The Effects of Ethnicity and Product on Purchase Decision Making

In this paper the authors investigate how ethnic consumers differ in their purchase decision making. They report on a study that examined the key decision influences (media authority, reference groups, and store image) for the three main ethnic consumer groups in the United States (blacks, Hispanics and whites), for the purchase of social clothes (an expressive buy) and small electronics (a functional buy).

The Effects of Ethnicity and Product on Purchase Decision Making

Youn-Kyung Kim University of North TexasJikyeong Kang Manchester University

The ethnic diversity of the United States makes it critical to develop advertising strategies for specific target segments, which entails investigating how ethnic consumers differ in their various purchase decision-making patterns. This study examined the three main ethnic consumer groups in the United States (blacks, Hispanics, and whites) in their decision-making patterns in purchasing social clothes (value-expressive product) and small electronics (utilitarian product). These ethnic consumer groups displayed distinct patterns in their informational influences (media and reference group)...

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