Usually when I decide on what to buy, it is usually through comparing different brands of the same product and I am guilty of usually going for my preference and finding any fault to scrutinize the products I do not feel like buying. The process of how I make a decision is that, I would look for a product I would need and then try to compare it aesthetically to each other, and then I would check online which is the preferred brand of most. I usually do not consider price, unless it is above 400 pesos for 1 product. However, the final deciding factor is usually what brand my family is used to and is more comfortable with. I research products also based on the familiarity that I have, I would do more intensive search for a product if I see it on social media without having an idea. For my family we’re very set on the brands we use, purefoods is usually the preferred brand other than corned beef which we buy a different brand for. Other than that we usually use the same products for hygiene such as for soap, we use Irish Spring for the longest time I can remember, and then for hair products it is from tresemme.Â
As you can see, my family is very loyal to the brands we use and that shows how satisfied my family is with the purchases we make. We can see that the products fit our taste and preferences, and the products for hygiene are soothing to our skin and hair which is important as we’re very sensitive to chemicals. Â
That said, as someone who is dubbed as the buyer in the family, when it comes to grocery shopping or purchasing items online there are certain things that really affect or influence the products that I would usually buy; even if they do not go along with what my family have already told me. Usually when I plan on buying certain items there is a process that I go through: First (1st) is that I tend to research which brand is favorable to the users on the internet that are credible and trustworthy on giving recommendations to the product. Next, I research which shops in which mall holds this type of products and the brands that I have seen online. Then, I would visit the stores that hold them, compare the different brands of the same products based on price, aesthetics, and even practicality of the packaging. I then go to other stores and compare my already top pick product. I don’t know about the others but this is a really therapeutic process for me as I see how much different each brand is from different stores and the price ranges which differ most of the time is a great base for future references if I want to make another purchase.
That said, there are still things that really influence my purchasing that are usually based on my beliefs. There are products or establishments that I have boycotted due to the affiliation it has had with certain government parties that do not align with my morals and values. During the incidence of the contractualization of the SM employees and how they are never really regularized, my family has decided to not really subscribe to anything related to SM and although it is a bad situation if the employees lose more customers my family does not think that it is right to be associated with such practices when our religion preaches of helping others and being their for equality and fair treatment of all.
As a consumer I have this strong belief that the things we buy reflect the type of people we are. You can see what the person values based on their purchases alone, and what kind of morals they hold dear when it comes to purchasing. An example of this is the anti-cruelty values of some people who refuse to wear any animal baked clothing such as fur or leather, and this is something I respect. It is already hard enough to find products that are safe and of quality in a developing country with an economy that continuously has inflation and it is so easy to just let go of your morals and values in order to purchase certain products but to uphold these things in these times of challenges has earned such a huge respect from me, and this I pray is something we all get to practice as consumers: being smart, practical, and ethical.