Why People Buy Things They Don't Need: Understanding and Predicting Consumer Behavior [Paperback]

Pamela Danziger (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2004

Consumers shop to satisfy emotional needs and desires-if a company is selling to emotion, then it's in the business of luxury. What motivates consumers to buy? Is it pleasure? Education? Entertainment? Status? Or just an impulse? Knowing why consumers buy what they do is the secret to predicting how they will behave in the ever-changing marketplace. In most cases, much of what people buy are items they really don't need. Focusing on the "whys" of spending, Danziger has meticulously profiled customers in more than 30 categories of discretionary spending through research based on surveys, interviews, and focus groups from a variety of people who make discretionary purchases. She provides readers with a vision of the future, giving them the foresight to anticipate the needs and desires of their customers. This groundbreaking guide will help marketers of all products understand the underlying motivators consumers use to both make their purchases and become satisfied, loyal customers. In Why People Buy Things They Don't Need, Danziger examines:
* The 14 justifiers that give consumers "permission" to buy.
* Trends impacting why people purchase what they do.
* How to sell even more to these customers.
* The future of discretionary spending.

Editorial Reviews

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.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

"...the best study of consumer purchasing trends since Paco Underhill's seminal Why We Buy..." -- Fast Company, September 2004

"For investors, [Whe People Buy] is a road map to winners and losers in retail." -- USA Today, August 16, 2004

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Kaplan Publishing (July 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0793186021
• ISBN-13: 978-0793186020
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #329,838 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The hidden depths of the credit-card happy human psyche, September 14, 2002

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Why People Buy Things They Don't Need (Hardcover)

Why People Buy Things They Don't Need by marketing expert Pamela N. Danziger offers truly fascinating insights into the psychology of impulse purchases and rampant consumerism, as well as why people are so quick to buy new stuff they don't use, especially before the old stuff is worn out! Motives such as "improving the quality of life", stress relief, compulsive shopping, and a great deal more are scrutinized in depth. Why People Buy Things They Don't Need is very strongly recommended as a solid and informative treatise delving into the conflicts and the hidden depths of the credit-card happy human psyche -- and how to use it to advantage in the marketplace of goods and services.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For everyone who has ever had a product to sell..., July 5, 2003

By 

Jan Evans (San Diego, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Why People Buy Things They Don't Need (Hardcover)

Pam Danziger has a clear understanding of the realities of today's marketplace and the trends for the future. She explains clearly and succinctly just how businesses can reap their share of the nearly 42% of spending Americans devote to discretionary items, backing it up with statistics and quotes from highly reliable sources. Examples throughout the book include the good, the bad and the ugly in manufacturing and retailing today. Far from merely promoting a simplistic "feel good" mentality, Danziger conveys an understanding of the various types of buyers, the justification they need to make their purchases, and how suppliers can deliver that message. Her observations speak volumes: "The consumer's feelings often may have more to do with the act of purchasing than with the object." This is a must-have marketing reference to read and re-read and then implement to reach your maximum sales potential.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars i wish I read this when it first came out!, August 6, 2005

By 

D. Brzozowski (Brunswick, OH USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Why People Buy Things They Don't Need: Understanding and Predicting Consumer Behavior (Paperback)

Because I sell luxury home and gift items, I was drawn to the title of this book. Sometimes that is not always a good indicator of what is inside, but in this case it was dead-on. The book helped me understand what I've seen over the last few years, as well as gave me some insight into where things are heading (and why). I keep talking about the book, and the list of friends and associates who want to borrow the book keeps growing, although I may not want to give it up. Only a few more pages to go....