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Essay / A study of consumer behavior in Spain
Table of contentsIntroductionSpain, the country studiedValues and normsCultural valuesAnalysis and discussionIntroductionBuying habits and consumer behavior are one of the essential things that must be undertaken to penetrate a walk. Every place has a different buying behavior, so a comprehensive analysis is very important in which their choices, standards and values are considered before entering the market. Buying behavior in the United States is very different from that in any other country. The selection of consumers depends on their needs and wants which will later affect the supply and demand chain of the products. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original Essay Items that might be best sellers in one country may not be the same in another country. For example, every year in August, the Spanish have a party where they use millions of tomatoes; this tomato consumption is not so high in any other country. So while tomatoes are a necessity, their consumption varies. In this research paper, consumer behavior towards purchasing products in the United States and Spain will be analyzed. In light of the Hofstede National Index, five dimensions are discussed: Power distanceIndividualismMasculinityUncertainty avoidanceLong-term orientationThese five parameters are used to discuss cultural diversity. of Spain and the United States. By knowing all these dimensions, it will become easy for us to understand the marketing trend and consumer buying behavior. Spain as a country studied Spain is a beautiful country that is a member of the European Union. The capital is Madrid and the inhabitants are called Spaniards. It is located in the southwest of Europe. It covers a total area of 505,403 square kilometers. The approximate population is around 47 million. Spain is a mountainous country with an active volcano, several rivers and mountain ranges which attract many tourists. Spain's main source of income is tourism. The average number of tourists attracted to Spain is around 48 million per year. While they only employ 10% of their country's workforce and that is enough for them. In Spain there are 88% indigenous people and very few immigrants and the best thing is that they have a literacy rate of around 97.5. People are rich and very fond of cars and they like to have a big collection of them. So this reflects the community as being wealthy. They like to have a family atmosphere and enjoy spending time together. They didn't compete, rather they like to be a team. Compared to Spain, the United States is considered the most advanced country in the world. It is the home of the latest technologies and trends. Tourism, as well as immigration rates, are higher in the United States. The dollar is considered a valuable currency because the English language is a language spoken throughout the world. The American people are an example of individualism and they work hard day and night to earn money. They are not family oriented people. Americans are generally more likely to purchase cell phones, laptops, and similar technology, but not everyone who lives there can afford a car, and changing cars from time to time is not possible. Values and norms Values and norms are the basis of any culture. They explain how a nation should react, what are the right things and what are the taboos in that nation. Each nation follows its standards andvalues, because they are traditions. In Spain, people are not very advanced and do not fast. They prefer simple living trends. They have picturesque places and shopping is mainly done by tourists. In the United States, life moves very quickly and people are always competing with each other. They generally live as individuals and earn their own living. Cultural values Cultural values define the culture, way of living, dressing, eating of any nation. These are different depending on the culture. Spanish culture is as simple as mentioned above, it is family oriented and generally not everyone makes money in Spain. National Values and Norms In light of Hofstede's model, the contrast between Spain and the United States was made as follows: Individual versus Collectivism American culture is based on the individual, here people earn for themselves . Every member of the family wins. Even students earn their living and support themselves. But in Spain, families have a collective lifestyle. Usually one person in the family earns and supports their family. Income is sufficient to support the entire family. Youth and Age People living in the United States live very fast lives. They have to start earning money from their youth and hence depend more on junk food and easy-to-prepare foods. These foods are therefore not healthy in the long term; there is more disease and obesity in the United States. In short, people don't have time for themselves, they run around all their lives. Lifespans are shorter and people die younger. In Spain, they organize a festival every year during which the whole country throws tomatoes at each other. They follow a healthy lifestyle and therefore the number of elderly people in Spain is higher. People are healthier and living longer. Extended Family or Limited Family Continuing the point above, Americans have limited families because they do not have a proper family unit. Couples generally have on average one to two children. The families are small and as soon as the children reach adulthood, they start looking for work and settle down in different states depending on the nature of their work. Compared to Spain, people constitute the family unit. They stay together and reproduce more. Usually they have extended families. Competitive versus cooperative People in the United States face enormous competition among themselves. They compete to get the best and so there is a constant struggle. But in Spain, conditions are unfavorable. The literacy rate is 97% and students are not taught to fight, but rather to live in harmony. They support each other and form a single unit. Diversity vs. Uniformity There is quite a bit of cultural diversity in the United States, as many countries migrate here. As a result, there is a multiple market like halal food for Muslims, non-vegetarian food for Indians, seafood, Chinese and other diversities. But, in Spain, the inhabitants are 87% so there is less cultural diversity. Spanish trends are hot and show cultural uniformity. Environmentally Oriented Values and Norms Environmentally related norms and values in the United States and Spain are as follows: Cleanliness Keeping a nation clean is very important. In the United States, citizens are fined for polluting their country. Spain has a cleaner environment without making much