My motivation for the Purchase of my New iPhone 6+

The Purchase of my New iPhone 6+

September 9th had arrived. It was a date that I have been waiting for more than one year, and it was finally here. The date in which Tim Cook will announce the new iPhone 6, the 6th generation of a device that changed the world. While volunteering teaching Spanish at Carleton, I was eagerly scrolling down my tweeter feed to see the brand new images of the phone. I patiently waited. I was nervous, but yet excited because I knew that even though my phone still had a lot of live left, I was getting the iPhone 6. No questions asked. 

In the previous months through roomers and leaks I had learned a lot about this new product, and I was most certain that it will be bigger, faster, and thinner. Finally, the pictures of the iPhone 6 started to flood tweeter but then Cook said: But wait, there is ONE more thing. That moment, I paused for a second, and realized that they would be probably launching something new, and I was right. That moment Cook announced the launch of the iPhone 6 plus. That thing was big. "Bigger than Bigger". I was so astonished to see that a brand such as Apple than before had critiqued tablet-phones (as I like to call them) would do such thing as launch some of their own. Myself has criticized those people that use those phones because I founded them impractical, and dumb looking... but, strangely enough I wanted one. I was determined to buy one.

As soon as classes were over I went into the website, not even looking too much into its characteristics, I tried to order online, but shipping was already estimated to take more than a month. Frustrated, I decided to wake up early the next morning and go to the Apple store. After I analyzed the phone, held it, played with it I found it too big, especially when I compared it to my current phone the iPhone 5. I doubted, but I had this feeling, I wanted to be unique, I wanted to show off I had the 6 plus, something that I knew would not be common. As I approached a sales man, after having my decision done I  received a "sorry sir, we are sold out, try reserving one online and come to the store with your reservation". I was so disappointed and walked home empty handed.

This lead to a week of constantly going into the Apple website, searching for what models they had in stock, and always it was sold out. I gave up. A couple of weeks passed, and I had decided to keep my old phone, who wants to spend that amount of money anyways right? 

Despite my decision, one day I was trying to study in the library and, as I often do, I diverged from the study and decided to look if there were phones available in Ottawa (just for fun). When I went into the website, the only model that they had, for pickup from 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm was the phone I wanted. Currently, it was 4:45, and out of pure instinct, not thinking it twice, I reserved one under my name. Until today I wonder what was the motivation I had to do so, because the situation seemed unrealistic: I had already decided to keep my old phone, and just because there it was, the only phone available, I packed by books and was heading towards the Rideau centre to buy the phone. When I got into the store, they had my phone ready, and as I was purchasing candy I handed in my credit card: 966.98 dollars. After I walked out the store I just wandered what have I done, I had spent almost one thousand dollars in a phone, that I didn't really need it, why? I was suffering of acute post purchase dissonance, but it all went away as I opened the package and saw my brand new iPhone 6 plus. 

According to the course textbook, motivation can be defined as the processes that leads people to behave the way they do. It occurs when a need is aroused that the consumer wishes to satisfy, and once a need has been activated, a state of tension exists that drives the consumer to reduce or eliminate the need. In this case, my motivation was to acquire my brand new iPhone 6 plus, driven by the technology-maniac I am, I really wanted the phone. Even though, at some stage of the process my motivational strength, which is the degree of willingness to expend energy to reach the goal, became dormant (as I had convinced myself I would not buy the phone), as soon as the product became available I almost systematically reserved the phone. I found this kind of behavior in marketing, and in consumer behavior very interesting as, as soon as we know we cannot have something we want it even more, and as soon it is available we buy it, making sure that we do not loose the opportunity for it to be sold out again.

In this particular situation, I believe that there are many specific needs in buyers behavior that are clearly demonstrated. 

Need for achievement: Need for achievement can be defined as value of personal accomplishment. I wanted to be a winner, I wanted to win the system, and I wanted to have the phone. When finally the phone was made abatable for reservation, I felt I was a winner because even though I did not need it, I won the product from the rest of the people, I would have one and the result will not. This also brings us to the second point that can be exemplified in this example.

Need for Uniqueness: To assert one's individual identity. When I was first looking for the phone, I was debating weather to buy the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 plus. When I decided to buy the iPhone 6 plus I knew that I was paying a higher price not only for the product, but for the need of being unique. I knew that it was the product that sold out faster, and that not many people will have it as they consider it to be "too big". Funny enough, I too considered it to be too big and impractical but my need to be unique, the need for people to tell me "Wow is that the new iPhone 6 plus" was larger than my own interests. Now that I think about it I paid almost one thousand dollars to get the glances, the questions, to be the conversation starter. 

