The Influence of Spouses and Children in Family Consumption Decision-Making

Understanding the role of families in consumer behaviour

Family as a consuming and decision-making unit is a central concept in marketing and consumer behaviour, at which family members have a great influence on individuals’ willingness to purchase certain products or services to the extent that they may support or stop an individual’s decision to buy or suggest few other options.

Families use products even though individuals usually buy them. Determining what products should be bought, which retail outlet to use, how and when products are used, and who should buy them involves the complex interplay of individual preferences, roles and dynamics within the family structure. For marketers, it’s useful to analyse if their offers come under the family decision.

Family consumption decisions often include at least four definable roles, which are assumed by different individual members of families depending on the situations and product types. A housewife who goes shopping at grocery stores can be both a decider and purchaser but not necessarily the user. In the case of products such as cars, televisions or furniture, which are likely to be used by some or all family members, the purchase decision is likely to be joint or group decision.

Information gatherers/holders

These people seek out and share information about the products or services with their families. They usually have a great deal of power because they may selectively pass on information that they favour and discard any information that they do not like.

Influencers

They are those who do not have the power to decide between alternatives, but they do have a great power to influence the decision by asking for specific products. For example, children can request their parents to purchase their favourite toys during the holiday season.

Decision-makers

After listening to all the members, the decision-makers have the final say in determining issues such as:

• whether to buy

• which product to buy

• which brand to buy

• where to buy it and;

• when to buy. 

Joint decisions tend to be made about vacations or refrigerators while autonomic decision-making is more about categories that include women’s perfume or men’s shoes pair. Understanding where on this map the decisions of particular products or services fall, certain aspects of the products can be advertised appropriately to reach the influential family member.

Purchasers

Followed after the decision makers are the purchasers who purchase the items. The role of the decision-makers is separate from the purchasers in terms of:

• The decision-makers may specify what kind of product to buy, but not which brand;

• The purchasers may have to make substitutions if the desired brand is not available;

From this point of view, marketers can make the purchasers targeted to the point-of-sale (POP) marketing efforts that cannot be aimed at the decision-makers.

Types of family and their influence

Family is no longer limited to the traditional nuclear model of a married couple and their children. Today, families come in various shapes and sizes such as:

• Single-parent families

• Blended families

• Same-sex families

• Multigenerational families

Nuclear families

• A family unit formed by two parents and their biological or adopted children living together.

• Their consumer behaviours often revolve around children’s needs such as education, healthcare, and extracurricular activities. The decision-making is centralised between the two parents with less or no involvement of extended relatives.

Extended families

• A family that includes nuclear families and other relatives, such as grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins, either living together or nearby.

• In extended families, decisions are made collectively with inputs from multiple generations. Family members may purchase in bulk and share household resources. They often prioritise products that cater to multiple generations such as healthcare items and educational toys for younger children.

Single-parent families

• A family where one parent is responsible for raising the child or children, either due to divorce, separation, death or choice.

• Single-parent households may be more budget-conscious, prioritising value, convenience and affordability in purchases. Time-saving products and services like childcare and pre-prepared meals are often essential.

Childless families

• A family consisting of a couple without children, either by choice or circumstances.

• Childless families may focus on luxury and discretionary spending including travel, dining, self-care and home improvement. Their consumption patterns are more personalised and centered around lifestyle enhancement.

Blended families

• A family where one or both parents bring children from previous relationships into a new marriage or partnership.

• Blended families may prioritise purchases that cater to a wide age range of children or shared household needs due to complex priorities and family dynamics involving stepchildren and biological. Family activities, vacations and shared experiences may be tailored to help foster unity.

Same-sex families

• A family where the parents are of the same gender, raising biological, adopted or foster children.

• Same-sex families have similar purchase patterns to other nuclear families which focus on education, healthcare and entertainment. However, they may also prioritise products that reflect their unique identity.

Spousal influence on family decision-making

With thousands of decisions made in nowadays everyday life, husband and wife are clearly dominant influences in family decision-making. Each partner’s degrees of influence vary according to the types of products and stages of the decision-making process.

• Husband-dominated decisions – Products for which the husband tends to be the dominant influence (e.g. hardware, electronics).

• Wife-dominated decisions – Products for which the wife tends to be the dominant influence (e.g. wife clothing, food, kitchenware).

• Autonomic decisions – Products for which decisions are made by either the husband or the wife, either one equally likely to be dominant (e.g. husband clothing, camera, luggage).

• Joint decisions – Products for which decisions are made jointly by husband and wife (e.g. TV, car, vacation).

Children’s power in family decision-making

In terms of family purchase decisions, children play a critical role in exerting opinions and requests of what to buy, where to buy and their preferences are even given consideration when parents make purchases.

The influence that children have on parental purchases is extensive and covers mostly the following areas:

• Items for children, including snacks, toys, consumer electronics, clothing, hobby equipment and supplies.

• Items for home such as food, beverages for meals, furnishing and television sets.

• Non-household items such as recreation, restaurant meals and vacations.

Children are now acquiring the power of influence than ever before. Part of the reason is the dynamics of family types, which require children to do the shopping and take care of the house when they come from school. As a result, they soon learn to be consumers because they are often the purchasing agents of the family.

References

Bhargav, S and Pujari, B 2022, Family purchase decision making: Exploring children’s influencing role, Journal of Positive School Psychology, 6(9), pp. 2151-2155.

Consumer Psychologist n.d., Family decision making, available at <https://www.consumerpsychologist.com/cb_Family_Decision_Making.htm>.

Ekasasi, S.R 2005, The role of children in family decision making: A theoretical review, Jurnal Siasat Bisnis, Special Edition on Marketing, pp.25-41.

Miles on Media n.d., Family influences & decision making: Family decision making, Miles on Media, available at <https://milesonmedia.com/family-influences-decision-making-family-decision-making/>.

Management Study Guide n.d., Role of family in consumer behaviour, Management Study Guide, available at <https://www.managementstudyguide.com/role-of-family-in-consumer-behaviour.htm>.

Nayak, S.S 2015, Eat out: Children’s role in family decision making, Research Paper Management, vol. 1, issue no.5, available at <https://ierj.in/journal/index.php/ierj/article/view/72/72>.