reduce, organize and give meaning to the data. The analysis of data from quantitative research involves the use of descriptive procedures to describe study variables and samples. According to Hulme & Grove “The choice of analysis techniques implemented is determine primarily by the research objectives, questions or hypotheses. Data collection, the study variable are measured through the use of a variety of techniques, such as observation, interview, questionnaires, scales and physiological measurement methods”. Lewis- Beck (1995) states that the data analysis helps answer the research question and better the execution of the analysis, the stronger the conclusions.

LIMITATION OF STUDY

The time was very limited to conduct the research on the selected topic because studying the pattern of the consumer buying behaviour needs time to look for more concepts and theories which provide strong background for the proposal.

TIME FRAMEWORK

Week 1

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Week 6

Week 7

Research of the topic

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Proposal statement

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Statement of problem & objectives

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Purpose of study

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Research methodology

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Literature review

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Data analysis

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Limitation

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Final draft

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FORMS OF PRESENTATION

This proposal will be presented in written form followed the below report structure.

Title

Abstract

Introduction

Literature Review

Research Methodology

Sources & Acquisition of Data

Data Analysis

Time framework

References

In addition, some graphs, charts & tables may be added in order to illustrate the result or analysis the data in the dissertation.