Household Buyer Behaviour
Introduction: definition of household
Despite, very often, marketers plan strategies focused on individual purchasing decision, most consumptions are thought and made within the household circle. But, what is a household? There are several definitions about this social group. One of the most used is U.S. Census Bureau’s definition “Every occupied housing unit in the nation comprises one household”. Hence U.S Census bases its idea of household on residential unit rather than on affections or kinship. Pretty different is the meaning given by the House Community “ Household is the economic unit based on sexual relationship between husband and wife, and the biological relationship between parents and children". In this case the household is firstly considered as an economic unit, or rather a social nucleus which produces expenses and incomes. Then this economic concept is fortified by the utilization of the expression “sexual and biological relationship” which adds a deeper sense to it. One further division could be identified in “nonfamily household” and “family household”.
Nonfamily category represents only the 30% of the total and it regroups people living alone, people with housemates and unmarried couples. The number of these units is steadily increasing because of many factors: raise of divorces, waiting longer before marriage, waiting longer before getting the degree and becoming independent, rising number of women who have a job outside the familiar nucleus. Even though this social segment is turning wider year by year, it is under-represented in advertising.
Family households are 70% of the total and they are mainly composed by married couple without children, married couple with one or more children, single parents living with one or more children. United Nation’s definition of family is “ The persons within a private or a institutional household who are related as husband and wife or as parent and never-married child by blood or adoption.” However if
Despite, very often, marketers plan strategies focused on individual purchasing decision, most consumptions are thought and made within the household circle. But, what is a household? There are several definitions about this social group. One of the most used is U.S. Census Bureau’s definition “Every occupied housing unit in the nation comprises one household”. Hence U.S Census bases its idea of household on residential unit rather than on affections or kinship. Pretty different is the meaning given by the House Community “ Household is the economic unit based on sexual relationship between husband and wife, and the biological relationship between parents and children". In this case the household is firstly considered as an economic unit, or rather a social nucleus which produces expenses and incomes. Then this economic concept is fortified by the utilization of the expression “sexual and biological relationship” which adds a deeper sense to it. One further division could be identified in “nonfamily household” and “family household”.
Nonfamily category represents only the 30% of the total and it regroups people living alone, people with housemates and unmarried couples. The number of these units is steadily increasing because of many factors: raise of divorces, waiting longer before marriage, waiting longer before getting the degree and becoming independent, rising number of women who have a job outside the familiar nucleus. Even though this social segment is turning wider year by year, it is under-represented in advertising.
Family households are 70% of the total and they are mainly composed by married couple without children, married couple with one or more children, single parents living with one or more children. United Nation’s definition of family is “ The persons within a private or a institutional household who are related as husband and wife or as parent and never-married child by blood or adoption.” However if
References: ▪ Solomon, Bamossy, Askegaard, Hogg,(2010) Consumer Behaviour-A European Perspective Fourth Edition ▪ Wilkie (1994) Consumer Behaviour Third Edition ▪ Solomon, Bamossy, Askegaard, Hogg,(2002) Consumer Behaviour-A European Perspective Second Edition ▪ Mary Lambikin, Gordon Foxall, Fred Van Raaij, Benoit Heilbrunn,(1977) European Perspectives on Consumer Behaviour ▪ William D.Wells, George Gubar, (1966) Life Cycle Concept in Marketing Research ▪ Lavin (1993), Husband-dominant, wife-dominant, joint ----------------------- Consumption expenditure of households on goods and services, EU-27, 2006