Furthermore, the need for uniqueness also turned into an opportunity of consumer affiliation as people started asking to see my phone, jokingly bend it and asking "Does it Bend? Can I try". This product, even though it did proceed a lot of post purchase dissonance in me, and I myself couldn't believe I have bought it (until the credit card invoice came of course), had satisfied many needs that I had as a consumer, and now, I treat it as my baby. It is funny, but currently I am so used to its size that I can no longer type in the micro iPhones predecessors.

And to answer one last question.

The phone does not bend!

As a consumer, sometimes is bothers be how fast your technology can be obsolete in today's world. If you do not get the iPhone 6 right away, you are obligated to wait 8 more months so that you can get the iPhone 6s, because if you buy the 6 just before the new one is coming out, you feel  you are not getting the sweet deal of fresh technology. For technology companies though this is a huge opportunity. Technology companies understand that now a days consumer motivations are guided by the need of having the last technology, and being able to provide newer technology each time (as explained by Moore technology advancement law), they motivate the consumer to buy things that are only marginal improvements of the last technology. Technology companies have learned to market their products so well, that today consumers believe they are getting top of the notch technologies that did not exist before. Consumers (including myself), are willing to spend 1000 dollars on a phone that is bigger, and that has a fingerprint scan to lock it (nothing great if you think about it). In today's world, there is a huge opportunity for technology companies as consumers are now trained to want the latest, even though they might own a perfectly functional technology. 

In this fast paced world, companies should also have a lot of precautions on how they proceed, and how they market their products. The best, sole, example for this has been the rise and fall of Canadian Blackberry, which failed to listen to consumers and their wants, leaving a very important message in this industry. Even though you invented it, it doesn't mean you own it. This means that consumers technology preferences are often evolving and that even though you invented something (the smartphone) it does not mean you know everything about it (for example, Blackberry resisting to change to touch screens and adding features such as apps). This is a very important lesson for consumer behavior, as consumers preferences are always evolving and adapting to new trends, so companies should be proactive rather than passive on following new trends, and adhering on what the consumer demands if they want their products to be successful. It is very important to listen to the market, be open to change, and follow consumer wants. This has been the key of Apples iPhone, as they have followed consumer wants, innovated to make their products the trend, and have taught consumers that when they are buying their products they are buying status, innovation, and a trend of change, and consumer oriented production. 

Solomon, M. R., Zaichkowsky, J. L. and Polegato, R. (2013) Consumer Behaviour: Buying, Having, and Being, Sixth Canadian Edition. Toronto: Prentice Hall Canada.

Toys R' Us A Roller Coaster of Sensations

After an 8 hour, almost all night journey, my bus had finally reached its destination: New York City. It was around 4 am in the morning, and I could no longer wait to get off the bus. As I excitedly left the bus station, I started walking up 8th Avenue. My excitement, did not permit me to realize the potential dangers of the situation, as I was walking alone in what was almost a complete dark avenue. As I glanced to look at my phone, which had Google Maps opened with the direction of my hotel, I started hearing the noise of crowds moving, and could see a very bright light coming from around 3 blocks away. The situation seemed a bit extraneous, as the empty street began to start filling up with people, and the darkness of the night started fading away illuminated by this intense light. Soon, I was to discover why New York City was called "The City That Never Sleeps".

After walking two more blocks, I was overwhelmed with what I saw: flashing lights, moving signs, huge billboards, an astonishing amount of led lights and crowds of people which you could not even move. I was in Times Square. It was 4:30 am in the morning and the few blocks that encompass the attraction were crowded as if it was rush hour. I could not even describe what my immediate sensations were at the moment, as I was captured in the cloud of advertisements. My attention diverged from one advertisement to the other, and then I saw that a group of people were standing in front of a  Forever 21 advertisement, and my curiosity won over me. The advertisement consisted of an immense led screen in which you could stand and wave at it, and you immediately appeared as a hologram within the store. That was amazing. As I looked around I could only see more action, stock valuations flying on led screens from buildings, news anchors performing live news in the screens, beer signs, digital camera led televisions, there was light from top to bottom. It was advertisement heaven. 

After that, I noticed something that was more interesting, which was, all the stores were open 24-hours and people were still shopping at that time. As I had time to waste, as my Hotel check - In was not until 12 pm that same day, I decided to wonder into the stores. There was one that particularly won my attention, and as I entered I was amazed. The Toys' R US store was a four story high building, fully illuminated, and in which the store it had a Ferris wheel, a real size dinosaur, and all the toys every kid ever wanted. It was unbelievable. 

