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Why People Buy Things They Don't Need:
Understanding and Predicting Consumer Behavior
From Publishers Weekly
Danziger, who owns a marketing research and consulting company, dismisses people who worry that too much personal spending imperils individual financial security and crowds out public spending; she even cites the World Trade Center attacks to argue that overshopping is a patriotic duty. Right-thinking Americans, according to the author, encourage people to buy things they don't need by focusing on the shopping and ownership experience rather than on the good or service itself. This "sell the sizzle, not the steak" advice is not original, but this book elaborates on it by defining five types of consumers using 14 different "justifiers" to make unnecessary purchases; some of these are illustrated by a company that exploits the niche. The bulk of the book consists of statistical summaries of 37 different product areas. The sales approach is one-dimensional and described only in sketches, though the marketing text covers the theoretical ideas with more depth and balance. The book appears to be aimed at marketing consultants who need to brainstorm ideas in different product categories, and for this audience the author provides the enthusiasm to inspire proposals and enough data for the first draft.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Fast Company, September 2004
"...the best study of consumer purchasing trends since Paco Underhill's seminal Why We Buy..."
USA Today, August 16, 2004
"For investors, [Why People Buy] is a road map to winners and losers in retail."
Stan Krangel, President, Lenox
Pam's reminds us that a company's greatest asset is its customer. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Joe Walsmith, Chairman of the Board, Willits Designs
A must read for marketers who want to go beyond the numbers and understand the whys of consumer behavior. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Brenda G. Saget, Vice President and Publisher, House & Garden
I will recommend this book to all of our clients who are interested in understanding today's luxury marketplace. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Book Description
Consumers shop to satisfy emotional needs and desires-if a company is selling to emotion, then it's in the business of luxury. What motivates consumers to buy? Is it pleasure? Education? Entertainment? Status? Or just an impulse? Knowing why consumers buy what they do is the secret to predicting how they will behave in the ever-changing marketplace. In most cases, much of what people buy are items they really don't need. Focusing on the "whys" of spending, Danziger has meticulously profiled customers in more than 30 categories of discretionary spending through research based on surveys, interviews, and focus groups from a variety of people who make discretionary purchases. She provides readers with a vision of the future, giving them the foresight to anticipate the needs and desires of their customers. This groundbreaking guide will help marketers of all products understand the underlying motivators consumers use to both make their purchases and become satisfied, loyal customers. In Why People Buy Things They Don't Need, Danziger examines:
* The 14 justifiers that give consumers "permission" to buy.
* Trends impacting why people purchase what they do.
* How to sell even more to these customers.
* The future of discretionary spending.
From the Inside Flap
Home selling parties are on the rise. Internet shopping is finally taking off. And much of what people are buying is things they don’t need. Or do they?
Why are Americans buying home textiles, kitchen gadgets, lots of computer software, candles and aromatherapy products, new furniture before the old stuff is worn out, gardening items, and a host of other discretionary purchases?
Pamela Danziger shares insights about consumer behavior gleaned from more than 20 years of researching the "whys" of spending. No matter what they spend their money on, most consumers use one of 14 "justifiers" revealed in this ground-breaking guide. Danziger believes that in order for consumer-goods companies to survive in this shifting world, they must deepen their understanding of consumer motivation.
In most cases, "improving our quality of life" is at least one of the justifiers used. That one alone may encompass others, like stress relief, replacing an old item, beautifying the home, or simply the entertainment value of the shopping experience itself.
In this book you’ll find profiles of customers for nearly 30 categories of discretionary spending. You’ll find an exploration of 14 different "justifiers" people use to rationalize their purchases. The book includes examples from excellent marketers like Yankee Candle, Lenox, Bulgari, Tiffany, and Gateway among others who use their knowledge of these motivators to help consumers justify their purchases and become satisfied customers. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
About the Author
An astute market researcher for more than 20 years, Pam Danziger is president of Unity Marketing, a marketing consulting firm serving consumer product businesses. With a client list that includes many Fortune 500 corporations, Danziger discovers the "whys" behind consumer luxury and discretionary purchases to help her clients expand their market share. A former marketer and business planner for AT&T and the Franklin Mint, she has become a nationally recognized expert in consumer marketing and technology. Danziger has been quoted and interviewed for a number of top national business publications and network news shows.
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