effort because the Spanish people are literate. Besides, the government controls the cleanliness as it has many natural beauties and sitetourist attraction. Performance and Status The people of the United States do not matter much in terms of power distance, and generally the decisions made are up to the government. individual basis. The Spanish question their teachers or elders before making a decision. For them, the status of a more experienced person matters a lot and they do not make any decisions before taking advice. Tradition versus change The traditions of the United States vary and change, but those of Spain remain constant. As there is a lot of cultural diversity in the United States, there are more changes in traditions. In Spain, they stick to their old traditions and don't like change. Risk taking versus safety People in the United States welcome change and are willing to take any risks while in Spain people avoid all kinds of risks. They are upset when the routine changes and are nervous about ambiguity. Americans buy new products because the risk is not very serious for them, but the Spanish are the most loyal customers. Problem Solving Problem solving is considered very serious in Spain and people come together to solve problems, but in the United States Usually the individual manages his own things and does not share them with others. NatureThe United States has fifty states and has all kinds of landscapes, while Spain is a mountainous region. Natives of the United States are very busy in their lives and are not as hospitable as the Spanish. Self-Oriented Values and Norms Active versus Passive American consumers are active consumers when responding to online advertisements and ordering things online. They are attracted by offers and buy goods without thinking much. In Spain, the consumer trend is a little different because they are passive and not very involved in online shopping trends. They would ask others before making purchases. Sensual Gratification People in the United States take risks and are attracted to impulse purchases. For them, choosing a property that suits their pocket is not a big deal; they appreciate daily deals and use them. In Spain, sensual gratification does not carry much weight and transactions do not attract them because they avoid taking risks. Material vs. Non-Material Natives of the United States are materialistic people, they work hard to earn a luxurious lifestyle, while Spaniards have a simple lifestyle with many family members living together. They are not attracted to material goods and prefer to live a simple life. Hard Work and Leisure Americans work very hard because all of their families work. They have free weekends but they also spend them completing pending tasks, while in Spain people work hard but they have free time and families can enjoy it. They dine together and the fine food attracts them as entire families go out to eat. Delayed Gratification Versus Immediate Gratification The American people are good at satisfying instant gratification. They do not follow any advice, make a quick decision and make a purchase, while in Spain we observe trends of delayed gratification. People would seek advice from their elders and teachers and then take a decision as they do not want to take any risk.ReligionIn Spain, the dominant religion is Catholicism. Younger generations do not take their religion seriously and do not attend mass regularly. While in the United States, 69% of the population isChristian, 45% can be considered Protestant and 20% are Catholic. Consumer Behaviors in Purchasing, Using and Disposing of Products According to Hofstede's cultural dimensions model, the consumption behaviors of natives of the United States and Spaniards have been clearly seen. Now, keeping these trends in mind, consumer behaviors can be expressed as follows: Consumer Demand In the United States, consumer demand is higher, they also need variety. Offers on different products greatly attract the consumer market and purchases are more impulsive. In Spain, we avoid risks as much as possible; they would not prefer impulse buying, rather buying from authentic sources would be given more importance. Where do consumers buy? Consumers in the United States can shop from anywhere, whether online or in-store, as long as the prices are attractive and the products are good. In Spain the trend is very different, as people are more committed to buying safely and are loyal to their brands. They would rather go to stores, get the products they want, and feel satisfied with the products they want. Retail Purchases In the United States, retail purchases do not have much importance, while in Spain, retail purchases would bring more satisfied consumers. They would prefer to buy cars and keep changing and improving them quite often. Use of technology The use of technology to buy and sell is more widespread in the United States than in Spain. The Spanish are a feminist society and therefore are not much involved in purchasing technology and gadgets. In the United States, the trend among young people is more to buy cell phones and other similar gadgets and continue to update and improve them. Information search In the United States, electrical distance plays a lesser role, so information search is not considered valid enough and usually the decisions made are solitary. Whereas in Spain there is a lot of power distance and information seeking is considered an essential part of any activity. PromotionPromotions can attract more the American market, while in Spain promotions do not add more sales. Because there is no competition in Spain as they operate as a business, whereas in the US promotions can increase sales due to neck and neck competition. PricePrices in the US market will greatly affect consumers because they are impulsive buyers and there is more shopping trend. American citizens wait for Christmas sales to make their annual purchases. In Spain, prices do not matter much as long as they are affordable, because they are loyal customers.ProductsA product that is new to the market and affordable will be purchased by natives of the United States, but in Spain, only products that are safe will be consumed by Spaniards.PlaceThe United States can shop while traveling; they prefer to buy from nearby stores. There are many convenience stores in the United States, but in Spain, no matter the location, people go to their loyalty stores to get the products they want. Current Trends Currently, the United States serves a good consumer market, but China is entering it. markets. The products are good but their inferior products have brought down the prices. The lifespan of these products is very short, but consumers buy them thanks to a rigorous pricing policy. In Spain there is.