Analyzing the Main Changes in New Consumer Buying Behavior during Economic Crisis

Abstract

The negative social effects caused by consumerism and especially hiperconsumerism leaded, in the recent years, to the emergence and rapid growth of economic importance of new types of consumer - the new consumer - whose attitudes, aspirations and purchasing patterns are different from those existing in the past. The paper outlines at first, a portrait of the new consumer, highlighting its main features, derived primarily from the need for authenticity, which distinguishes it from the so-called traditional consumer. Amid global economic crisis, which turned out to be not only a financial crisis, but also one of capitalism, the new consumer behavior has encountered a series of changes. The recession has led the consumers to look for new landmarks: they became more economical, more responsible and more demanding. Research conducted in different countries showed that the recession had a strong economic and social impact on consumers. The paper analyze the results of some research realized in different countries in the recession period in order to highlight the main changes occurred in the new consumer buying behavior and to draw a portrait of him after the economic crisis.