THE FAMILY AND CONSUMER Childless couples who are both working has

BEHAVIOR the buying power for almost all household

items ranging from new television sets,
The Filipino family is a unique composition of appliances, and electronic gadgets of the latest
members of the father and mother and all the models. Married couples who are working as
children living in the same house. In many junior executives would have the latest model
instances , we have extended family where in- of cars for their personal use or a new
laws live together in the same household. condominium unit. They will be eating more in
restaurants or fast food chain as they don't have
It is our custom that the father and mother much time to cook at home. Shopping could be
support all the needs children until they raise done after office hours as most malls are still
their own family, or even after they family of open till late in the evening.
their own. This close family ties has its positive
the mutual assistance of both parties extend 2. The family with two or more children
throughout the family life cycle. The success of
the family is gauged on the success of the The family with two or more children who are
children and their generation. At old age the at the affluent bracket that lives in exclusive
father or the mother is supposedly taken cares subdivisions within Metro Manila have all the
off by their children. money to buy what they wish and want.

On the negative note, the extended family The common family of this type are within the
which includes the relatives of both the father middle d lower income bracket of the
and the mother, the dwellings become too Philippine society. The family life style and
compact and the family expenses become consuming behavior is the main focus of the
difficult to manage. lhey have to share the marketers as they composed the major
earnings of the father and mother for food and segments of the marketing demographics. They
other household necessities. There are many of need the basic consumer goods found in retail
these cases in the urban and the adjacent grocery stores, public markets or even in the
metropolis where the opportunity for education corner sari-sari stores. The education of the
and employment are usually found. Many live children is mostly in public schools or in state
in squatter areas where housing is the problem colleges where they can afford the tuition and
of the government and dwellings are not other fees.
available to accommodate the growing
population. 3 The family with In—Laws

Demographics of the Filipino Households The family with the In-Laws are similarly
within the same social bracket as the family
Demographics of the household refer to the with two or more children. The head of the
composition of the family living together in the family, usually the father, takes care of the
same house and sharing all the facilities family needs for food, clothing and shelter and
therein. The Filipino household can be group the other physiological needs. The major
into the following categories; buying decision is usually with the approval Of
the family members especially when the in-
 The married couple with no children laws still have great influence in the purchase
 The father and mother with two or more decisions.
children
 The family with the in-laws 4. The Extended Family
 The extended family that includes the
relatives The extended family becomes more
 Single father or single mother complicated but the customary practice could
 Single men or women living alone not be avoided as the family ties operate within
the tradition of the Filipinos. While
Marketers take the individual consumers within consumption increases, the income of the
the h as a particular unit of interest. The goal is family has not improved to meet the basic life
to describe and strategies can be developed to necessities. The meager income has to be
more effectively influence buying process. divided with the members of the family for
Changes in the family demographics can basic education and the daily need for food,
influence the design of the marketing mix. The clothing and shelter.
age brackets of the have implications in the
buying process as consumers change the 5. The Single Mother or Father
patterns of behavior over time.
The growing morality of the west has
1. Married couples without children encroached and engulfed the true Filipino
values of family relationships. Separations and
annulment became prevalent in the social order It refers to the family member who provided the
and this affected the good Christian social information about the product or service in the
values of the family. While the buying behavior market and influenced the decision process. The
could be similar to the previous discussions, the child may influence the mother to buy the new
decision-making process is either the single brand of hotdog he tasted in the neighborhood.
father or single mother. She may be the mother who saw a brand new
flat TV sets as a possible replacement of their
6. The Single Male or Female old TV in the living room. They may be anyone
who has new information and play a great role
There are male and female consumers who in making the purchase decision.
would like to remain single not because they
like freedom but they enjoy their single b. The Gatekeeper of Information
blessedness as they can buy things they want
without much conflict The gatekeeper controls the flow of
information among family members. They may
THE FAMILY ROLE IN PURCHASING be any member of the family who has access to
BEHAVIOR product information from magazines,
televisions
Marketers are interested on how family
members interact and one another in making advertisements, or the Internet. New and
purchase decisions for the entire —holds. innovative product information is available in
Different people in the family may take magazines and other mass media.
different social roles and perform different
behavior during decision making. The amount c. The Decision Maker
of influence exerted by the husband, the wife
and the children varies according to the stages The decision maker is usually the mother or the
of the decision process. father under the Filipino concepts of paternal
authority. On the other hand, there is a
1. Problem Recognition changing behavior concept that is given to the
children to buy the things they want as they are
It refers to the process of analyzing the now more aware of their rights and obligations.
existence of the problem of what product to buy Unlike the old concepts, what mother and father
at which store offers the best brand, and what wants to buy are good for the children, For
price would be most acceptable. Problem major decisions, the whole family takes
recognition is most important in major family individual analysis and make suggestions.
decision like buying a new house or a new car. Buying a new house or car could be a major
Minor decisions may be done by any member decision.
of the family who exerted the most influence.
d. Buyer of Goods
2. The Search for Information
Once decision is reached any member of the
As the family experience the major decision family may be delegated to buy the product. For
stage, the search for information may be most grocery items and other od stuff, the
through any member of the family who have mother or the father takes the central stage for
access to the needed information. Information the purchase especially after work or on
may be available through product catalogue, weekends. Children who are in their teens and
magazines, the Internet, Or the product have the capacity to choose the products there
distributors themselves. is are prior given approval the money on what
to buy items what or products they want
3. The Final Choice of the Product

