Impact of Social Class on Consumer Behaviour
Presented by: Abhishek Gomber Narender Jakhar
Social Class
A range of social positions on which each member of society can be placed.
The division of members of a society into hierarchy of distinct status classes, so that members of each class have relatively the same status and member of all other classes have either more or less status.
Categories of Social Class
There are Nine categories of Social Class:
Lower-lower Middle-lower Upper-lower Lower-middle Middle-middle Upper-middle Lower-upper Middle-upper Upper-upper
Measuring of Social Class
The approaches for measuring social class fall into the following broad categories: - Subjective measures - Reputational measures - Objective measures
Subjective measures
In the subjective approach to measuring social class, individuals are asked to estimate their social class positions. The classification of social class membership is based on the participantsself perception or self image. Subjective measures of social class membership tend to produce an overabundance of people. Moreover the subjective perception of ones social class membership, as reflection of ones self image, is related to product usage and consumption preferences.
Objective measures
Objective measure consists of selected demographic or socioeconomic variables concerning about themselves, their families, or their places, occupation, income etc.
Socioeconomic measures of social class are of considerable value to marketers concerned with segmenting markets.
Objective measure of social class fall into two basic categories: - Single variable indexes - Composite variable indexes
Single variable indexes
A single variable index uses just one socioeconomic variable to evaluate social-class membership. Some of the variables that are used are: Occupation Education Income Other variables
Composite variable indexes
Composite indexes systematically combine a number of socioeconomic factors to form an overall measures of social class standings.
Social Class Profiles
The Upper-upper class:- Country club establishment The Lower-upper class:- New wealthy The Upper-middle class:- Achieving professionals The Lower-middle class:- Faithful followers The Upper-lower class:- Security-minded majority The Lower-lower class:- Rock bottom
The Pursuit of Leisure
Social class membership is also closely related to the choice of recreational and leisure-time activities. For instance, Upper-class consumers are likely to attend the theater and concerts and to watch football games. Lower-class consumers tens to watch television and commercial activities and watch cricket.
Saving, Spending and Credit
Upper-class are more future oriented and confident of their financial acumen, they are more willing to invest in insurance, stocks and real estate. Lower-class consumers are generally more concerned with immediate gratification, when they do save, they are primarily interested in safety and security. Lower class purchase tend to use their credit card to buy now and pay later for things they might not otherwise be able to afford, where as Upper class purchasers use their credit car as a convenient substitute for cash.
Social class and Communication
Social class differ in terms of their media habits and in how they transmit and receive communications. Selective exposure to various types of mass media differs by social class. In selection of specific television programs and programs types, highersocial class members tends to prefer current event and drama where as lower-class individuals prefer quiz show and situation comedies. Higher-class consumers tends to have greater exposure to magazines and newspapers than to their lower-class counterparts.