A Brief Guide to Shopper Psychographics

Having worked in retail for a little over three months now and having been a shopper for over 20 years, I am fascinated by the dynamics of the shopping environment and the different types of shoppers I encounter each day.

Here are a few key shopper psychographics I’ve observed:

The deliberate shopper: These people have done their research. All they need is a sales associate to process the sale. These shoppers are the easiest to deal with because factors like price, size, color, etc. are really non-factors as long as the exact product they’re looking for is available and on display for purchase.

The unsure shopper: I like helping these shoppers because they have a direction in mind, but need a little convincing or reinforcement on their decision. I work with handbags, so most often it is a matter of weighing the pros and cons of a few different bags based on the purchaser’s intended use for the bag.

The negotiating shopper: I know in some countries and at some ‘less corporate’ stores you can haggle prices, but don’t try it in a chain store. I appreciate the fact that you want to buy six handbags to give to your family back in your home country, but prices are fixed unless there’s a flaw in the product.

The deal, special, and clearance shopper (not to be confused with the coupon shopper): Some shoppers ask what’s on sale before even browsing the selling floor. They refuse to buy anything that isn’t discounted. I can respect that, but asking the question “when is this going on sale” is not answerable. Play the sale betting game like everyone else – and if it goes on sale within 10 days of purchase, bring it back for a price adjustment.

The coupon shopper: I am amazed at the intense need (yes, it is a need for some people) to utilize coupons. I get coupons for my favorite stores fairly frequently, but I use maybe 25% of those coupons. The coupon shopper does everything in their power to use their coupons, even if it means buying extra items they didn’t need in order to meet the qualifying purchase requirements.

The lonely shopper: This shopper is out by herself, but needs a second opinion. This is where my job goes from sales associate to shopping buddy. You’d be amazed at the decision-making that goes into selecting the right pair of nylons for work vs. a wedding or selecting the perfect handbag for a business trip vs. a cruise. Being an unbiased friend to these shoppers not only helps them make a decision, but also makes them feel good about the decision.

The gift shopper: My favorites are the men shopping for their girlfriends, wives, mothers, etc. who have no clue about handbags. Explaining the benefits of a particular bag is enlightening for these shoppers because they never knew how much thought goes into the purchase. Another gift shopper includes those shopping for their younger relatives (wants advice on what is trendy for the grandkids).

The aspirational shopper: These shoppers are necessarily in the store to buy anything, but they like to look and dream about the products they wish they could afford. Working with the higher-end handbags, I encounter a lot of these shoppers and sometimes it’s fun, sometimes it’s just sad. Fun times are when the person is absolutely smitten by a handbag, is upbeat, and almost regrets not being able to purchase the bag. Sad times are when the person is seriously considering purchasing a bag out of their price range and either their conscience or their shopping partner (often a husband or boyfriend) reminds them that it’s just not in the budget. The fun aspirational shopper realizes that it is fun to wish; the sad aspirational shopper might consider forgoing groceries to buy that bag.

In a retail environment it is fun to see the categories in action, and as a shopper it is interesting when I recognize my own shopping habits falling into one or more of these categories. Recognizing how a person is shopping is beneficial to the seller because she can tailor her sales pitch to fit the consumer behavior. Recognizing one’s own behavior is certainly beneficial in making wise purchase decisions and perhaps correcting some bad shopper behavior.

Are you one of these shoppers? Do you know shoppers that fit these categories? What other types of shoppers are there? I would love to hear your stories and opinions.

On being open to possibilities

Remember when you were a kid and you dreamed of being an astronaut? Then you grew up and became an accountant. Okay, maybe this post is not about such extreme changes in your job search. But it is about being open to different possibilities. For example, I went to college and got a degree in public relations. But my job search focuses on so much more than assistant account executive jobs at public relations agencies. It includes, but is not limited to: assistant project manager, marketing research assistant, marketing analyst, business analyst, project coordinator, B2B marketing coordinator, and a host of other job titles at public relations agencies, advertising agencies, branding companies, interactive companies, financial corporations, technology corporations, consumer products corporations, and the list goes on and on.

I think too often college students are conditioned into following one career path, so much so that they miss out on great opportunities or worse they end up with a career they hate. Throughout college I was – without it ever being explicitly stated by anyone – led to believe that after graduation I would go to work at a public relations agency as an assistant account executive. Sure there was the mention here and there about working as a communications coordinator at a non-profit or for a U.S. congressman, but the main focus always came back to writing press releases and developing communication campaigns.

Don’t misread my frustrations; if given the opportunity, I wouldn’t go back and change my major or my university. But I would have listened more to the voice in my head that said, ‘This is not exactly right for me.’ At the beginning of my job search following graduation, my focus was extremely narrow. Now, a year and a half later, I can confidently say that the skills I learned in my PR program are applicable to more than the “typical” entry-level positions taken by students of PR.

