Does a change in the weather change spending habits? UBCO consumer experts chime in.
As the first few notes of fall hit the air and consumers begin to imagine themselves wearing cozy sweaters, taking trips to the apple orchard and drinking all things pumpkin spice, UBC Okanagan experts on consumer behaviour are available to the media for commentary about seasonal spending habits.
UBCO Assistant Professor Ying Zhu and Associate Professor Eric Li, both with UBCO’s Faculty of Management, are leading Canadian scholars conducting research in areas including consumer psychology, digital marketing strategies and the transformation of markets and consumer culture.
Dr. Li conducts research on consumer culture including social innovation, healthy living, food consumption, food security, the digital economy, ethical consumerism as well as social media marketing and consumption.
“People are always eager to jump into the next season by obtaining a specific item or experience they associate with that particular time of year,” says Dr. Li.
Dr. Zhu’s primary research interests include digital marketing, branding, consumer behaviour, business analytics and social networks. Her research looks to examine the effectiveness of different marketing strategies and also investigates the impact of technology on consumers.
“Companies are well aware of the changing nature of consumer spending habits, and the beginning of each new season is filled with new purchasing decisions for consumers,” adds Dr. Zhu. “People want to jump into a new season in a certain way, and companies are crafting their products to meet consumers’ needs.”
Professors Zhu and Li are available to provide expert commentary on the changing nature of consumer spending by season, the possible reasons behind those shifts and the economic impact of this behaviour on consumers, businesses and society at large.
