Principles of trait theory
A trait is referred to as a characteristic way in which a person acts, feels, perceives, or believes. When an individual is being described, people are likely to use trait terms. Personality traits are of a big interest to psychologists (Kumar, 2009 p 1).
The interest of psychologists is to find traits that do not easily change and are inherited. Personality trait theory studies consumer behavior in terms of individual traits such as influence, innovation, consumer ethnocentrism, and materialism.
The principles of trait theory were originally laid down by Gordon Allport who stated that traits should be described as stable and enduring inclination to act in a consistent given way across a range of different circumstances. He recommended that traits be considered to be bipolar with the opposite end of each characteristic defining opposite traits.
Trait theory defines people in terms of how extrovert or how introvert they are. Consumers make decisions of purchasing each day. A majority of big organizations conduct research on consumer buying decisions in a lot of details to answer questions regarding the behavior of buyers (Nakanisi, 1972, p 1).
Wants and behavior of a person originate from culture. The behavior of human beings is to a large extent learned. Cultural factors apply the deepest and broadest influence on buyer behavior. Growing up in a society a person learns wants, perceptions, behaviors, and basic values (Albernese, 1993, p 1).
Success, efficiency, involvement and activity, progress, freedom, youthfulness, material comfort, health and fitness, humanitarianism, and individualism are some of the values that a person learns from a society. Cultures regarding the buying behavior greatly vary from one culture to another.
Background of Journal article
The aim of the journal article is to propose a comprehensive model which indicates that buyers with diverse optimum stimulation level (OSL) have different assessments of goods and services, shopping behaviors, and shopping values.
The OSL of a person shows an individual’s preferred level of environmental inspiration and predisposition to operate in the presence of environments (Wang, 2011, p 6).
Methodology
The methodology of the study is interviewing retail shoppers in Taiwan. Questionnaires were formulated in English and translated to Chinese. According to the findings in the journal, consumers in Taiwan with high OSL indicated better and favorable assessments of design elements, layout, ambient, and density compared to buyers who have low OSL (Wang, 2011, p 11).
The journal hypothesizes that shoppers with higher OSL will have more positive assessments on layout, design, and ambient elements than those with lower OSL.
Data was collected directly from shoppers in Taiwan who visited the stores. Information was collected during the peak hours for ten days. Respondents were obtained randomly at the exits of the stores when the customers were almost leaving the department stores.
Findings of the journal
According to the research, consumers in Taiwan who have high OSL were found to be having more positive assessments of the density, design, and ambient elements of a store compared to shoppers who have low OSL (Wang, 2011, p 7).
In addition, buyers with high OSL indicated higher utilitarian and hedonic values from their buying. Noticeably, the buyers with high OSL took more time and spent more money in shops.
Hedonic value is based on emotions and shows that individuals shop for enjoyment, sensory stimulation, fantasy, and for fun. Shoppers with high OSL are more probable to be motivated by the environment of a retail store and obtain fun and delight from such an environment.
Utilitarian value is based on whether an activity during a buying trip was completed in an effective and opportune way. Aspects of a Shop like layout are formed to enable the buyer to shop efficiently (Wang, 2011, p 10).
Because of their high sensitivity to the environment, buyers who have high OSL are more probable to become aware of such aspects of the store, make appropriate use of them, and move across a shop more effectively.
Link to the main theory
It is obvious that there is a close link between the journal, the personality trait theory and the buyer behavior because according to the journal, the perceptions of consumers about the retail environment have an effect on their value of shopping and buying behaviors.
Almost 70% of buying decisions are made at the shops (Wang, 2011, p 8). OSL is an intrinsic motivation and is able to affect the nature and strength of the relationship between variables of environmental response in retailing.
Consumers are generally more of experience staggers than retailers. Great experiences of the consumer are unforgettable and are able to create emotional bonds between the retailers and consumers.
The research greatly contributes to the growing organization of international retailing research by studying the implications of buyer’s maximum motivation levels on their opinion about the elements of stores, perceived value of buying, and buying behaviors.
Managerial implications
With the research and findings from this journal, retailers will be able to concentrate on the various elements such as layout, ambient, and design of their shops. By so doing, the retailers and marketers will be able to attract many buyers with higher OSL and persuade them to spend more money in their stores (Wang, 2011, p 7).
Spending and the amount of shopping are the main buyer behaviors of interest in the journal. The amount of money spent by a consumer in a store directly adds up to the retail sales and is a significant element for recognizing customers that are loyal.
The duration of a shopping trip is described as the amount of time the buyer spends in a shop. Buyers who have high OSL explore through shopping and enjoy trying new products in the retail store which may result in them spending more time in the shops. Moreover, shoppers with high OSL are risk takers and spend more money on new goods and on impulse buying.
Application to managers
Expertise in customer retail is essential for the success for retailers. It is very difficult for worldwide retailers because it is usually hard to provide a compelling and reliable retail experience over different culture (Schiffman, 2010, p 1).
Buyers with different environmental motivation needs have different behavior of seeking varieties and different sensitivities to shop aspects. Retailers therefore should take into consideration the maximum stimulation levels of consumers because they are more buyers.
Even though managers can’t change the OSL of the consumer because it is a personal trait, they may affect the behavior of the consumer by manipulating their store environments (Wang, 2011, p 15).
For example, male and young shoppers have higher OSL and therefore, the managers will need additional environmental elements to produce more stimulating environments in an effort to convince such buyers to spend more money and time in the store.
Reference List
Albernese, P 1993, ‘Personality and consumer behavior: an operational approach’, Association for consumer research. Web.
Kumar, A 2009, ‘Chapter 5 personality and consumer behavior’, Neo-freudian personality theory. Web.
Nakanisi, M 1972, ‘Personality and consumer behavior extensions’, Association for consumer research. Web.
Schiffman, K 2010, ‘Personality and consumer behavior’, Consumer behavior, Eighth Edition. Web.
Wang, L 2011, ‘An imperical investigation of the influence of optimum stimulation levels in retailing’, International journal of retail and distribution management, Vol. 40 no. 1, pp. 6 – 17.