Digital Segmentation Experiment

The next time you are out shopping for home goods, groceries and daily consumables, try out this little experiment. In fact, you can do this even if you only ever shop online without having to physically get to a store. The experiment has to do with the way people purchase and it may reveal things about you that you probably never noticed before. Ready? Let us begin.

Price

Is price the primary criterion for all your shopping endeavors? I mean, is that the dimension you start with when looking for things to buy? Don't jump the gun just yet. Even if price is the fundamental criterion, there are several aspects of it. For instance:

• Are you on the look-out for the lowest possible price?
• Are you sometimes (with a specific set of products) willing to pay more for perceived quality?
• Would you consider buying products that are currently on a discounted price as opposed to their regular retail price?
• Would you consider buying items closer to their expiry date if they are discounted?
• Do you stop by the bargain discount counter or tab at all? Or frequently?

Quality

Similarly, is quality your chief criterion? If so, what are the parameters of your quality-centric shopping?

• Would you consider paying more for quality?
• Is higher price your most reliable indicator of higher quality?
• Would you pay more for organic products?
• Would you be willing to pay more for 'green' products?
• Does quality apply across all your purchases? Or is it limited to specific product types? For instance food items, skin care etc.

Brand

Brands exist for a reason. They seemingly offer consumers choice. But brands may mean different things to different people. Even the same brands! How do brands figure in your shopping criteria?

• Is there a specific brand you are fond of? 
• Do you have brand preferences across products lines?
• In your mind, do you have a hierarchy of preferred brands? Options if your first choice isn't available?
• On what basis did you develop this brand hierarchy?
• What factors influenced the brands in your consideration set?

Your answers to these questions will tell you a lot about the kind of consumer you are. Remember there are no right or wrong answers. To each one their own style! All we are trying to do here is to find out what kind of a value/price/brand shopper you are. More importantly, doe your preferred store or online destinations allow you to shop based on these criteria? Is it an over guidance or a tad more covert? Think about it!