JOURNAL ENTRY

The Elusive Green Consumer

Summary and analysis

The article discusses the challenges that are associated with the introduction of eco-friendly goods into the market. It highlights the consumer behavioral tendencies to be the largest hurdle to overcome in the success of eco-friendly products and the general success of environmental conservation. The article advocates for ways in which the behavioral tendencies of the public can be influenced to effect positive environmental change as well as bolster the success of eco-friendly products into the modern day market. These are highlighted as:

· Use of Social Influence in which studies provided proof of human behavior being heavily tied and influenced by the behaviors of fellow social members. In this way, having ads that show one group conforming to eco-friendly practices and use of such products vastly improves the purchase of eco-friendly products. This is suggested in three approaches that involve the sensitization of sustainable behaviors, the increase of social influence to solidifying commitment, and the development of healthy competition.

· Shaping habits is another approach which is touched upon which involves the designing of market strategies and company products to eliminate negative habits and promote positive ones in their stead. Three techniques suggested to reinforce this include use of prompts, offering of enticements, and providing feedbacks.

The article concludes by appreciating the importance of incorporating informed behavioral science into business practice and public activity. The article advocates for the use of marketing fundamentals to ensure efficient connection to the target consumer market if sustainable living is to be successfully implemented.

Critical Thinking

The article suggests the need for the inclusion of social and behavioral sciences in the sensitization of use of eco-friendly products and the adoption of sustainable living practices. This is largely due to the influence that human beings have on one another as a result of daily interactions. Social influence and interactions in the society provide avenues for companies to exploit which can be categorized as either emotional or rational. Emotional approaches are linked to the formal fallacy of appeal to numbers where for one, it is observed that the adoption of sustainable living standards and use of eco-friendly products by a large population effects the adoption rates of these products and practices by neighboring members of the public.

On the other hand, there is also the appeal of statistical numbers that shows that people are drawn to the adoption of new ideas and habits is observed to spike where there is a study that indicates a high number of use of a product. This is a social behavior phenomenon in which humans find it easier to adopt things for as long as they are taken up by other people, especially where a relationship of familiarity exists. The rational avenues for promotion of environmental friendly practice and purchase of eco-friendly products is focused on not only the persuasiveness of the approach but also the way in which it is framed.

Question to Class

What do you believe to be the best way to promote the use of eco-friendly products?

There are many approaches to changing the attitudes and mentalities of members of the public to the implementation of environmental friendly practices and buying of sustainable goods. The most effective one, in my opinion, is the use of social influence to adjust the definitions of socially acceptable norms. This is observed through studies that show there is an increase in product purchase where the consumers are enlightened to the fact that other persons are acquiring the same goods. This is seen in increase in online sales where a marked 65% increase in eco-friendly products where the shoppers were made aware of the rise in eco-friendly products’ sales on the same platforms. This has also been observed in practices such as the installation of solar panels in attempts to advocate for use of ‘clean’ energy. This is, however, also prone to failures as well as some social motivators may not kick in high gear as some do, but the success rate is heavily defined by the execution of the social influence.

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