Intro to consumer studies
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Transcript of Intro to consumer studies
CONSUMERSAnyone who uses goods or services
© PDST Home Economics
Goods and Services
Goods: Products that are bought
e.g. food, clothes
Services: Doing work for another
usually involving payment
e.g.hairdressing, car repair
Needs and Wants
Needs: Things we cannot do without
e.g. food, clothing, shelter, warmth
Want: Things we’d like to have but can live without
e.g. MP3 players, holidays, mobile phones
Some wants are considered to be luxuries
Needs and wants
Needs and wants change depending on a number of things:
Age
Culture
Circumstances
A priority is something that is very important to you
Consumer Rights The right to truthful information The right to choose The right to value for money The right to safety The right to redress
A monopoly happens when there is only one supplier of a product or service i.e. there is no competition
Consumer Responsibilities
To know your rights
To know consumer law
To inform yourself about goods and services so you can choose wisely
To understand the balance between cost and quality
To read labels and follow manufacturers instructions
To complain about faulty goods and services
To avoid wasting resources and protect environment
Resources
Anything that is used in doing a task e.g.
Time
Money
Skills
Information
Equipment
Materials
Consumer Information
Consumer information:
any knowledge that helps a consumer to buy wisely
Consumer education:
using this knowledge to make informed decisions when
purchasing goods and services
Why do consumers need to be informed?
So they make wise buying decisions
To get value for money
To understand consumer law
So they know how to get redress
Sources of consumer information Consumer Association of Ireland and
National Consumer Agency
Advertising
Showrooms & exhibitions
Salespeople
TV/radio consumer programmes
Internet consumer sites
Manufacturer’s leaflets
Other consumers
Magazines and newspapers
Community info services
Decision Making
Step 1 Identify the problem
Step 2 Collect information
Step 3 Consider alternatives
Step 4 Consider consequences of each alternative
Step 5 Make a decision
Step 6 Put the decision into action
Step 7 Evaluate results
Factors which influence our decisions when choosing goods
Internal Factors
Personal preferences
Personal values
Needs
External Factors
Advertising /Marketing
Peers / Friends
Family
Price / cost
Fashion
Sales people
Time
Impulse Buying
Buying something on the spur of the moment