20 Topics on Consumer Behavior for a Critical Thinking Essay

Topics and ideas
Posted on April 7, 2016

Thinking critically about consumer behavior and producing a strong essay on the subject is a tough challenge. It involves studying marketing principles, human psychology and the complex attitudes which influence buyer decisions. However, the challenging factor multiplies if you had left things up to the last minute. As a result, the simple task of coming up with a title for your essay will be problematic. Do not worry though; the following lines are here to help.

Here is a list of 20 topics which will help you write a great critical thinking essay on consumer behavior. You can use these as is or merge two inter-related ones if you think you can do them justice. You can also use these 20 titles for inspiration and come up with your own unique topic.

  1. Using Unorthodox Marketing Channels in Brand Building
  2. Relying on Celebrity Endorsement as a Marketing Strategy
  3. A Comparative Analysis of the Buying Habits of Men and Women
  4. Building Brand Loyalty: Challenges, Theories and Success Stories
  5. Psychological Factors Which Influence Consumer Choice
  6. How Studying Consumer Behavior Can Help Companies Predict Future Trends
  7. The Challenges and Opportunities Presented by Today’s Constantly Evolving Markets
  8. Understanding the Digitally Hyper-Connected Generation Z Consumers
  9. How the Internet Changed Consumer Behavior
  10. Cultural Diversity and Consumer Behavior: Highlighting the Impact and Major Concerns
  11. The Differences and Similarities of B2B and B2C Marketing
  12. The Emergence and Importance of Brand Personalities
  13. Important Factors to Consider When Creating Advertising Campaigns
  14. The Role of Personality Variables in a Consumer’s Buying Decisions
  15. Analysis of Strategies Used to Alter Consumer Attitudes
  16. The Growing Impact of Internet Marketing on Consumer Behavior
  17. The Impact of a Store’s Environment on Consumer Behavior
  18. The Era of Adaptive Customer Experience: How Relevancy and Personalization of Buying Experience Helps Build Brand Loyalty
  19. Regaining Consumer Trust after Business Disasters: The Lessons Learned from Businesses
  20. The Role of Consumer Insights in Making Marketing More Effective

A word of advice: these topics have a broad scope. Though it would have been much easier for us to come up with narrow topics, we focused on broader perspectives to easily customize each topic. To effectively narrow down the scope:

  • Focus on a specific impact factor.
  • Narrow down according to a company.
  • Restrict your topic to a particular country or region.
  • Focus on one population generation.

Sample Critical Thinking Essay: The Impact of a Store’s Environment on Consumer Behavior

Not long ago, consumers used to focus simply on products functions or attributes before selecting a place to shop at. This has changed recently as now consumers demand added beneficial elements. This is especially true considering the fact that today’s buyers understand how much brands need their businesses. One aspect which they desire the most is a pleasant atmosphere as they shop. Realizing this growing demand, today’s retailers are working harder than ever to integrate convenience into their stores’ surroundings and to ensure huge spaces that spare consumers from feeling stuck or confined as they shop.

By definition, atmosphere is a term used to explain consumers’ feelings towards the shopping experience. It can also be described as a design which produces emotional effects on the buyer, enhancing their purchasing probability. Based on these definitions, it is safe to say that an attractive and impressive atmosphere has the power to create an enjoyable experience among consumers, positively affecting their buying decisions and incurring retailers more revenue.

There are a set of factors which contribute to the effectiveness of a retail store’s atmosphere. A majority, if not all, should be present to ensure consumers a good shopping experience and keep them captivated enough to come back for more in the future. First off, cleanliness is vital for the atmosphere of the store. Customers are bound to create negative word of mouth if they notice even the slightest speck on product displays or floors. This is because cleanliness of outlets portrays a brand’s dedication to comfort and luxury.

Music is another factor that can make or break a retail store’s atmosphere. The sounds can impact consumers’ conscious and unconscious decisions. Styles and tempos of music can influence consumers to buy more at retail outlets. Moreover, pleasant music can lengthen consumption time whereas loud music will drive them away. As music selections and their sound levels differ based on gender as well, stores need to put much thought into what they play in order to ensure buyers of a great environment.

Appearances are also taken into consideration while shopping in traditional stores. Contributing to this factor are lighting, colors used, and displays/layout. Lighting goes beyond highlighting products to generating excitement and positively impacting consumer purchasing behavior. Consumers tend to touch products when good lighting shines on them to assess quality. Color is also important for building feelings and affecting consumer attitudes as it has the power to stimulate memories, thoughts, and experiences. For instance, red tends to portray negativity and tension, which is why it is hardly used in comparison with greens and blues. Finally, products are displayed in a way that attracts customers to make impulse purchases. In fact, design and display of products contribute one fourth sales of the outlets.

Unfortunately, not many store owners understand the value of the atmosphere and its impact on consumer behavior. As a result, they remain stagnant and refuse to change. On the other hand, some stores make wrong decisions that cost them their clientele. Therefore, this is one aspect that needs to be tackled with care so that stores can truly reap benefits.

Of course, you can come up with a better essay since you understand the subject well and have your instructor’s guidelines in mind. So, go on and write a critical thinking essay before your deadline. If you don’t have any time to complete it timely, our professional essay service can help you online.

References:
Peterson, H. (2016). Millennials Are Old News — Here’s Everything You Should Know About Generation Z. Business Insider. Retrieved 26 March 2016, from http://www.businessinsider.com/generation-z-spending-habits-2014-6
Priest, J., Carter, S., & Statt, D. (2016). Consumer Behaviour (1st ed.). Edinburgh: Edinburgh Business School. Retrieved from https://www.ebsglobal.net/EBS/media/EBS/PDFs/Consumer-Behaviour-Course-Taster.pdf
Solomon, M. (1999). Consumer behaviour. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall.
Yarrow, K. Decoding the new consumer mind.
Schiffman, L.G. (1993), Consumer Behaviour, Prentice Hall International, London.
Schwartz, Barry (2004), The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less, Ecco, New York.
Elizabeth A. Minton, Lynn R. Khale (2014). Belief Systems, Religion, and Behavioural Economics. New York: Business Expert Press LLC.ISBN 978-1-60649-704-3.
5 Things Every Marketer Should Know About Mobile Commerce. (2016). comScore, Inc. Retrieved 28 March 2016, from https://www.comscore.com/esl/Insights/Blog/5-Things-Every-Marketer-Should-Know-About-Mobile-Commerce
Nielsen,. (2016). The Mobile Consumer-A Global Snapshot. Nielsen. Retrieved from http://www.nielsen.com/content/dam/corporate/us/en/reports-downloads/2013%20Reports/Mobile-Consumer-Report-2013.pdf
Sorofman, J., Polk, J., & Newbold-Knipp, K. (2016). Digital Commerce Primer for 2016. Gartner.com. Retrieved 28 March 2016, from https://www.gartner.com/doc/3189320/digital-commerce-primer-

cta
Upgrade your essays with these FREE writing tools!
Get started now