Consumerism
Consumerism is concerned with individuals acquiring or purchasing goods and services for their own use
or consumption. It is a process in which buyers and sellers interact with each other in the market places.
Consumer
Anyone who acquires or purchases goods and services for his or her use or consumption.
Customer
Customer can be defined as someone who simply purchases a product or pays for a service.
Green Consumer
A green consumer is an individual who purchases and subsequently uses products or services that have
been produced in a way that protects the natural environment. They will only buy things considered to
be environmentally friendly.
Goods
Products produced for consumption to satisfy our needs and wants.
Services
Task performed by professionals or organizations for the benefit of consumers.
Rights of the consumer
1. The right to consumer education
Consumers should be generally educated and provided with correct and sufficient information
to guide them as they contemplate purchasing decisions.
2. The right to be informed about the products or services being purchased. The consumer has the
right to be provided with the kind of accurate information needed to make intelligent and
informed decisions about a particular product or service being contemplated for purchase.
3. The right to basic needs. The consumer has a right to essential goods and services such as food,
shelter, clothing, healthcare and education.
4. The right to a Healthy Environment. Consumers have the right to live and work in an
environment that is non-threatening to the well-being of present and future generations.
5. The right to Redress. Consumers have the right to seek compensation or fair settlements of
claims in matters relating to unsatisfactory goods and services or anything resulting from unfair
trade practices of defective products and services.
6. The right to be heard. Consumers have the right to express their interest and concerns to
relevant authorities and businesses, making sure their voices are heard in policy-making and
product development.
7. The right to safety. Consumers have the right to be safeguarded and protected against
defective and harmful goods. Whatever products and services they acquire should be safe and
free from hazards that could harm their health and well-being.
8. The right to choose. Consumers should have a variety of foods and services from which to
choose. These goods and services should be at competitive prices. They should have options so
as not to be force into making specific purchases.
Responsibilities of the Consumers.
Some responsibilities of the consumer
Making informed decisions
Exercising your rights as a consumer
Using products responsibly
Providing feedback
Being ethical and environmentally conscious consumers
Be honest
Be respectful to businesses and their employees.
Consumer Protection Agencies and Organizations
These agencies are known by different names in different countries but their functions are similar
They offer information, guidance and assistance to consumers so they can make informed purchasing
decisions, seek redress when they have been unfairly treated. Overall, the most important role of the
consumer organization is that as ‘watchdog’ for the consumer. They guard the interest of the
consumers by:
Seeing that consumers are not overcharged and that they get value for money
Providing consumer education, that is information to guide the consumer in how to shop wisely
and how to seek redress for grievances.
Making recommendations to government for benefit of the consumer in areas such as pricing,
packaging and quality of goods
Providing information on how to choose and use foods
Some examples of Protection Agencies and Organizations
Consumer Affairs Unit ----- Anguilla
Prices and Consumer Affairs Division ----- Antigua
Bureau of Standards ----- Antigua, Jamaica,
Consumer Affairs Department ------ St Kitts
Consumer terms
Bulk shopping:
The act of purchasing goods or commodities in large quantities usually at a reduced price.
Whole sale shopping:
Business places such as supermarkets buying large quantities of goods from manufacturers or
producers at a reduced price.
Comparative shopping:
also known as shopping around; comparing similar products or services based on features,
quality and value for money.
Impulse buying: The buying of goods without planning to do so as a result of sudden whim or
impulse, on the spur of the moment
Gross weight: The total weight of a product including contents and package.
Net weight: The weight of a product excluding the packaging.
Unit Pricing: The price for the smallest unit of a product e.g. a dozen eggs costs $12.00, one egg
costs $1.00
Guarantee is a promise of performance ad satisfaction. It assures the consumer that the product
will be of a certain quality for a set period of time.
Warranty is a written agreement offering repair or replacement for a product which is defective
or develops a fault within a particular period of time or in the case of a service to re do it if is not
satisfactory.
UPC: Universal Product Code:
This is also known as the barcode. It is a 12-digit number assigned to every product on the market. It
does the following
Streamline inventory management (accurate tracking and re-stocking)
Efficient sales (quick checkout with minimized errors)
Accurate sales analytics (informed pricing and decisions)
Businesses can analyze sale trends and adjust pricing strategies.
Consumer convenience (consumers can scan for product information, prices and reviews)
Anti-counterfeiting (UPC) helps trace product origins ensuring authenticity and consumer safety.
Advertising
Advertising is any form of communication that informs, persuades or reminds people about an event,
product or service.
Methods of advertising
TV
Print e.g. newspaper, magazines, flyers, Posters, brochures, banners
Digital, e.g. Social media, Emails, Instagram, WhatsApp, Facebook
Mobile apps
Billboards to include electronic and printed billboards
Search engines such as Google, Chrome and Bing
Some pros and cons of advertising
Advertising offers many advantages, such as
- Attract customers
- Inform them about the product
- Build customer trust
- Creates demand
- Enhance product quality
- Foster brand loyalty
However, it is also not without its limitations.
- Poor product quality
- one-way communication
- exaggerated claims
- high costs
- they tend to omit negative features
Some Common Shopping tips
Have a budget
Make a list
Never shop hungry
Choosing the right time to shop
Creating a shopping list
Shop around
