The development of a child into a consumer

This paper presents a descriptive model of the development of children's consumer behavior from infancy to 12 years of age. Although there is no single definition of consumer behavior in the literature, those that have been employed seem to entail at least four characteristics. A consumer is able toll) feel wants and preferences, (2) search to fulfill them, (3) make a choice and a purchase, and (4) evaluate the product and its alternatives. The authors argue that the development of consumer behavior occurs in four phases, and that in each phase, one of the four characteristics of consumer behavior emerges. By drawing together a number of theories and ideas currently in the literature, the authors discuss each of the phases of consumer behavior and explain why particular characteristics of consumer behavior emerge at particular ages. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.