A sensation can be defined as an immediate response of our sensory receptors to basic stimuli such as light, colour, and sound (SWD, p.35). Within this experience, sensations started as soon as I started to see the light at the end of the street, and start experiencing crowds of people moving around me. When I first got to times square, sensations were overwhelming as for light I had hundreds of flashing led lights illuminating the darkness, in sound I had car honking, the sound of crowds talking and moving, as well as sensation of thousands of colors being displayed within the led lights. Perception can be defined as the process by which sensations are selected, organized and interpreted (SWD, p.35). Within this experience my perception abilities needed to be quick, and agile, as it was difficult to focus in which sensations to focus.

For some sublime reason, my sensory receptors decided to focus on that one store: Toys R US. Maybe the store was chosen from all the sensations available because my sensory inputs created associations that brought back memories: happy colorful memories from when I was a kid. The bright colors in the store (as it can be seen in the picture above) transmitted a sense of happiness, playfulness, and tremendous activity which for some reason just made my joyful. The colors from the store, combined with the experience of seeing a Ferris wheel within the store, frenetic shopping, all of the toys I had ever dreamed off induced me emotions, emotions that can only be compared when I was a child and my mom took me to a toy store for me to pick a toy. Those selective perceptions of the store had made me believe that I was not in a store, but I was in an attraction were all the people seemed happy, the environment was relaxed and playful. 

Toys'R Us had captured my attention for more than two hours, and I was still enjoying myself looking at all the different toys, the joy of children's faces (which were pretty excited to be 7 in the morning), and the constant looping of the Ferris wheel going around and around. Attention can be defined as the extent to which processing activity is devoted to a particular stimulus, and even though there was an overwhelming amount of competition in times square, the sight, sound, even candy scent, of the Times Square Toy' R US had won all of my attention. This perceptions of the store even made me buy something (because I would not leave empty handed from such a great experience, right?). All of the emotions that Toys R US was able to bring back to me, made me purchase a stuffed peanut (yes, like a teddy bear but its a peanut), which I proudly call Mr. Nut. Toys R' US was able to break from the clutter that overwhelming advertisements can bring (specially in a place like Times Square) and made me go and purchase in their store. Until today, as I look at Mr. Nut laying in my bed, I remember one of the best sunrises I have ever had: The time I spent 4 hours in the Toy's R US store in Times Square. 

As a prospective marketer, I am amazed on how lighting, decoration, and sound can be used to attract customers. Times Square is a great example on how led lighted billboards, colorful signs, and especial store displays can be used to attract customers and how these affect sensations and perceptions. I think there is a very important lesson for every person that want to sell their products or service in Times Square: If you want people to buy your product first you need to capture their attention (and that is why marketing is so important). As advertisement increases, and we are cluttered with a thousand pieces of information every day, marketers need to think on novel, creative, and different ways to promote their product. The future of outdoor advertisement, no doubt, relies on interactive, led lighted, advertisements, as well as personalized, individual advertisements. As a consumer, I believe this is important because people like things that are tailored to them. For example, the digital out-of-home advertisement for the Despicable Me 2 movie which "invites viewers to control the on-screen action, personalize the message, and share the content with their friends using their smartphones. The campaign’s creative features an animation of Gru’s mischievous Minions tapping their feet impatiently on-screen with a call-to-action prompting shoppers to text a command using their smartphone to direct the characters to dance, wrestle, play, build or boogie."

The focus of what I am saying, is that the future of promotions relies on interactive, personalized, animated, led lighted advertisement and that companies that are trying to promote products should take note of that. It has been proven that humans respond to light stimulus and that are respond better to advertisement that is tailored specifically to them as they see it as less intrusive. With technology peaking there is a huge opportunity for companies to create creative and novel advertisement that will attract customers better because myself as a consumer (and I am sure most of you can relate) am tired and tend to ignore old-fashioned, newspaper, billboard, and print media ads which do not display anything especial. In todays world, the consumer has been exposed to so many advertisement, that it has learned to ignore it, and this is why marketers should think on the future and how they can break through the clutter. 

http://screenmediadaily.com/despicable-me-2-reaches-fans-using-interactive-digital-out-of-home-advertising/

Solomon, M. R., Zaichkowsky, J. L. and Polegato, R. (2013) Consumer Behaviour: Buying, Having, and Being, Sixth Canadian Edition. Toronto: Prentice Hall Canada.