Analysis of Consumer Identity, Self-Concept, and Consumption Patterns

This report examines consumer identity and its interplay with consumption patterns, drawing on artifacts to illustrate key concepts. The author explores self-concept, differentiating between actual, ideal, and social selves, and critiques the modern tendency to define identity through group affiliation. The report analyzes how individuals use purchases, such as iPhones and MacBooks, to express their self-identity and social status, highlighting the influence of brand consciousness and experiential marketing. The author presents personal experiences, including interactions at Starbucks and Burberry, to illustrate how consumption choices reflect and shape self-perception. The report emphasizes the importance of aligning purchases with personal values, as seen through the author's involvement in social service, and the role of possessions in extending self-identity. The author critiques the shift toward defining self through external objects and experiences, advocating for a focus on personal preferences over customer service, ultimately arguing that self-identity is increasingly distorted and dependent on external factors. The report concludes with a critical analysis of the reciprocal relationship between consumption and identity, particularly focusing on the role of environmental self-identity in consumer choices.

Consumer Identity
Consumer Identity
The report primarily discusses about several aspects related to self-concept and self-
identity. It has explained the true meaning of self-identity and modified version of the self-
concept. The report has criticized the changed meaning of self-identity in todays’ world. The first
artifact focuses on assessing the reciprocal relationship between identity and consumption of
things in life (smizgin & Piacentini, 2018). It has been observed that one attempts to purchase the
items which makes him happy and enable them to show their social status or self-identity. People
tend to buy iPhone to reflect themselves as a brand-conscious persona. The artifacts of Macbook
refers the fact, where author bought apple MacBook recently because he has been using apple
product since long. He loves the quality of Apple products. Along with that he felt that Apple
product has a unique design and decent look which matches her lifestyle. He sees himself as cool
teen, follows recent trends and uses classic things.
(Oyserman & Elmore, 2012) agree with the statement that one buys things which reflect
their self-identity. Self-identity is basically an accumulation of thought and perception build for
our self by others. There are three types of self-identity, actual, ideal and social. Actual self is
what an individual perceives themselves considering recent scenario. Ideal self is how an
individual wants to see themselves and social is, how we want significant others see us when we
walk out of our home. Self-identity and related behavior build from your past experiences,
education and surroundings.
Self-identity reflects one’s own thoughts and aspirations. But now a days, people don’t
differentiate themselves from others rather they create self-identity by following certain groups.
The author discussed that self-identity is not explained as a shared “understandings within a
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Consumer Identity
culture of what it is to be human” (Solomon, 2017). Author feels that people blindly follow
group disregarding their own wishes and choices (Hanspal & Devasagayam, 2017). The artifact
related to Starbucks reflect this criticism, where the author went to Starbucks on weekend with
friends for having coffee. It has a soothing ambience which please the group of people. He
ordered cold coffee because everybody ordered that. However, he usually prefers to have hot
coffee. Next day he had got some trouble with his throat. He thought he could have ordered hot
coffee disregarding the choice of others. These findings explain the author emphasis on
diffracting ourselves from others.
The other artifacts showing a part of social service club, denotes that author has strong
feeling towards needy people, he is empathetic and helpful by nature. The author says that he has
joined social service club where he had to go once in a while for helping people who needs out
help. He has been associated with old aged home, orphanage home, and blood donation camp
organized on our city. He feels satisfied by helping them and feels worth living in society. People
sees him as a future social entrepreneur and empathetic individual. They give more respect
whenever they meet him. He chose this over weekend party to differentiate myself from people.
very few people follow their instinct. However, (Joseph A. Bailey, n.d.) argue that it is not only
value that reflects self-identity but it is also actions by which an extended self can be explained.
Here the author has been associated with different social service activities which justify his
values. Else people tend to associated themselves to such campaign to show good side of them
but hardly participated in event. Author says that ‘extended self’, denotes to the creation of the
self by means of external objects.
(II, et al., 2012) proposes that an individual seeks to have control over the things they
possess because they consider objects as an extension of one’s self-identity. In one of the
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Consumer Identity
artifacts, author purchased shoes because it is comfortable for his. Nike shoes enable him to go
for morning walk, it is comfortable and durable. People would see him as a health-conscious
persona. These kinds of shoes can be used rough and tuff and he can wear it regularly without
any trouble. He felt bad and feels upset knowing the fact that it has been lost or misplaced.
(Mihalcea & Catoiu, 2008) denotes that people become so possessive about their belongings that
they felt “some loss of self” on losing the belongings.
While reading out the material (Wells & Foxall, 2012)related to self-identity and self-
concept, it was surprising to know that self is ‘’empty’’ and an individual tend to fill by their
choices, experiences and by possessing varied objects. It has been observed that people tend to
define their self-identity through experiencing things. Such as the author recently visited store of
Burberry to buy denim for weekend party. The festival offer gave a good discount and purchased
wonderful denim. He felt amazing after wearing that denim, gave sense of confidence. People
consider him as a brand conscious individual. The store had kind and courteous crowd. People
working for Burberry ensures that I get things of my size and choice. They helped me to choose
color which suits me and show several options which is according to my fashion sense.
Here, he only went to buy Demin but the experience for buying dress was different than
other outlet in malls. He would love to visit store again not only because it has unique designs
but for courteous staff which helped him to buy best outfit. Hence, today companies are
competing with each other and tend to follow the principle of experiential marketing to establish
strong brand image in the market (East, et al., 2016). Here, author argues that they could have
bought dress by themselves without any help. (Mihalcea, n.d.) states that one should rather focus
on quality things they are going to purchase and their likes and dislikes rather than focusing on
customer service provided at stores. He could have bought similar dress from any boutique. The
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sense of self identity and self-concept has now been distorted and dependent on things they
belong to and experience which one goes through.
References
East, R., Singh, J., Vanhuele, M. & Wright, M. J., 2016. Consumer Behaviour: Applications in
Marketing. 3rd ed. s.l.:Sage publication.
Hanspal, S. & Devasagayam, R., 2017. Impact of Consumers’ Self-Image. Sage, 3(1), pp. 1-18.
II, A. R., Forehand, M. & Warlop, L., 2012. Identity-Based Consumer Behavior. International
Journal of Research in Marketing , 29(4).
Joseph A. Bailey, n.d. Self-image, self-concept, and self-identity revisited.. J Natl Med Assoc. ,
95(5), p. 383–386..
Mihalcea, R. & Catoiu, I., 2008. CONSUMER IDENTITY AND IMPLICATIONS FOR THE
BRAND. Annales Universitatis Apulensis Series Oeconomica, 50(50).
Mihalcea, R., n.d. CONSUMER IDENTITY AND IMPLICATIONS FOR THE BRAND, Iacob
Cătoiu: Academy of Economic Studies Bucharest.
Oyserman, D. & Elmore, K., 2012. Self, self-concept, and identity. 2nd ed. s.l.:Guilford.
smizgin, I. & Piacentini, M., 2018. Consumer Behaviour. 2nd ed. s.l.:Oxford.
Solomon, M. R., 2017. Consumer Behavior: Buying, Having, and Being. 12th ed. s.l.:Peorson.
Wells, V. K. & Foxall, G., 2012. Handbook of Developments in Consumer Behaviour. s.l.:Elger
publishing house.
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