Bases for Segmenting Consumer Markets

The four bases for segmenting consumer market are as follows:

1. Demographic Segmentation
2. Geographic Segmentation
3. Psychographic Segmentation
4. Behavioural Segmentation.

(1) Demographic Segmentation

Demographic segmentation divides the markets into groups based on variables such as age, gender, family size, income, occupation, education, religion, race and nationality. Demographic factors are the most popular bases for segmenting the consumer group. One reason is that consumer needs, wants, and usage rates often vary closely with the demographic variables. Moreover, demographic factors are easier to measure than most other type of variables.

(a) Age

It is one of the most common demographic variables used to segment markets. Some com­panies offer different products, or use different marketing approaches for different age groups. For example, McDonald’s targets children, teens, adults and seniors with different ads and media. Markets that are commonly segmented by age includes clothing, toys, music, automobiles, soaps, shampoos and foods.

(b) Gender

Gender segmentation is used in clothing, cosmetics and magazines.

(c) Income

Markets are also segmented on the basis of income. Income is used to divide the markets because it influences the people’s product purchase. It affects a consumer’s buying power and style of living. Income includes housing, furniture, automobile, clothing, alcoholic, beverages, food, sporting goods, luxury goods, financial services and travel.

(d) Family cycle

Product needs vary according to age, number of persons in the household, marital status, and number and age of children. These variables can be combined into a single variable called family life cycle. Housing, home appliances, furniture, food and automobile are few of the numerous product markets segmented by the family cycle stages. Social class can be divided into upper class, middle class and lower class. Many companies deal in clothing, home furnishing, leisure activities, design products and services for specific social classes.

(2) Geographic Segmentation

Geographic segmentation refers to dividing a market into different geographical units such as nations, states, regions, cities, or neighborhoods. For example, national newspapers are published and distrib­uted to different cities in different languages to cater to the needs of the consumers.

Geographic variables such as climate, terrain, natural resources, and population density also influence consumer product needs. Companies may divide markets into regions because the differences in geographic variables can cause consumer needs and wants to differ from one region to another.

(3) Psychographic Segmentation

Psychographic segmentation pertains to lifestyle and personality traits. In the case of certain products, buying behaviour predominantly depends on lifestyle and personality characteristics.

(a) Personality characteristics

It refers to a person’s individual character traits, attitudes and hab­its. Here markets are segmented according to competitiveness, introvert, extrovert, ambitious, aggressiveness, etc. This type of segmentation is used when a product is similar to many compet­ing products, and consumer needs for products are not affected by other segmentation variables.

(b) Lifestyle

It is the manner in which people live and spend their time and money. Lifestyle analysis provides marketers with a broad view of consumers because it segments the markets into groups on the basis of activities, interests, beliefs and opinions. Companies making cosmetics, alcoholic beverages and furniture’s segment market according to the lifestyle.

(4) Behavioural Segmentation

In behavioural segmentation, buyers are divided into groups on the basis of their knowledge of, attitude towards, use of, or response to a product. Behavioural segmentation includes segmentation on the basis of occasions, user status, usage rate loyalty status, buyer-readiness stage and attitude.

(a) Occasion

Buyers can be distinguished according to the occasions when they purchase a product, use a product, or develop a need to use a product. It helps the firm expand the product usage. For example, Cadbury’s advertising to promote the product during wedding season is an example of occasion segmentation.

(b) User status

Sometimes the markets are segmented on the basis of user status, that is, on the basis of non-user, ex-user, potential user, first-time user and regular user of the product. Large compa­nies usually target potential users, whereas smaller firms focus on current users.

(c) Usage Rate

Markets can be distinguished on the basis of usage rate, that is, on the basis of light, medium and heavy users. Heavy users are often a small percentage of the market, but account for a high percentage of the total consumption. Marketers usually prefer to attract a heavy user rather than several light users, and vary their promotional efforts accordingly.

(d) Loyalty Status

Buyers can be divided on the basis of their loyalty status—hardcore loyal (con­sumer who buy one brand all the time), split loyal (consumers who are loyal to two or three brands), shifting loyal (consumers who shift from one brand to another), and switchers (consum­ers who show no loyalty to any brand).

(e) Buyer readiness stage

The six psychological stages through which a person passes when deciding to purchase a product. The six stages are awareness of the product, knowledge of what it does, interest in the product, preference over competing products, conviction of the product’s suitability, and purchase. Marketing campaigns exist in large part to move the target audience through the buyer readiness stages.