Changes of Consumer Practices: Consumer Culture

NB: We do not resell your papers. Upon ordering, we do an original paper exclusively for you.

NB: All your data is kept safe from the public.

Studying the behavior and actions of customers is an integral part of the business. Furthermore, the careful study of these aspects can have a great contribution to the effectiveness of a marketing strategy. That is why companies need to explore this area to achieve the most outstanding performance. In addition, consumer actions or practices are essential in such a science as ethnography. It helps to gain knowledge about the importance of such an indicator as culture in society plays on people’s choices. Thus, this scientific paper aims to study the phenomenon of consumer practices and the acquisition of knowledge that can have advantages for many areas of work with people.

Ethnography plays a unique role in the process of consumer behavior, which examines the relationship between culture and society in the sphere of consumption. In addition, the examined science is based on a comprehensive collection of information about the interacting objects being studied to gain a greater understanding of their dependence on each other. Moreover, this approach focuses on the research of a small number of consumer actors, compared to quantitative researchers, who collect less detailed data about a broader range of items. Thus, ethnography is primarily concerned with the study of how people behave in certain conditions and live a unique experience when faced with a particular situation.

Consequently, the examination of consumer practices can be supplemented by the knowledge that researchers gain when applying ethnography. It is essential to understand that consumer actions are always different and dynamic. It is caused not only by culture and behavior but also by the presence of specific services, tools, and devotion to a suitable level of attention (Gibson-Graham, 2008; Phillips & Jeanes, 2018). Such a view stresses the routine, collective and conventional nature of much consumption.

To better understand the phenomenon of consumer practices, it is crucial to gain a clear understanding of what they are. Thus, this concept implies a “syncretic concept, displaying a chronic ambivalence between two contrasting senses, of purchase and of using-up” (Arvidsson, 2005, p. 237). It is necessary to distinguish between consumption and market exchange since this phenomenon lies deeper than the purchase of commodities of daily life. Hence, great importance in this process relates to the symbolic meaning and use of acquired things.

Consumption is a much broader term and is not limited only to demand requiring its examination as a part of spheres of daily life. Thus, consumption can be defined as a process that includes the appropriation and appreciation of goods, services, or actions (Roos & Hahn, 2019). Moreover, it does not matter whether the purchase is paid; the main thing is that the sellers of the service or product are characterized by adequacy and the presence of all adverse requirements. My experience of consumer activity is quite vast; however, during the spread of coronavirus infection, it has undergone some changes. Now the buyer has an exceptional experience of visiting online platforms to purchase something specific.

As mentioned earlier, consumption affects all areas of people’s lives. Of particular interest are the practices related to this phenomenon that people use when making certain decisions. Thus, to understand this process, it is necessary to take into account various components. Henceforth, observation of spaces and practices that involve consumption and are accessible to me as a member of an existing social network is vital. It can help to give an account of my observations and recollect personal experiences related to consumption and give an account of them. During the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic, trends in this area have transformed as these same transformations have occurred in people’s lives. Hence, there was a change in consumer preferences, and the emphasis was changed to products that are directly related to the new conditions of the spread of the disease. Items such as public satisfaction and information technology have become vital factors in determining the practices used. Along with preferences, marketing strategies, branding, and the entire product and service development sphere have changed as well.

Moreover, consumer interactions with products and companies, settings, times, and themes have generated a new reality for the consumer sphere. That is why it is essential to introduce the knowledge of ethnography into the study of this phenomenon. In my personal experience, the focus on consumer practices has shifted from buying things such as clothing or entertainment and leisure facilities to buying basic necessities such as food, medicines, and means to maintain health and protect oneself from coronavirus infection.

In the same way, the aspects of interactions, the roles performed by people involved in the process, specific knowledge, communication methods, rules, and decisions made have changed. Research highlights the importance of “reconnecting consumers and producers, tell fuller stories of social reproduction, and thereby provoke moral and ethical questions” (Cook, 2004, p. 642). Careful observation and deduction of the changes that occurred, some of which occurred rapidly and some gradually, helped to determine these transformations. Furthermore, they were based on a study of the consumer practices of other people who were in the closest circle of communication, which helped to deduce patterns.

Consumer trends, practices, and solutions are also crucial in the sociological aspect. It is noted that they play a valuable role in the process of forming and expressing both individual and group identities (Elliott, 2020). Therefore, a sure choice of consumers is reflected in such aspects as fashion choices, which allows people to be divided into different style groups (Arvidsson, 2005). This process is caused by the fact that people choose specific products and services according to their own preferences and to convey their own worldview. Moreover, consumer choices are designed to reflect values and traditions, thus forming the visual component of the identity of individuals.

In addition to the positive aspects of consumer practices, such as the reflection of values and identities, this phenomenon has some implications that directly relate to the social aspect. This is due to the subjectivity of the interpretation of a particular visual image that individuals form when making certain consumer decisions. Thus, the negative consequences of this process may be the provocation of such phenomena as exclusion and marginalization in society. Moreover, in the future, there may be conflicts between classes, race or ethnicity, culture, sexuality, and religion. Therefore, consumer practices from the social aspect seem to be an extensive and vital topic for study. One of the relevant topics in the research of consumer practices is the influence of various factors, especially social ones, on the formation of consumer behavior and preferences. The obtained qualitative data correlate with contexts, persons, and types of information and support the above point of view.

References

Arvidsson, A. (2005). Brands: A critical perspective.Journal of Consumer Culture, 5(2), 235-258.

Cook, I. (2004). Follow the thing: Papaya. Antipode, 36(4), 642-664.

Elliott, R. (2020). Making up people: Consumption as a symbolic vocabulary for the construction of identity. Routledge.

Gibson-Graham, J. K. (2008). Diverse economies: Performative practices for ‘other worlds’.Progress in Human Geography, 32(5), 613-632.

Phillips, M., & Jeanes, E. (2018). What are the alternatives? Organising for a socially and ecologically sustainable world.Ephemera, 18(4), 695-708.

Roos, D., & Hahn, R. (2019). Understanding collaborative consumption: An extension of the theory of planned behavior with value-based personal norms.Journal of Business Ethics, 158(3), 679-697.

Click Here To Order Now!

Changes of Consumer Practices: Consumer Culture

Do you need this or any other assignment done for you from scratch?

We have qualified writers to help you.

We assure you a quality paper that is 100% free from plagiarism and AI.

You can choose either format of your choice ( Apa, Mla, Havard, Chicago, or any other)