It may pointed out that in the Filipino context,

the Head of the family who is usually the e. The Product Users
husband has the final say authority to make the
final say but in some instances wife exerted the Usually products bought for the family are for
authority to make the final say. On the other everybody's consumption except for products
hand, the more the educated family values on that is intended for specific users. Groceries and
the sharing of authority, the majority rule is food stuff are for family members while cellular
practice. phone is intended for the specific member of
the family. Family computer may be shared by
It is important that marketers identify the the members of the household including the
following role behavior; extended members of the family in a limited
scale.
a. The Influencer
CONFLICT IN FAMILY DECISION- family may have the highest level of
MAKING importance as the affective and cognitive
response involve most family members in terms
It is likely that conflict may arise when more of travel convenience. The social environment
than one member of the family makes the of the supposed relocation site plays major role
decision. Decision conflict arises when family for the growing children.
members disagree about some aspects of the
purchase decisions. Family members may Major conflict role behavior also arise when
disagree about the desired end-goals of the decision about the school and the course the
purchase. When the father wanted to have children will take after high school as it
vacation trip in an island resort for relaxation involves financial as well as social implications.
away from the noise of the metropolis and the The state universities may offer the best course
wife wanted to spend more on shopping and in terms of passing board examinations, the
some night life for pleasure, and the children high standard of faculty, and the affordable
would like some adventure and excitement in tuition fee, but the social standing of the family
amusement parks, there exists decision conflict would not fit e institution's social cognitive
in the family. level of importance.

Differences in the end goals of the family often 3. The Gender Role Orientation
create major conflict because very different
choice alternatives are likely to provide these It refers to the orientation of the spouses who
incompatible ends. To end these differences, are major decision makers in family purchase.
negotiations may be required to resolve the It is the extent that the husband and the wife
issue on hand. When financial resources are follow the normative conceptions on how male
available, the husband may agree on short and female should behave
shopping activities with the wife while the
children go to the theme park for some THE INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL GROUP
excitement. When financial resource is limited,
all the end-goals of the conflicting parties are Social groups and family are aspects of the
put on hold. micro-social environment for consumers. Social
interactions with reference groups and family
here are serious conflicting purchase decisions are often direct and face-to-face. These
that family may encounter in the course of their interaction processes can have immediate
family life cycle. the this happened, some may influence on consumers' cognitive, affective
ignore the problem and hope that the situation and behavior response to marketing strategies.
will resolve itself. Some members of the family The social interaction in the environment is
may t to influence the other members and created when two friends go shopping together
develop consensus for the goal objective. and influence each others shopping experience.
each one influences the decision process of
The family following has factors great what product to buy and creates the overall
influence have major resolving purchase satisfaction with the purchase, the social
decisions. roles in conflict resolutions; interaction is positive.

