Digital Self and Consumer's Self Concept (Consumer Behavior)

Most of the people in the world are connected with virtual world. Some people are posting their photos in Facebook, at the same time, some people are tweeting, some are searching partner for online dating, and some are fighting for cyber bullying. They are leaving their social footprints in virtual world. So, the digital self is a concept which expresses our online identities. Exploring of obstacle, convenience and conflicts via technology of professional and personal relationship also defines the digital self. 

Consumer’s self-concept can be defined as the belief that a consumer holds about attributes of himself such as positivity, attractiveness, stability, intensity etc (Solomon, 2015). The self concept of consumers guides most of the purchase decision of him/her. If a consumer believes him as sporty person in his self concept, then, he love to purchase products which are mostly related with sports such as football club name in his mobile cover to football club’s stickers in his bike.

In real world, the digital self differ from consumer self concept as the consumer’s self concept determines their digital self. Depending on their positivity, stability, intensity and attractiveness, they leave their virtual footprint in digital world. If the self concept of a teacher mostly related with the studies, then he mostly create his digital account in the literature sites. Also, he will visit the sites which provide different kinds of eBooks. But, to some extent, the emergence of digital self tend to change the self concept of people. Nowadays, people mostly like to purchase things such as clothes, ornament, foods by comparing them on different sites online rather that going to door to door shops.

With the enhancement of digitization, the pattern of consumption, the way of representation, the way of communication has differed than previous decades (Belk, 2013). So, it is very important to understand by the marketers that the behavior of consumer has been changing as digital environment continue to evolve. For instance, previously, people went to restaurant to have a pizza, but, nowadays, they can order it online and can have it on their home. So, the marketers have to modify, or add different features in their offering product or services as the self concept of consumer has been changing as digitization increases.

                                                                         References

Belk, R. W. (2013). Extended self in a digital world. Journal of Consumer Research,40(3), 477. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezp-02.lirn.net/docview/1437231222?accountid=158986


Solomon, M.R. (2011). Consumer behavior: Buying, having and being. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall

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