Why People Buy Things They Dont Need: Understanding and Predicting Consumer Behavior

Chapter 1: Why do People Buy Things They Don't Need?

Figure 1.1: Personal Consumption Expenditures as a Percentage of GDP (in billions)

Figure 1.2: Spending on Discretionary Items as a Percentage of All Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE)

Chapter 2: What We Need: More Than You Ever Imagined

Figure 2.1: Gross Domestic Product per Capita for Selected Countries, 2000

Figure 2.2: American Way of Life

Figure 2.3: Fashionable Appliances from Jenn-Air

Figure 2.4: Prescription for Major-Appliance Retailing

Chapter 3: If Consumer Spending is the Engine of the Economy, Then Discretionary Spending is the "GAS"

Figure 3.1: Discretionary Products Matrix

Figure 3.2: Showtime Rotisserie Grill Product Positioning

Figure 3.3: Discretionary Purchasers Segmentation Analysis

Figure 3.4: A Quick Guide to the Five Segments of Discretionary Consumers

Figure 3.5: Differing Attitudes among Segments

Figure 3.6: Luxury Marketers Revenue 2000–2002 (in millions)

Chapter 4: The 14 Justifiers that Give Consumers Permission to Buy

Figure 4.1: Justifiers for Buying Discretionary Products

Chapter 5: What Things People Buy that They Don't Need

Figure 5.1: Discretionary Product Purchase Incidence

Figure 5.2: Total Retail Trade in Millions

Figure 5.3: Where People Buy Things They Don't Need

Figure 5.4: Where People Buy Things They Don't Need

Figure 5.5: Personal Consumption Expenditures in Millions

Chapter 6: What People Buy: Personal Luxuries

Figure 6.1: Personal Luxuries Purchase Incidence (percentage)

Figure 6.2: Fashion Accessories Industry Snapshot

Figure 6.3: Infant's Clothing Industry Snapshot

Figure 6.4: Infant and Children's Apparel Market Share Leaders

Figure 6.5: Jewelry and Watches Industry Snapshot

Figure 6.6: Jewelry and Watches Market Share Leaders

Figure 6.7: Men's and Boys' Clothing and Apparel Industry Snapshot

Figure 6.8: Men's Apparel Market Share Leaders

Figure 6.9: Personal-Care Industry Snapshot

Figure 6.10: Women's and Girls' Clothing and Apparel Industry Snapshot

Figure 6.11: Women's Clothing and Apparel Market Share Leaders

Chapter 7: What People Buy: Entertainment, Recreation, and Hobbies

Figure 7.1: Entertainment Purchase Incidence

Figure 7.2: Audio Equipment Industry Snapshot

Figure 7.3: Electronic Stores Market Share Leaders

Figure 7.4: Books, Magazines, and Newsletters Industry Snapshot

Figure 7.5: Book Store Market Share Leaders

Figure 7.6: Computers and Software Industry Snapshot

Figure 7.7: Computer Stores Market Share Leaders

Figure 7.8: Craft Store Market Share Leaders

Figure 7.9: Musical Instruments Industry Snapshot

Figure 7.10: Pet Accessories Industry Snapshot

Figure 7.11: Pet Accessories Market Share Leaders

Figure 7.12: Photography Equipment and Supplies Industry Snapshot

Figure 7.13: Prerecorded Media Industry Snapshot

Figure 7.14: Prerecorded Media Market Share Leaders

Figure 7.15: Sporting Goods and Exercise Equipment Industry Snapshot

Figure 7.16: Sporting Goods Market Share Leaders

Figure 7.17: Toys, Games, and Dolls Industry Snapshot

Figure 7.18: Toy Retail Market Share Leaders

Figure 7.19: Television, Radio, VCR, and DVD Player Industry Snapshot

Chapter 8: What People Buy: Home Furnishings and Home Décor

Figure 8.1: Home Purchase Incidence

Figure 8.2: Aromatherapy and Household Scents Industry Snapshot

Figure 8.3: Art Industry Snapshot

Figure 8.4: Art & Framing Market Share Leaders

Figure 8.5: Baskets, Boxes, Vases, Pots Industry Snapshot

Figure 8.6: Candle and Accessories Industry Snapshot

Figure 8.7: Christmas and Seasonal Decorations Industry Snapshot

Figure 8.8: Collectibles Industry Snapshot

Figure 8.9: Flowers, Seeds, and Potted Plants Industry Snapshot

Figure 8.10: Building Materials and Garden Retailers Industry Snapshot

Figure 8.11: Total Furniture and Mattresses Industry Snapshot

Figure 8.12: Retail Furniture and Home Furnishings Stores

Figure 8.13: Lawn and Garden Industry Snapshot

Figure 8.14: Greeting Card and Stationery Industry Snapshot

Figure 8.15: Home Textiles and Rugs Industry Snapshot

Figure 8.16: Total Kitchenware and Housewares Industry Snapshot

Figure 8.17: Housewares Market Share Leaders

Figure 8.18: Lamps, Clocks, and Other Durable Furnishings Industry Snapshot

Figure 8.19: Picture Frames Industry Snapshot

Figure 8.20: Tabletop Dinnerware, Flatware, Glassware, and Serving Industry Snapshot

Figure 8.21: Wall Décor Industry Overview

Figure 8.22: Window Coverings Industry Overview

Chapter 9: Trends that Impact Why People Buy Things They Don't Need

Figure 9.1: Household Projections by Age, 2000–2010 (in Millions)

Figure 9.2: Household Characteristics

Figure 9.3: Key Demographics Related to Aging

Figure 9.4: Best Market for Discretionary Products

Figure 9.5: Population Projections, 2000–2050

Figure 9.6: Quarterly Retail and E-commerce Sales, 1999 to 2003

Figure 9.7: Retail Sales by Type of Store, 1992 and 2000, Excludes Motor Vehicles, Gasoline, and Food Service

Chapter 10: Pulling it all Together:How to Sell More

Figure 10.1: Big Vision versus Little Vision