QUESTIONNAIRE“Consumer behavior of young adults in European comparison”

COMMENTS UPON QUESTIONNAIRE“Regarding Consumer behavior of young adults in European comparison”

1. How much money do you spend on average per month ?

27%

36%

24%

8% 5% a) 0-25 €

b) 26-50 €

c) 51-100 €

d) 101-150 €

e) more than 150 €

Most of the questioned subjects, 60% per total, spend amounts of money between 25 and 100 EURO, representing 19% of the average salary, respectively 38% of the minimal salary. The number of subjects who spend more than 150 EURO occupy only a proportion of 13%.

2. What do you most frequently spend your money on ?

16%

18%

19%10%

14%

11%1%7% 4%

a) nutrition

b)cosmetics/personalhygenec) fashion

d) hobbies

e) going out

f) mobile phone

g) vices

h) transport

i) magazines, books,multimedia

The purpose of the Romanian young students` expenses reflects the transitions that society has undergone in the last few years, there is a notable self-centered consumption. Most of the youngsters wish to be in fashion. Apparel, cosmetics and accessories are important for their image. A percentage range of 19%-11% of their personal budget is destined to reflect these aspects. It is also remarkable to sense that we deal with the image of an “unaltered” young person for the time being. He is more concerned with appearance vs. essence and spends only 4 % of his own budget for educational and achievement purposes.

3.Where do you do your shopping ?

50%

5%26%

18% 1%

a) shops andshopping center

b) on the Internet

c) catalogue

d) fromsalespeople

e) teleshopping

In the last few years, the network of supermarkets and hypermarkets has expanded considerably. Students` preference for big shopping centers such as malls have such explanations as: a wide and colorful range of products, the possibility of combining shopping activities with spending one’s leisure time in specially designed places, the need to be in the spotlight, the increased safety in a cozy atmosphere. It is not by chance that 50% of the questioned students opt for shopping in this way. Although Internet access is expanding continuously, only 5% did online shopping, despite the wider and wider range of safe online shops and the lower prices.

4.What influences your decision to buy something ?

13%

14%

21%21%

31%

a) parents

b) friends

c) price-qualityrapport

d) being up to date

e) necessity

The buying decision is largely influenced by necessity (31%) along with other two aspects: the need to be in fashion and the quality-price rapport, which shapes up the image of a reasonable consumer, with a strong personality. The influence exercised by parents and friends (27%) enhances the conclusion previously mentioned.

5. What limits your spending ?

32%

3%4%6%36%

19%

a) family

b) religion

c) tradition

d) income scarcity

e) price

f) savings

The expenses are limited by the economic constraints, such as the prices of products and the family income, which supply the young people’s personal budgets in a sizeable proportion. As a positive aspect it is to be noted that the need to save money, maybe in view of some major projects, tempers the spending zeal of Romanian youngsters.

6. Do you agree with following statements ?

6.1 Religion influence consumer behavior of young people.

36%

42%

22%a) yes

b) no

c) I'm not sure

The contrast between religious tradition and heathen modernity is pointed out by the answer to the question “Does religion impact the consumer behavior of young adults in one way or another?”42% of students consider it doesn’t, whereas 36% of students consider it does. The strong revival of religious education in young people’s lives since 1989 can be an explanation for these figures.

6.2Upbringing influences consumer behavior of young people.

38%

13%

49%

a) yes

b) no

c) I'm not sure

38% of the questioned students declare themselves vulnerable to emerging influences which mark the consumer behavior on the whole. There is a surprising number of students who are not sure about this under the circumstances where the tendency of “keeping up with the latest fashion” is not denied by any of them.

6.3 The environment ( place where people live) influences consumer behavior of young people.

80%

7%13%

a) yes

b) no

c) I'm not sure

The young students are well aware of the objective limitation of their consumer behavior by the environment they live in. The cultural level, historically determined, cannot be ignored during an analysis which is supposed to be objective. It is remarkable that only 7 % of the questioned students ignore the world they live in.

6.4 Would you be able to commit a crime for the sake of money ?

2%

87%

11%a) yes

b) no

c) I'm not sure

Most of the Romanian students think they are unable to break the law in order to earn more money to cover their tendency towards an exaggerated consumption. The 13 % who have a counter opinion deserve a closer attention on our behalf, considering the educational role school assumes.

6.5 Have you already committed a crime because of money ?

1%

95%

4%a) yes

b) no

c) I'm not sure

It is alarming that 4% of the questioned students are not sure about breaking the legal limits (of morality) out of their need of purchasing money necessary to fill their spending in view of consumption. Only 1% of the students admit they are guilty in this respect.

