Cosmetics Shopping Behavior Case Study

.

How

do

consumers

’

cultural,

social,

personal,

and

psychological

characteristics

affect

their

cosmetics

shopping

behavior?

How

do

these

factors

affect

the

way

cosmetics

executives view consumers? How are these factors changing?

As

the

text suggests, culture

is the

most

basic cause

of

a

person

‘

s wants

and

behavior.

The

case suggests that, as in many other product areas, Japanese women have been demanding but

loyal customers willing to pay high prices for high-quality cosmetics.

The case also indicates

that Shiseido

‘

s traditions fit very well in Japan, but many not be as suitable for the American

market where they are unknown.

Students may suggest that

They

like

cosmetics

to

be

available

in

drug,

grocery,

and

discount stores where they normally have to shop anyway

.

They are also more likely to buy

cosmetics through catalogs in order to save time.

The better educated consumer described in

the case would have the self confidence to select cosmetics on the basis of factors other than

glamour, image and prestige of manufacturer and retailer.

They would be willing to shop in

discount stores

and

buy

substitute

brands

if

the

value

of Shiseido

or

other

designer

brands

(such as Lauder, Lancome, etc.) is not demonstrably higher.

Personality and self-concept are especially important in cosmetics, because, as the case notes,

cosmetics are an image-driven product. How consumers feel about themselves and about how

cosmetics help them will drive their shopping behavior. If women feel the need to improve as

they

have

in

the

past,

they

will

be

more

attracted

to

products

which

promise

to

remove

wrinkles

or slow

the

aging

process.

This could

be changing,

however,

as

the

baby

boomers

age.

For

once,

the

largest segment