Free self-reflection journal on my buying behavior essay example

I like shopping too much though I hate impulse buying. Just like anyone else who strives to lead a decent life, I am compelled to always incur both fixed and current expenses. With regard to current expenses, I am not able to account for the current expenses I have incurred since 16th January 2014. As a matter of fact, in the past one month, I have bought many items on daily basis. However, I am able to identify belongings I have acquired over the same duration but whose acquisitions are made once and can only be replaced after a relatively longer period of time. Most of such items are those I have always longed to own but I have not been lucky to raise enough cash to buy them. I always strive to acquire things I admire. My buying habit is mainly influenced by three factors: necessity, quality, utility, and price. Besides, where I buy from and the brands I prefer depend on how much I am convinced that the items would satisfy the three factors mentioned above: necessity, quality, utility, and price.
Since 16th January, I have made three purchase decisions that are very important to me. With this regard, I bought one pair of shoes, a pair of trousers, and a laptop. I had planned to buy these items before but I had never had enough cash. The three items were bought from different stores due to various factors.
I bought my laptop on 26th January from a store run by Sears Company in Las Vegas. This was prompted by the company’s product promotion strategy whereby the company offered a discount of 40% for purchases made between 20th to 27th January. The offer was advertised on all media outlets and it encouraged me to buy the laptop. Besides, I had searched for information related to laptop products. As a result, I went further and inquired from my brother and sisters. In that process I got more information about various prices from various stores around our home.
Through my efforts to search for information in various places with regard to the three products, I learnt much information about various brands of shoes, trousers, and laptops. Consequently, I was able to decide what brand to buy and from where to buy it based on the perceived extent to which it would satisfy my needs and preferences. For instance, I gathered much information with regard to prices of various brands of shoes across the US. I then compared prices from different stores and quality of shoes offered. Eventually, I decided to go for the shoes in Nava’s Supermarket. This is because it was the best alternative that offered the minimum price and the best quality based on my judgment. Although there were other alternatives in other supermarkets I had been told of, I decided to purchase some of the products in this supermarket due to various reasons. Firstly, my brother and sister recommended Nava since its staff value customers and also offer items and products with some gifts attached. For example, inside the pair of shoes I bought, there was free pair of socks.
I also decided to buy my shoes from the supermarket since previously I had been involved in impulse buying from the supermarket when I was travelling to my grandmother place. I also psychologically felt the need to buy basic needs more since I never had enough shoes and a pair of trousers, which are basic needs (clothes). On the other hand, my need for laptop was mainly to help me in academic purposes and also to watch movies. Therefore, the need to use laptop in doing academic research and to watch movies motivated me more to buy this laptop. I also had positive attitudes towards the supermarket. Moreover, almost all my friends also were fond of buying their products and services from the supermarket. This culture of all my friends buying their products from this supermarket also influences me to buy my products from the supermarket.
Furthermore, the best situational and social influences that motivated me to buy these products at that time was because, I was in the best mood and attitude. I also learnt more about these products from my friends and parents.
Other factors that influence me to buy these products from the supermarket were due to their neat and stable packaging of their products. Besides, the branding of the pair of trousers I purchased met both my physical and economical needs. The trouser was black in color thus mostly appealing to my visual senses. These products were also of high quality and were made from high quality materials.
In that sense it is clear that I bought these products after realizing that I lack most of them hence there was need to add more trousers and shoes. In addition, I also made a decision to buy a laptop since I lack any to use in my academic research papers. After making clear and proper decisions to buy these three products, that is a pair of trousers, a pair of shoes and a laptop I decide to look for reliable information that could help me find the best services around.
The available information I got was from various sources. To begin with I learnt from my friends that Nava’s supermarket was offering best quality products and at a cheaper price. Furthermore, my mother was also fond of buying food products and home equipment’s from the supermarket thus, encourages me to also buy mine from the same supermarket.
Again every evening in the process of watching news especially weekends there was an advertisement in Super sport demonstrating about how the supermarket provides the best after sales services and warranty to their customers. Therefore, this is what motivated me further to go for this supermarket. Besides, there was also an advertisement that prices of laptops will be low by giving of 10% discount to those who buy laptop from the supermarket as by 20th January to 27th January. For that reason, I did all that I could to ensure that I bought these products at the supermarket within this time period in order to enjoy this discount that was given to all customers. To be categorically I bought my products from Nava’s supermarket on 25th January. This was after careful and thorough evaluation of all the other options hence coming up with the decision to buy them from the supermarket.
Therefore, from my point of view, my buying behaviors usually depend on social, personal, and psychological influences and these are the key influences that motivated me to buy these products. Again cultural, economic and social factors also played a role in the process of my buying behaviors For instance, the main motivator that prompted me to buy these products was majorly due to lack of them and influences that I got from my family members and friends. In addition, I carefully analyzed various situations like the location and the price distribution that made me chose Nava’s supermarket since it was cheaper and offers a lot of after sales services including warranty to customers. Besides, my perception and attitude towards the supermarket was also positive due to my prior shopping from the supermarket thus, allowing me to buy products from the supermarket. All in all, my major decision of buying these products was mainly influenced by psychological, social, cultural factors and even economic factors.
Finally, I like buying especially when the place where I am going to buy my products is that which recognized customer’s needs. For that matter I went to Nava’s supermarket since it was the best alternative that provided one of the marketing and promotional strategies that appeal to my senses most including their prices and the discount given.