7. Are you able to control your need to borrow money ?

93%

7%

a) yes

b) no

The need to borrow money exists, though it is kept under control by 93% of the Romanian youngsters. 7 % are unable to resist this temptation.

8. What part of your money is borrowed ?

1%2% 9%

21%

67%

a) 100%

b) 75%

c) 50%

d) 25%

e) 0%

67% of the questioned students don’t resort to borrowing in order to supply their personal budget. Only 3% of them admit that their personal budget consists of borrowed money in a proportion of 75%-100%.With 30% of the questioned students, the borrowed money occupy a proportion of maximum 25% as a source of supplying their personal budget.

9. What did you need the money for ?

19%

15%

21%7%15%

10%1%7% 5%

a) nutrition

b) cosmetics

c) fashion

d) hobbies

e) going out

f) mobile phones

g) vices

h) transport

i) magazines,books, multimedia

The target of the borrowed money is similar to that of the money building one’s personal budget in general. It is obvious that regardless of the source of provenance, these resources are to be used to cover the same consumption demands. The need to keep up with the latest trend is at the basis of indebtedness.

10. Has anything changed since you have borrowed money?10.1 If yes, what has changed ?

46%

47%

3%

4%

a) I don`t enjoy doingthings because I neverborrow money

b) No, because I havealways managed topay the money back

c) Yes, I have failed topay the money back

d) Yes, I have and itcaused problems inmy relationship withmy parents and otherpeople.

The fact that debts are not very high and the certainty they can be returned causes 86% of the subjects to think that nothing has changed in their lives.

11. Have you ever been in a situation when you were unable to repay the money you had borrowed ?

46%

47%

3%

4%

a) I don`t enjoy doingthings because I neverborrow money

b) No, because I havealways managed topay the money back

c) Yes, I have failed topay the money back

d) Yes, I have and itcaused problems inmy relationship withmy parents and otherpeople.

7% of the questioned students admit not having been able to return their debts on time, whereas 4% admit that for this reason they ruined the relationship with their family and other people.

12. Imagine you have borrowed money. How strong would be your agreement with the following statements ?

12.1. It is very important for me to be able to pay back my debts as soon as possible .

91%

7%

1%

1%a) I strongly agree

b) I somehowagree

c) I somehowdisagree

d) I stronglydisagree

91% of the questioned students agree that it’s important for them to pay back their debts at the shortest. The rest of 9% represent the potential source of causing exceptional problems. These are worth taking a closer look at.

12.2. It is absolutely normal to be in debt nowadays.

8%

29%

35%

28%I strongly agree

I somewhat

I somewhat disagree

I strongly disagree

Only 8% of the students consider it perfectly normal to be indebted nowadays.28% vehemently resent this idea. 84% take a reluctant position (pro and counter), in the context of aggressive advertising performed by banks and other financial institutions, which lend money in highly advantageous conditions.

12.3. I have already thought about how to get some money to be able to pay back my debts faster.

38%

37%

13%

12%I strongly agree

I somewhat

I somewhat disagree

I strongly disagree

Most of the students who are indebted or who were previously indebted see it normal to be concerned with a prompt acquisition of the money necessary to clear their previous debts.

12.4. If I can’t pay back the money myself, my parents will do it for me.

21%

28%23%

28% I strongly agree

I somewhat

I somewhat disagree

I strongly disagree

21% of our students consider it normal for their parents to undertake the payment of their debts, while 28% consider this normal only under special circumstances. Their independent and responsible spirit can be sensed, to a greater or smaller extent with 51% of the questioned students.

12.5. Even when I’m in debt, I think about spending more money.

4% 8%

16%

72%

I strongly agree

I somewhat

I somewhat disagree

I strongly disagree

The answer to this question somehow contradicts their caution regarding indebtedness, noticed so far. Even if they are in serious debt, 72% of our students still feel the need to spend more. From the viewpoint of their system of needs, either unlimited or dynamic, this percentage can be also regarded as a demonstration of the concern with reaching the balance we naturally aspire to.

12.6. I think it’s ok to be in debt, because my parents are also indebted .

4% 4% 6%

86%

I strongly agree

I somewhat

I somewhat disagree

I strongly disagree

Endowed with a critical and independent way of thinking, the youngsters resent the premise of the “role model” influence of their parents in building their consumer behavior. 86% of the questioned students don’t see it normal to have debts only because their parents do.

12.7. As log as the person who has lent me money doesn’t ask to get it back, I don’t remember to pay it back.

4% 4% 6%

86%

I strongly agree

I somewhat

I somewhat disagree

I strongly disagree

For 86% of the questioned students, returning the debt is a matter of moral duty and thorough conduct, which leads us to make several positive appreciations regarding the moral values our students possess.