The recession and this dismal job market have probably also played a part in my willingness to seek employment in less traditional places – as I’m sure it has done for many people who lost their jobs. Heck, maybe the recession is a blessing in disguise for some people who have been stuck in careers they despised. Whatever the circumstances – you’re still in school, you recently graduated, or you’re looking for what’s next – don’t let yourself be pigeonholed by what you’ve done (your major, your internships, your 15-year career as a financial planner) and be open to opportunities where your skills are transferable and maybe even highly desired.

And since I don’t want to leave you wondering, ‘what does she mean? How is my science major transferable to anything other than being a scientist?’ Here are a few examples:

• Psychology major – understanding human nature is a huge part of being a financial planner or a stockbroker, if you like numbers, too, why not try something in this industry, or get involved in marketing research
• Performing arts major – coming across movie roles is tough, but I bet schools in your area are always looking for great drama teachers or directors for after school musical groups, or if you’ve got one of those great voices, why not get into voiceover work for radio or TV commercials, or maybe you’re a great storyteller, that’s good for copywriting
• Business major – I know most people that study accounting go on to work for one of the big accounting firms, but why not look into consulting, financial planning for a non-profit, or if you’re not a suit kind of person, accounting for a marketing agency
• Engineers – so you’re great with all the technical stuff, but maybe you like writing or events planning, too… why not get into a technical industry through a large company’s communications department or write for a technical magazine
• History major – so you spent most of college writing excessively long papers and decided you don’t want to write history books for a very long time, there’s teaching, working in a museum, your local historical society, not to mention how much government agencies love a history major
• PR/Marketing/Communications people – cross-over! It’s amazing how much we learn to love one aspect of marketing communications when we’re devoted to studying or working in it. Been an account exec at an agency? Why not get into account management at a research firm. Wrote a lot of press release and pitched a lot of media? Why not look into becoming a media buyer?

The possibilities are – supposedly – endless, so explore beyond what you think or what you’ve been told to explore.

Can you imagine living in a less-connected world?

It’s hard to believe that there are people in this world who choose to live without the convenience that modern technology provides us. But this past weekend, I discovered there are people out there that get by without constant connection.

Some relatives were visiting for the holidays, and somehow or another the topic of bank accounts came up. A family member hadn’t opened a savings account for their toddler yet and didn’t even use a savings account for their own finances. I’ve had a savings account since I was born. I can’t imagine keeping track of my finances without the help of my bank (nor could I justify not earning – although minimal – interest on my savings).

Later on, we flipped through our 100 or so cable channels to try and find a football score, and I learned the same family member without more than a checking account has also never had cable and recently got rid of her home internet service. Her family can afford these services, but chooses not to have them. And it’s not that they live in the boondocks and are completely old fashioned either. Her family lives 30 minutes from the city and she works in an office where she uses computers most of the day.

Needless to say, I was dumbfounded. I can’t imagine not having the Internet, cable, a savings account. And I just got an internet-enabled phone so I can stay even more connected to my e-mail, Twitter, and even my three bank accounts! How can my relatives get by in today’s world of hyper-connection and information-on-demand?

I remember when my last living grand parent passed away. My family went through the house from top-to-bottom looking for miscellaneous coffee cans, shoe boxes, and other containers filled with my grandpa’s hidden savings. He had bank accounts, sure, but he also kept cash on hand – probably more than was really necessary. I also have older family members who still don’t do e-mail or have home computers… but I can understand their ability to survive without because the technology wasn’t around for most of their lives.

Then there’s my own childhood. I remember when I was in grade school and my family didn’t own a computer. There was a time when I wasn’t connected to the world beyond those people I called on the telephone. But I can’t imagine being a child these days, growing up without the ability to connect with kids halfway across the world. And I can’t imagine not wanting to connect (at least some of the time) for purposes beyond what your job demands.

There is definitely something to be said for playing in the backyard and creating imaginary worlds with your dolls and action heroes, but once you’re past the age of play-dates and night games how do you survive without an Internet connection? I do like a weekend here or there away from technology. But to live every day without the ease of looking up a recipe, flipping through the latest headlines, and accessing financial statements with the click of a mouse… that is not something I think I can compromise. Cable… yea, I could survive with just the network channels.

But how does someone in their mid-thirties live each day of their life without what has become a basic necessity? Are you 18-40 years of age and “unconnected” at home? Can you live a life without the ability to connect at the flip of a switch? Help me imagine surviving in that world…

Seeking Guidance From the Saints

Today is St. Andrew’s Day. While many people won’t think twice about this saint’s feast day, some (especially in places like Scotland where St. Andrew is the patron saint) celebrate and honor the life of St. Andrew with customary meals, rituals, and prayer. When I saw St. Andrew’s Day on my calendar, I thought about cooking a Scottish dinner (I can’t help but reminiscence about bland, hearty food every once and a while). And that got me thinking about saints and their feast days and why we seek guidance from and celebrate saints.