1. The Financial Resources of the Family The following types of reference groups that
Members influence buying decisions

The member of the family that has the greatest Formal Groups
contribution to the family expenses has the
greater influence in the decisions making - This refers to groups that have clearly
process. When financial resources are limited, specified structure like the office or the
the head of the family who is usually the father school system Where the Consumer
or the mother makes the greater influence in the belongs. There is face to face contact
purchase decision. working children who have everyday and direct communication.
financial income that is contributed to the
family budget may also influence the buying Primary Groups
decision. This is the case in most Filipino
family decision-making process. - The family is the primary group that the
consumer deals with everyday in their
2. The Level of Importance of the Decision buying decisions. This may also involve
Purchase reference groups of office and school mates
that the Consumer is associated with daily.
Resolving the purchase conflict is dependent
on the level of the purchase decision on the Membership Groups
family members. Buying a new house for the
- This may refer to church organizations and yet it is followed as the standard of ethical
other social associations where the values for the profession. Students should use
consumer is an active member. The social the proper uniform while in P.E. classes or the
interaction during club meetings and standard school uniform when attending
informal gatherings may influence to some academic classes.
extent the buying decisions.
2. Group Role Values
Aspirational Groups
A role consists of the specific behavior
- This may refer to such groups that the expected of a person in a certain position. The
consumer would like to aspire to join and professor is a role model for all the students
eventually emulate the kind of behavior. under his class as he can exert normative
This group may be the Rotary Club, Lions pressures on the students to study well. The
and the Kiwanis International or the father being the head of the family is
Knights of Columbus. presumably the decider in major decision
purchases.
Dissociative Group
Reaching the father with promotional message
- This refers to the group of which the on new model of car and that he is ready to buy
consumer would like to avoid. These are one at the moment, may make the difference of
social groups that the consumers' beliefs making a sale.
and values do not jibe with personal
perception of value. Students in Catholic schools are supposed to
dress in th context of Christian values.
REFERENCE GROUPS Participating in bikini contest Wi be considered
as taboo and out of the values of modesty Th Il
Reference groups are sets of people that the are expected to behave and line silently going
consumer share certain values and beliefs with to their classes Unwary behavior would mean
and develop specific meanings and behavior that they will be called to th principal's office
norms about things. Reference groups are used for explanation and if warranted suspension
by members to evaluate the correctness of their
action, beliefs and attitudes. When a consumer 3. The Development of Conformity Pressures
shops with a group, the tendency is there will
be changes in the buying decision. When Conformity pressure is the change in behavior
consumers alone, it becomes a planned or belief toward the group as a real or
purchase. shop peer groups of college students imaginary group pressure. The cohesiveness of
may share meanings and behavior norms about the social groups can influence the consumer
the type of rubber shoes for physical education. decision to buy certain type of products that the
They may share the same meanings for the kind group prefers to use or buy. In certain instances,
of haircut and the kind of arm band that is the the expert opinion of the members of the group
"in thing" for the day. These reference groups may influence change in the decision to buy a
can influence the affective and cognitive certain car model due to the experience of the
responses as well as their purchase and members about its performance. The size of the
consumption behavior. social group may also influence the purchase
decision of the consumer as conformity to
Five Mean Factors that Affect Consumer social pressure prevails.
Behavior
The social ties between the seller and the
1. Group Influence Process consumer are factors that will influence the
buying decisions. A friend or associates or
Reference groups affect consumers through members of the social organization in which the
norms, through information and, and through consumer is an active member will be influence
the value-expressive needs. A norm is defined to buy product especially when the product is
as the behavioral rule of conduct agreed upon within the economic reach of the consumer.
by the majority in order to establish behavioral
consistency. It represents the standard for which 4. Social comparison Process
the group should behave or it is the shared
value judgement on how things should be done It refers to the process of assessing the group
by the member. opinions and abilities by comparing the
consumers' personal beliefs and perception
Normative influence occurs when norms act to about the product. Social comparison
influence individual's behavior. The use of determines the consumers stand on the
corporate attire for school professors and proper correctness of the information and makes
decorum in the classroom is unwritten policy assessment of their opinions, abilities and
possessions of valid data. This process requires
careful evaluation of alternatives as presented
by the social groups. The consumer makes
personal evaluation of the information received
according to his personal beliefs, opinion and
cognitive perceptions.

There are two appraisal methods of analysis of

information under the social comparison
process. The first is called the reflective
appraisal which requires the consumer to
examine

the manner in which other members of the

social group interact with him. It may refer to
the manner of delivering the information as to
their honesty and sincerity in delivering the
message. The second method, comparative
appraisal, the consumer must interact with
others in the group and evaluate his own
relative standing with respect to attitudes,
beliefs, abilities and emotions.

5. The Development of Group Polarization

It is the process by which the consumer

engaged in deliberate discussions about the
product or service. It is an evaluation process
where alternative choices are presented. The
alternative is viewed as to the risks involved
and the possible consequences of the possible
decision. The expertness of the opinions and the
information presented may influence the buying
the decision.

Group polarization is commonly practiced in

corporate setting where various alternative
solutions are presented for discussion. The risks
involved and the financial viability of the
proposals are put into the table for elaborate
evaluation. The best alternatives are discussed
before final decision is arrived.

Reference group concepts have been used by

advertisers in their effort to persuade consumers
to purchase products and brand. Portraying
products being consumed in socially pleasant
situation, the use of prominent personalities and
attractive people in endorsing products and
services are marketing strategies to influence
consumer behavior. It is the persuasive attempt
to market products and brands to demonstrate
the belief that reference groups expose
consumers to behavior and lifestyles of the
social groups. Marketers try to influence the
development of self-concept and contribute to
the formation of values and attitudes, and
generate pressures for conformity to the social
group norm