Consumerology: The Truth about Consumers and the Psychology of Shopping

by Philip Graves

Overview

Why market research does not work.

Available in paperback for the first time, this new updated and revised second edition of Consumer.ology: The Truth About Consumers and the Psychology of Shopping contains a new preface and epilogue, in which Philip Graves reveals the myriad tricks and psychological games high street shops play on consumers; the ways in which we are manipulated into buying things we don't want; the ways in which we deceive ourselves; and the cutting edge behavioural science being used to change our habits to even more significant degrees.

Graves, one of the world's leading experts in consumer behavior, reveals why the findings obtained from most market research are completely unreliable. Whether it is company executives seeking to define their corporate strategy or politicians wanting to understand the electorate, the idea that questions answered on a questionnaire or discussed in a focus group can provide useful insights on which to base business decisions is the cause of product failures, political blunders and wasted billions.

Using his unique AFECT approach, a set of five criteria to evaluate the reliability of any consumer insight, Graves asserts that it's time for a fresh approach that embraces this new understanding of human behavior.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781473644595
Publisher:	Quercus
Publication date:	01/24/2013
Sold by:	Hachette Digital, Inc.
Format:	eBook
Sales rank:	739,831
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Philip Graves is a consumer behaviour consultant, author and speaker, and he has been described as one of the world s leading consumer behaviour experts (Kevin Hogan). Through his consultancy, he has advised numerous businesses, including Sky, ITV, HSBC, BBC, Lloyds Banking Group, and Virgin Media. In addition, he has spoken to audiences around the world, including the UK Cabinet Office, the European Union Consumer Affairs Unit, The Royal Agricultural Society, BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Radio Scotland, and America's Morning News. He currently writes a column on consumer psychology for the Chartered Institute of Marketing's magazine. Alongside his own business, Shift Consultancy, Philip is an associate of Frontier Economics. See his website at www.philipgraves.net

Table of Contents

Foreword Kevin Hogan vii

Preface to the paperback edition ix

Overture: The moment of truth 1

1 Understanding the Unconscious Mind: Why we buy what we do but can't explain it 9

2 Reading Consumers: Insists into the unconscious mind 33

3 The Consumer in Context: Environmental influences 53

4 What Consumers Do: Studying behavior 69

5 The Irrelevant Consumer: Questioning questions 91

6 Relevant Answers: Questions worth asking 127

7 Understanding the Crowd: Focusing on focus groups 143

8 Consumer Futurology: Influencing innovation 167

9 Gaining an Edge: Beyond market research 181

Epilogue 198

Notes 205

Index 215

Acknowledgments 223

Editorial Reviews

A fascinating romp through the psychological underpinnings of consumer behaviour: risk aversion, safety in numbers, scarcity value and priming. It's well written, accessible and entertaining, yet thought provoking.—Alan Giles, Fellow of The Marketing Society and Associate Fellow, Said Business School, University of Oxford

A good read.—Library Journal

Consumer.ology is a refreshingly iconoclastic skewer through the heart of traditional market research methods and reason. Graves' peppering of psychological theory with pithy anecdotes of misguided consumer successes and failures is bound to at once ruffle feathers and get heads nodding within marketing and innovation circles.

Consumer.ology is a publishing phenomenon.—Cambridge Business Magazine

This is an eye-opening, thoroughly researched and tightly argued book. It will alarm some, enrage others and state the obvious for many.—Manhatten Marketing Maven

Graves does more than just show marketers the error of their ways. He shows them a path to better insight.—Director Magazine

There are lots of great anecdotes and examples in this excellent book.—Talent imitates, genius steals' blog

Thought-provoking stuff.—The Scotsman

This is a fascinating book which might change your view about market research forever! The book offers series of factors, which if considered carefully, can actually improve the accuracy of research: though you'll never look at research in quite the same way! This book is a real eye opener and I would recommend it for any manager at any stage in their career.—Chartered Management Institute

Fascinating stuff.—Steve Wright, BBC Radio 2

From the Publisher

The problem with consumers is that they are incapable of understanding their purchasing behavior. Why? Because it is actually driven by the unconscious. Consumer.ology author Philip Graves is a lecturer on consumer behavior and a consultant for associated studies for companies including Whirlpool, Virgin Media, and Pepsi. He has come to the bold conclusion that market studies and focus groups are useless. He asserts that the most accurate information about consumer needs comes from analysis of data gathered in real situations, where people are not aware that they are being observed. Fortunately, the Internet offers a vast territory for observation, because people leave countless traces of their behavior and telling comments. Keeping quiet and listening to consumers is actually just as important as communicating with them, and people often speak more honestly when no questions have been asked.

Business Digest