Consumer behaviour can be defined as "the acts of individuals directly involved in obtaining and using economic and services, including the decision process that precede and determine these acts." (Engel et al, 1968, p 5)

Buyer behaviour refers to "the acts of individuals directly involved in the exchange of money for economic goods and services and the decision process that determined these act. "(Engel et al, 1968, p 5).

Both consumer and buyer behaviour differ amongst the population as people have different wants and needs. Therefore it is untrue to say that 'working women buy products and services essentially the same as non working women.' No two people are similar as physiological factors, cultural forces, economic considerations, interpersonal relationships, personality, self-concept, and learning are variables that shape goals and influence. (Runyon, K.E. 1980).

However consumers can be put into groups if they have similar characteristics, i.e. if they come from the same social class, background, age, lifestyle. Working and non-working women can be segmented in two separate groups. They are different becau

se of many influences. Some are external due their social environment. What they do with these social stimuli involves a psychological process that differs from each other. These social influences and internal processes may evolve into a decision by the consumer to make a purchase or not. (refer to table 1). (Engel et al, 1968). As both groups possess different characteristics, it is necessary for marketers to understand that they will have different wants and needs.

Women change as consumers, as they have move through different stages of the lifecycle. The way they buy, and use products, read, watch and listen to media is affected by whom they live with, i.e. if there is a partner, children or single. Harvard Business Review (1978)

Personality / Self concept - Women are becoming more introspective and are less identified with stereotypes. Evidence suggests that the working woman executes more considerable independence in decision making for major purchases than a non worker - (housewife). Sellers of products such as furniture, household appliances should recognise this trend, as it will influence their selling techniques.

To explain rational brand choice behaviour within the limits of individuals capacities, the 4Howard Sheth model can be applied. It is one of the contemporary models of consumer behaviour as it attempts to deal with both overt and internal behaviour that cannot be observed directly. To overcome this problem, Howard and Sheth undertake four sets of variables. The first is input variables - These are stimuli from the buyers behaviour ie. the working or non working woman. They include product variables such a quality, price, distinctiveness, availability and service. From Mintel's report 'Women and Shopping (11/01.99), it was revealed that non working women are more likely to buy non branded products because they are cheaper whereas working women will by a product that is more expensive because they perceive it as being of quality. (www.sinatra.com)

Some common words found in the essay are:
Runyon KE, Business Review, Mintel's Women, Howard Sheth, WWWmintelcom Promotion, Psychological Mintel's, INTRODUCTION Consumer, Purchasing Clothing, Wolfe DM, Cultural Engel, consumer behaviour, social class, working women, et al, products services, women buy, harvard business review, non-working women, runyon ke, harvard business, decision process, engel et al, et al 1968, runyon ke 1980, european business asap,
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