Product Description

Knowing why consumers buy what they do is the secret to predicting how they will behave in a shifting world. Yet, marketers often look only at actual consumer behavior, without finding out why the choices were made.

Pamela Danziger, president of Unity Marketing, has been an astute researcher of the "whys" behind consumer behavior for more than 20 years. She began writing this book before September 11, 2001. After the terrorist attacks, she added to her research to help her understand how purchase behavior might have changed, the underlying causes, and what companies could do to win the hearts of their customers in a difficult and changing world.

This insight-filled book is based upon surveys, interviews, and focus groups with hundreds of men and women of all ages who make discretionary purchases—who buy things they could probably do without. She explains that the roots of human behavior are remarkably stable throughout one’s life, and these are the best predictor s of how changes in the external environment will affect consumer behavior. Ms. Danziger’s book profiles customers for dozens of categories, of discretionary spending, explores 14 different "justifiers" that people use to rationalize when they buy things they could do without, and provides myriad examples from excellent marketers who have used their knowledge of underlying motivators to help consumers justify their purchases and become satisfied customers. Corporate leaders, marketing and sales executives, strategic planners, futurists, and merchandisers are sure to benefit from this analysis of why people buy.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1926889 in Books
• Published on: 2004-04-30
• Original language: English
• Dimensions: .2 pounds
• Binding: Hardcover
• 290 pages

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.
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About the Author
Pamela N. Danziger is founder and president of Unity Marketing, a marketing consulting firm serving consumer product businesses that sell luxury and discretionary products. Her work is designed to help companies capture more market share and build brand equity by deepening their understanding of their customers. She lives in Stevens, Pennsylvania with her husband and two children.