A saint can be briefly defined as someone who the Catholic Church (and sometimes others) recognizes formally as being exceptionally selfless and holy. Much like religion in general, patron saints can be wonderful guidance for believers. Their lives teach people lessons in being selfless and holy.

As I mentioned, people in Scotland celebrate St. Andrew as their patron saint. Details on how he got this honor are a bit sketchy, but somehow or another Andrew’s relics made it to Scotland and he is said to watch over the great northern lands. And year after year Scots celebrate their holy protector. Looking into what makes a saint a patron saint, I found that sometimes groups of people – nations, members of a certain occupation, churches, people with certain illnesses, etc. – chose saints to be special protectors or guardians. The saint these groups chose is often one who had a reputation or connections with the defining characteristic of the group. I think this is a pretty neat.

When I was confirmed into the Catholic Church, I chose Agnes as my confirmation saint. I didn’t know anything about Agnes when I decided to choose her, rather I chose her because I had a great-grandmother named Agnes and I liked the name. I found out she is the patron saint of young girls, which is fitting for confirmation since at the time I was still a young girl. Looking back, I don’t recall seeking guidance from St. Agnes on the subject of being confirmed in the Catholic Church, but as I read more and more about saints, I am ever more convinced that there is probably a saint for everyone seeking guidance in their lives.

I googled “patron saint of marketing,” and although the Catholic Online Saints database doesn’t list a specific saint of my profession, I did find St. Bernardine in another database. It is said that St. Bernardine’s preaching skills "were so great, and the conversions so numerous, that he has become associated with all areas of speaking, advertising, public relations, etc." There’s a prayer to St. Bernardine that asks for help choosing words of love over words of shame. I can get behind that for sure.

Have you ever set your shoe outside your door on December 5 and woken up on December 6 to find goodies in your shoe? December 6 is the feast day of St. Nicholas who was known for secret gift-giving and is a model for our more secular Santa Claus. Even if you’re not Catholic or Christian or any faith that recognizes saints as spiritual guiders, I bet you’ve asked for guidance or modeled your behavior on the actions of other genuinely good people. Do you give gifts to friends and family? Yes? Then in some small way you’ve modeled your life on the generosity of St. Nicholas. Whatever your faith, or lack of faith, try to find someone – be it a saint or just someone you truly admire – and follow their good example as a way to better yourself.

What I am Thankful For

In the spirit of the week, I am simply going to post a short list of what I am most thankful for this year.

1. Life.
2. Family.
3. Friends.
   
4. Education.
5. Courage.
6. Wisdom.
7. Love.
   
8. Home.
9. Technology.
10. Experience.
    

 And the bonus items:

1. Food.
2. Football.
3. Fun.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Happy Apple Season!

I love the autumn season because it means an abundance of delicious apples fresh from the orchard, which means lots of cooking and baking with apples. Below are a few of the apple recipes I've used recently with suggestions on ways to improve or just enjoy!

Simple Stuff
Grilled Cheese with apples: I use fresh sourdough bread from the bakery, slices of monterey jack cheese, and slice up any sweet apples I have on hand to make a delicious grilled sandwich for a quick dinner.

Apple Spinach salad: Another easy one for lunch or to accompany dinner, just mix spinach, chopped walnuts, slices of your favorite apple, and poppy seed dressing.

Entertaining
Cheddar and Hard Cider fondue: I make this when I have large get togethers with friends (I usually double the recipe and use two fondue pots). We prefer to use Strongbow or Woodchuck hard cider, Jim Beam, and instead of the gruyere cheese (which can be expensive) we use a mix of swiss, fontina, and/or emmentaler. For dipping: apple sausage, apple slices, and potatoes.

Dinner
Braised Pork and Apple Stew: Very simple, the only thing I change is cutting up the vegetables a little smaller so it's easier to eat when served. Perfect for a chilly autumn day.

Chicken with Apple, Onion, and Cider Sauce: I increased the amount of chicken breasts to 6 (because I had more people to serve), but kept the amounts used for the sauce because it made an adequate amount for six people. I also sprinkled my chicken with fresh rosemary before baking. One thing I would be sure to check is that your apples aren't getting too done; mine ended up a bit mushy because I left them on the stove too long while the chicken was finishing in the oven.

Apple Ginger Pork Chops: I like this better than the chicken recipe above because it's got a little more flavor. I used Haralson apples instead of Granny Smith because I had Haralsons on hand, and I also used boneless pork chops and skipped the raisins. For even more apple flavor, I would use a light apple wine to deglaze the pan.

