This Friday, November 29 will be Black Friday. Expected by consumers, this commercial meeting marks the start of end-of-year purchases. Brands have understood this well and are competing in creativity to offer special Black Friday promotions. But as commercial offers intensify, they also question the way we consume.
Purchasing decisions, choice of products, timing… Several factors come into play to decode a consumer’s behavior. Are you buying to give away, save money or treat yourself? Intention also plays a major role. All these selection criteria illustrate our behavior in the face of the consumer society. They talk about our need to take care of ourselves and others, but also our ability to face the constraints of everyday life. We have decoded 4 consumer profiles. Which one suits you?
Compulsive consumers
Promotional offers below demand attract all buyers. But if some consumers are similar, they all have their particularities. Compulsive buyers buy without thinking, to the point of feeling ashamed. So much so that this buying fever has a name: oniomania. Clothes, shoes, furniture, jewelry and even cars… Everything can be the subject of compulsive buying and become an obsession for people who suffer from this disorder.
“This phenomenon of dependence is accentuated by the society of overconsumption which always demands more productivity and profitability,” explains Magali Bours, therapist in psycho-organic analysis. All of our purchasing decisions are largely governed by our emotions. It is a disease that is still little known, which takes on a new meaning with the Internet. It deserves more serious attention because it could have serious effects on mental health in the years to come. » Shopping addiction can come from a lack of self-esteem, a need to fill a void or difficulty managing emotions. At the time of purchase, relief. But it only lasts for a while, until the next impulse.
Treasure hunters
Without falling into compulsive buying which sometimes fills an existential void, treasure hunters make their shopping an experience in its own right. Driven by the quest for the unprecedented, they look for the rare pearl.
When they go shopping, treasure hunters leave nothing to chance. Everything is scrutinized: the material of a dress, the scent of a day cream, the color of a smartphone… They attach great importance to sensations and know how to detect all the flaws in a product. These personalities like to compare and dream. What matters to them beyond their shopping basket: the whole shopping experience. In short, their mode of consumption is the expression of a culture and an art of living. Because it combines business with pleasure, Black Friday is an event that they look forward to all year round.
Narcissistic consumers
Fans of “self-gifting,” narcissistic buyers seek personal satisfaction above all else. Often their purchases are rash and unpredictable, driven by a sense of urgency and obligation. “It is often accompanied by physical sensations,” analyze psychiatrists Jean Adès and Michel Lejoyeux in Purchasing Fever. But, when it’s time to buy, it’s the well-being, the happiness, the satisfaction of doing it for your own good. »
Like a consolation prize to cure their inner ills, the self-gift is the response to a disappointment, a failure, or a difficult day. Treating yourself to jewelry, clothing or flowers can meet a need to enhance your self-esteem. It is a one-off remedy, a message of encouragement and protection towards oneself. “As if the chosen object had a sacred dimension, that of making it more attractive, more powerful, more desirable,” psychiatrists decipher. A narcissistic valorization that only lasts for a while. Because, as soon as they leave the store: “depression, disapproval or shame assail almost all impulsive buyers,” lament Jean Adès and Michel Lejoyeux. According to the typology of psychiatrists in the book Shopping Fever, narcissistic buyers choose designer clothing because it gives them the feeling of belonging to an elite.
Pragmatic consumers
They are immune to advertisements. Pragmatic buyers only consume what they need and think long and hard before they act. Utility is their watchword: their choices are towards durable products, essential to their daily lives.
Thrifty and realistic, pragmatic buyers resist unnecessary spending. They do not feel the need to reassure themselves through objects with strong symbolic value. Black Friday is also a day they wait for. Because they have already identified what they want and this is the perfect opportunity to save money on their next Christmas gifts.
And you, which buyer are you? To discover your profile, take the test. But keep in mind that there are as many ways to consume as there are products to buy.
