EMERGING TRENDS IN CONSUMER BEHAVIOR

Consumer behaviour is defined as the behaviour that consumer

display in searching for, purchasing using, evaluating and
disposing of products and services that they expect will satisfy
their needs.
Consumer behaviour focuses on how individuals make decisions to
spend their available resources (time, money, effort) on
consumption-related items that includes what they buy, why they
buy, when they buy it, where they buy it, how often they buy it,
how often they use it, how they evaluate it after the purchase and
the impact of such evaluations on future purchases, and how they
dispose of it.
Consumer behavior is a wide subject. Lots of studies are going on
on consumer behavior. Here I am mentioning some emerging
trends in consumer behavior.

1. Multiplicity. We are increasingly expecting things to do more that

involves interacting with all our senses, offers us a range of touch
points to play with, and involves us entirely in new experiences.
There is a growing desire for multiplicity and experiences are
expected to offer more. Weve grown used to sensory experiences
being enhanced, but now were seeing the clashing, blurring and even

confusing of senses. The same is happening in storytelling rather

than just one story, we are seeing powerful story worlds with multiple
strands of narrative on multiple platforms, allowing the various
threads to permeate viewers lives. It is no longer enough to immerse
the viewer in an experience, and people are rejecting the idea of
passive on-looking. They are now craving active participation.
2. Hyper Efficiency. We are seeking and discovering ever-smarter
and more efficient ways to solve age old issuessuch as keeping fit,
lack of space and limited resources. The results are sleeker, quicker
and use things that have previously been ignored.
This sense of intensity is also reflected in the desire for super-charged
forms of efficiency. From health to homes, people are using every last
bit of space and time. High-impact, superfast diets and fitness plans
are gaining popularity, and with space at more of a premium than
ever people are seeking smart ways to integrate a range of functions
into one property. With a growing awareness of how limited resources
are, innovations are creating valuable assets out of the otherwise
unused, and a new wave of so-called serious games and
collaborative digital platforms are smartly mobilizing our collective
intelligence and imagination.
3. The New Industrial Revolution. Science is no longer a closed
world, just for geeks. Digital and technological advances are
enabling us to create in new waysleading to new creative forms and
helping us see a new appreciation of the digital as a thing of beauty.

This use of science is no longer just for experts. We are in the midst of
a new form of industrial revolution where technological advances are
enabling people to make the transition from users to creators. Were
seeing a new appreciation of the digital as a source of inspiration and
the means to create are now in the hands of everyone. Coding has
gone fully mainstream, and the rise of 3D printing is hailing a new era
for industry. Soon everyone will be a manufacturer, able to create
what they want, when they want it.
4. Escape. In a world of austerity and grown up responsibility, we are
seeing the increasing desire to let go, to let loose and indulge in
childlike freedom or sheer hedonistic joy.
People are demanding more from every type of experience. This can
come in the form of escapismin a time of austerity, were seeing the
desire to indulge. In a turbulent and ever more serious world, there is
a craving for silliness and outright frivolity. People are seeking
occasions that allow them to let go of all responsibilities and
inhibitions, and embrace outlandish hedonism.
5. Mindfulness. In a world full of buzz and surface interactions,
people are seeking more depth and meaning. They are craving time
away from the stimulus of the internet, making their leisure time more
about self-development, and taking their own ethical responsibilities
seriously.

This intensity can also come from a very different angle, in the form
of mindfulness. In a world full of buzz and surface interactions,
people are seeking more depth and meaning. Leisure is becoming as
much about self-development as pleasure-seeking, and there is a
growing sense of earnestness, consideration and thoughtfulness.
People are craving time away from the stimulus of the internet, and
are severing their connection to technology. People are also becoming
increasingly aware of the ethical impact of their everyday lives. They
are encouraged to think aboutand take responsibility forthe ethical
status of the things they do, buy and support.
6. Super-personalized. Personalization has been taken out of the
hands and tastes of consumers. This is not just bespoke you select it
is also bespoke that selects you. Advances in technology mean that
products are able to read consumers and give them what they want
sometimes without even being asked.
The cultural shifts we are witnessing show a move towards the
wholehearted and intense. People want all aspects of their lives to be
rich and full. These trends give us a clear sense of where culture is
heading, and brands this year will have to work hard to meet
consumers demands and expectations. Nothing should be done by
halves.