The habits and preferences of today’s consumer have gone through different changes over the years, and especially after the pandemic.
These adjustments in consumer behavior have been driven by the digitalization of commerce, as well as new habits of more sustainable, healthy and local commerce consumption.
Marketing and consumer behavior
Consumer behavior is the purchasing habits, social trends, frequency patterns and factors in their environment that can influence their judgment when making a purchase.
The speed of changes in fashion, technology and trends affect purchasing habits and frequency.
Being able to track these adjustments and understand the reasons is key to the marketing strategy since by anticipating it it is possible to launch new products and services, according to the consumer’s needs.
When creating products and services designed for the target customer, it is necessary to take into account that each consumer will have a different idea and attitude regarding the purchase. Knowing what is important to each consumer and what their pain points are will be key to the strategy.
Changes in the buyer profile
Thanks to the changes in the consumer market in recent years, the buyer profile has changed towards one that is more emotional, selective and more careful regarding their personal information. Being able to know the habits and preferences of the current consumer then allows us to adapt to their preferences.
The Internet and digitalization have brought great changes for consumers, providing greater options to satisfy the same need.
For this reason, it is necessary to investigate and know the personality of the target customer, and thus be able to offer them the best product or service solution, efficient communication and customer service that reflects their preferences.
Brand loyalty
According to the recent Relationship Marketing Study of the Spanish Marketing Association, it appears that 35% of consumers are loyal to the products and services of their favorite brand, despite variations in price. For this reason, implementing strategies that stimulate customer loyalty is key to retaining them and increasing their lifetime value.
In turn, 73% of consumers recognize a preference for the brand or product they buy regularly, and the youngest are the ones who have the greatest adherence to their favorite brands.
Regarding brand loyalty, preference can be a result of good price-quality ratio, as well as satisfaction. So having a customer service strategy and a high-quality product or service will be key to consumer decision-making.
On the other hand, it is true that consumers are willing to discover new brands, both in physical stores and by receiving comments and opinions from family, friends and social networks.
Omnichannel purchasing
Currently, online shopping has taken a major role in consumer habits, both on mobile devices and desktop computers.
The preference will depend on different factors and the consumer’s behavior, regarding the type of purchase. A purchase of a computer will not be the same as a purchase of clothing or food, or a car.
Some consumers will research the purchase from their mobile phone and even see brands’ ads there, but they will make the purchase in a store or from a computer.
Millennials and Generation Z are those who most prefer omnichannel shopping. They carry out comparative searches for price and information about the products, and will even use their mobile phone to continue comparing within the same physical store.
In this way, the physical store will be chosen to be able to locate the product, and even for a moment of leisure. However, the online store will be the best option for those looking for convenience. Those under 34 years of age want to read reviews and be able to track orders.
The importance of knowing the habits and preferences of today’s consumer
Investigating, identifying and knowing the habits of the target customer brings benefits for companies since they will be able to create a more efficient Marketing Strategy in accordance with the consumer’s choices. Campaigns must be designed for each group of consumers and based on their behavior, so being able to understand the factors that affect decisions will be the key to success.
On the other hand, being able to retain and retain customers is more beneficial than obtaining new ones. Therefore, building strong relationships with customers strengthens brand image and increases return and conversion. Being able to analyze trends will allow you to offer customers what they are looking for.
To increase sales, it is necessary to know the potential buyers of each segment, as well as their habits, and be able to generate better conversations that convert into sales. Having knowledge of the target’s tastes and preferences allows you to make intelligent decisions regarding the strategy.
On the other hand, analyzing consumer behaviors allows for better market and competition research. Knowing the purchases that the consumer makes in the competition and the reasons will allow us to create strategies that attract buyers.
