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The shadow over consumers
Press Release: U of Alberta ^ | September 7, 2005 | University of Alberta

Posted on 09/09/2005 6:00:53 PM PDT by Cautor

New research from the University of Alberta reveals just how self-conscious and easily influenced consumers can be. Through a series of carefully controlled experiments at a campus bookstore, researchers learned that consumers will, in every case studied, spend more money to buy a brand name item when someone they don't know is standing near them at the time they choose their purchase. Consumers also tend to spend more money when a group of people is standing near them but are more inclined to buy cheaper items when no one is near.

(Excerpt) Read more at eurekalert.org ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: brands; consumers; social
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To: Mr Ramsbotham

It affects me. I buy "Acme" and "Brand X" exclusively.


21 posted on 09/09/2005 7:02:32 PM PDT by chickenlips (Read my new book "Bass Fishin' from Buses.")
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To: Harmless Teddy Bear

At the beginning of school, we looked all over town for one of those pads the kids in Kindergarten use for naps. It was for a grandchild. Someone finally sent us to Big Lots and they had a ton of them.


22 posted on 09/09/2005 7:04:57 PM PDT by Cautor
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To: Cautor
We drank a lot of Pabst when I was in college,

Yikes! We drank Narragansett and Black Label back then. Our livers are shot.

23 posted on 09/09/2005 7:06:44 PM PDT by buccaneer81 (Rick Nash will score 50 goals this season ( if there is a season)
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To: buccaneer81

"Black Label"

Hey Mable Black Label. I live in the Baltimore area for a while and National Bo was a biggy there. I hated the stuff and never drank it except when it was a freeby.


24 posted on 09/09/2005 7:10:11 PM PDT by Cautor
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To: chickenlips

Man, it's hard to beat that Brand X stuff. It really takes care of pet stains on white shag rug.


25 posted on 09/09/2005 7:11:49 PM PDT by Cautor
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To: Cautor
I hated the stuff and never drank it except when it was a freeby.

THE WORST beer I've ever tasted. But when you're 18, well...

26 posted on 09/09/2005 7:12:40 PM PDT by buccaneer81 (Rick Nash will score 50 goals this season ( if there is a season)
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To: buccaneer81

Ya gotta do what ya gotta do at that age. And no one (almost) turns down a free brew when you're 18-20.


27 posted on 09/09/2005 7:15:26 PM PDT by Cautor
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To: chickenlips
I've been in food manufacturing for a number of years.

I have watched people in the store buy a name and pass up a store brand that was cheaper. If only they knew that the store brand wasn't just "comparable" it was actually the exact same stuff just packaged a little earlier or later in the day.

28 posted on 09/09/2005 7:18:39 PM PDT by Harmless Teddy Bear (Vote for the Constipation Party! They will never pass anything)
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To: Harmless Teddy Bear

I would love to see a list of comparable products one day. I've had store brand peanut butter before and it was pretty sick. I almost always buy store brand medicines, though.


29 posted on 09/09/2005 9:07:32 PM PDT by conservative cat
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