Question.347 - Topic 6 DQ 2 In your own words, define the term reference groups. Think about your purchase decisions and list at least two groups that influence what you buy. For each group, identify whether the influence is comparative, normative, or both, and explain why. In replies to peers, discuss the similarities and differences you see between your reference groups and those of your peers. Explain what you think accounts for these differences.
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Hello Class! Reference groups are ideal groups to which a single team or group or an individual is compared. Here ideal refers to the groups those have high degree of source credibility. If a group is called as reference group, it has earned trustworthiness, believability, expertise, and persuasive impact (Schiffman & Wisenblit, 2019). My purchase decisions are influenced by word-of-mouth and symbolic groups. Well, word-of-mouth can be informal way of communication but that influences many consumers while making purchasing decisions. This because, one person come and tells about his bad experience about the product. That experience can be shared through any social media or directly to a person, or in a product review place. This informs others not to buy the product indirectly since they have not got satisfied with what they bought. I usually prefer this for almost times whenever I want to buy something. I ask multiple people and find some alternatives and then select one at the end. Symbolic group influences my purchasing decision; well, not only mine but almost everyone. Symbolic group is a group to which an individual is unlikely to belong, but whose values and behaviors that person adopts (Schiffman & Wisenblit, 2019). Let us say, I am model. In order to prepare myself I follow other previous models who were not professionally successful but their attitude might have inspired me. So I try to copy some ideas from them like the kind of dress they wear. Work Cited Schiffman, L. G. & Wisenblit, J. (2019).?Consumer behaviour. Pearson Education Limited.More Articles From Marketing