12.8. I’m worried that I won’t be able to pay off my debts.

24%

23%13%

40% I strongly agree

I somewhat

I somewhat disagree

I strongly disagree

Most of the students concerned with not being able to pay back their debts sum up a percentage of 24%, whereas those who do not bother about their inability to return their debts only cover 40% of the questioned students.We believe that the question must be rephrased, laying special emphasis on condition. We don’t see it fit for someone to be worried about a thing which is none of their business!

13. In order to satisfy a need of consumption which exceeds your budget, which do you prefer: saving (to be able to fulfill your need soon) or borrowing the necessary money ?

89%

11%

a) saving

b) borrowing

Most of the questioned students see saving more advantageous than borrowing, fact which reveals caution generated by their awareness of an unstable economic environment. The option of the other 11% has its own logical explanations, somewhat more complex, which go beyond the expectations of our research.

14 Have you saved any money ?

93%

7%

a) yes

b) no

As a result, it is not surprising that 93% have saved higher or smaller amounts of money.

15. What have you saved money for ?

9%

15%

25%11%

15%

12%

2%

5%6%

a) nutrition b) cosmetics / personal hygiene

c) fashion d) hobbies

e) going out f) mobile phone

g) vices h) transport

i) magazines, books, multimedia

The answers confirm that the saved money, the borrowed money and the money which fills the personal budgets of the subjects have the same destination

16. How do you save your money?

28%

15%13%

5%

8%

5%

3%

11%12%

a) piggybank

b) saving book

c) cheque account

d) building savings agreement

e) life insurance

f) investment fund

g) securities with a fixed rate of interest

h) stocks

i) I don't know, my parents save the money for me

The mostly favored means of saving are: piggybank 28%,saving books 15%, bank deposits 13%.

17. Do you sense that you are protected as a consumer ?

36%

64%

a) yes

b) no

Consumer protection is a delicate issue for most of the Romanians. Our students take no exception to this. 64% of the questioned students don’t feel protected as consumers.

18. Which of the following means of protection mostly impact you ?

30%

20%18%

16%

16%

a) school education b) advertising campaigns

c) informational campaigns d) written warnings

e) state institutions and laws

School education is considered the main means of consumer’s protection of the young consumer by 30% of the questioned people. The fact that only 16% feel protected by specialized institutions is the consequence of negative experiences enrooted in all the Romanian households.

19. How many people live in your city ?

9% 2%13%

76%

0%

a) less than 5000 b) 5 000 - 20 000

c) 20 000 - 100 000 d) 100 000 - 500 000

e) 500 000+

Not all the students in our school live in Oradea. Some of them commute daily, while others do it weekly.13% come from smaller towns or bigger villages which meet more and more the demands of a European urbanity. 9%of the students come from villages of the county.

20. How many people live in your houshold ?

1%4%

34%

61%

a)1

b) 2

c) 3

d) 4 or more

Most of the questioned people, 95%, come from relatively numerous families made up of 3, 4 or more members.

21. What is your family income?

19%

55%

15%6% 3%2%

a) Less than 500 €

b) 500 - 1000 €

c) 1000 - 2000 €

d) 2000 - 2500 €

e) 2500 - 3000 €

f) 3000 € or more

The income of the families of the questioned students reflects a “limping” consolidation of the middle class in the Romanian society.55% estimate that the income provided by their family are situated between 500-1000 EURO, under the circumstances where the average wage is approximately 260 EURO. Families of precarious condition and those who have a slightly higher income take similar proportions 19% respectively 21%.

22. How big is your monthly income ?

37%

34%

16%

7% 6%

a) 0 - 25 €

b) 25 - 50 €

c) 50 - 100 €

d) 100 - 200 €

e) More than 200€

71% of the questioned students have a monthly income ranging between 0 and 50 EURO. There are also exceptional young people who have more consistent personal budgets which in certain cases may even exceed 200 EURO monthly.

23. Which is the main source of income supporting your personal expenses ?

86%

5% 8%

0%1%

0%a) parents

b) relatives

c) your own work

d) allowances

e) scholarship

f) bank interests

For 86% of Romanian young people, parents are the main source of supplying their personal budget. Only 8 % state that their own work is the source of their personal income.

24. What age are you ?

30%

19%25%

24%1% 1% a) 15

b) 16

c) 17

d) 18

e) 19

f) 20

Most of the questioned people have their ages in the age range of 15-18 years.

25. What is your gender ?

22%

78%

a) male

b) female

Among the questioned students, girls occupy a proportion of 78 % of the working sample, whereas boys only take up 22%.The percentage reflects with pretty much exactitude the gender-based structure existing in our school.