Desserts
Apple Coffee Cake with Crumble Topping and Brown Sugar Glaze: Soooo goooood! I added more apples than the recipe calls for (per user comments on the website) and also boiled the glaze mixture for a few minutes to dissolve the sugar granules (also per user comments). Fantastic warm, but also good the next day with vanilla ice cream.

The Apple Lady's Apple Cake: aka Gateau aux Pommes de la Reine des Pommes. I first made this for French class food day in high school. While it was good, it is definitely better warm right out of the oven. The reason I bought a spring form pan.

Drink
Hot Apple Cider with Rum: A delicious way to warm up in the evening. I don't typically garnish with cinnamon sticks, but it is delicious either way. Put all the ingredients (minus the orange, I don't like the texture it adds to the drink) in a crock pot and let it warm during dinner so you have a warm after-dinner drink ready to go. 

Finally, I have to give a shout out to Pine Tree Apple Orchard. Without them I wouldn't have dozens of apples to cook and bake with, nor would I have their scrumptous apple turnovers stocked for the months of September, October, and November. If you live in Minnesota, you have to check them out.

Happy Apple Season!

My Personal Responsibility Pledge

A few weeks ago, in a rage, I wanted to write a post about personal responsibility and people’s apparent lack of it. Without getting too much into my rant: I believe older folks sometimes have a negative image of younger generations because we don’t take responsibility for our actions and we don’t learn from our mistakes (this is a generalization, I know plenty who do both). We’ve also come to expect a lot of things in our life. We expect to be given an education, we expect to be given freedom, and we expect to be treated fairly and righteously. We take these things for granted.

Now, I’m not saying that we shouldn’t expect some basic rights, but I feel there’s a lot of expectation and not a lot of giving. Sure some people are all about giving back to Mother Earth, volunteering their time, etc. But that’s not the giving I’m talking about. Younger generations need to start forming a sense of personal responsibility. You have a responsibility to yourself to take charge of your life and not rely on someone else to be there when you fall.

Personal responsibility doesn’t mean shutting out the world around you, and it doesn’t mean being selfish. You can be socially responsible while still accepting responsibilities for actions in your personal life as well. I attended a political event back in September put on by the Young Americans for Liberty where they showed an “I Pledge” video. I jotted a few notes during the video and some things that stood out for me:

“I pledge to remember the price of liberty is responsibility”

“I pledge to remember that wanting to keep your own money isn’t greed and spending other people’s money isn’t compassion”

So partially inspired by my fit of rage a few weeks back and also by the Young American’s for Liberty I Pledge video, the following is my personal responsibility pledge (or what I pledge to do to take charge of my own life and to give and not just receive or expect):

1. I pledge to work hard and make myself financially independent, to pursue my dream and never accept hand outs, bail outs, or any other form of public money
2. I pledge to open an emergency medical account to cover the unexpected, never to rely on others for my own well being
3. I pledge to start saving for the future with my first real pay check and continue to save so that I won’t leach off the fruits of another man’s labor
4. I pledge to live within or below my means so that I will never have to rely on others to fund my independence
5. I pledge to shop sales, cut coupons, and be a responsible, savvy consumer
6. I pledge to own my mistakes and apologize to those affected by them
7. I pledge to value experiences over material items
8. I pledge to contribute to my children’s education, both academic and otherwise
9. I pledge to cook and eat healthily whenever possible, to never blame others for the choices I make about my nutrition and well-being
10. I pledge to read and be an informed citizen of the world
11. I pledge to vote and make informed decisions on candidates, to have an open mind and listen to others, and to form my own opinion and think for myself
12. I pledge to be a lifelong learner, to never find myself without the skills to transition into new industries or more advanced positions in my own
13. I pledge to take seriously the freedoms I am given and act responsibly in order to retain those freedoms
14. I pledge to honor and support those charged with defending and maintaining my freedom and safety, never to take for granted the service they provide
15. I pledge to set a responsible and strong example for my children so they might come to pledge their own personal responsibilities one day, to lead by example
16. I pledge to set up a major purchases savings account, to never spontaneously make a major purchase, and ensure I am prepared to handle the expense
17. I pledge to expect the unexpected and plan accordingly, never turning to others for a solution or quick-fix
18. I pledge to act with common sense, never blaming others for mistakes or misfortunes I could have prevented or eased
19. I pledge to not feel sorry for myself or my situation, but rather to take charge and be the change I want in my life
20. I pledge to respect life, wisdom, and knowledge, and to never endanger, mock, or eschew the sanctity and greatness of each

I encourage all Gen Y’ers and even those younger to reflect on what you want to do in order to take responsibility for your life, to give and not just receive. It is becoming increasingly difficult to expect anything, so think about it now and stop to taking liberty for granted.

And I will close with another snippet from the Young American’s for Liberty video:

 “I will not live for the sake of another man nor ask another man to live for mine”