Dan Hoff
VALS Analysis
For our most recent assignment, we were asked to take a VALS analysis on ourselves
which is designed to group the people that take it into one of eight segments which helps to
predict consumer behavior.
The first thing that threw me off about the survey was that they repeated a lot of
questions over and over, even though they may have been worded slightly differently each time.
I always wonder why questionnaires do this because I feel that it narrows the scope of the
questions that they are asking, and also the results. After taking the survey, it told me that my
primary type is “Experiencer”. After clicking the link to tell me more about what exactly that
means, I found out that they have summed me up pretty well, however basic. It explained to me
that “experiencers” are the types of consumers that are motivated by self-expression. It went on
to further say that “avid consumers and spend a comparatively high proportion of their income
on fashion, entertainment, and socializing.”
I am assuming that this test reflects when the consumer has an actual disposable income.
I am working on a tight budget, and cannot afford to splurge right now. Thinking back, however,
when my finances were a little more solid, I can recognize my spending habits in this analysis.
The majority of my disposable income is spent on going out with friends and having a good time
(socializing and entertainment). This part is very accurate, but I think those types of spending is
very reflective upon my age group as a whole, because socializing and entertainment is what we
are all about in the early twenties age group.
The survey went on to tell me that my secondary type is “Innovator”. Again, this
summary did not describe me completely, but a few points from it certainly applied. Surveys are
tricky to use to analyze results because they often offer very broad generalizations which are not
usually 100% true. It is hard to sum up a group of people into one paragraph.
The survey described my secondary type as “change leaders who are the most
receptive to new ideas and technologies. Innovators are very active consumers, and their
purchases reflect cultivated tastes for upscale, niche products and services.” Again, I have to
agree that most people in my age group are receptive to new ideas and equipment because we
have grown up so closely with technology. It says that “innovators” value their image, and
continually seek challenges in life to keep the variety. I thrive on variety, and get claustrophobic
when I am stuck in a routine for too long. Again, I think that this is common amongst young
people. We don’t like to be tied down at this point in our lives, and we like to look good and
present ourselves well.
I don’t think that I would use the VALS survey if I was a marketing manager for a
company. For me, it didn’t offer any information besides broad, cliché generalizations. Sure,
some of the ideas translated to me, but I would have a hard time trying to find the connection
between my product and the results. I think that the VALS survey may offer good insight into
different consumer niches (like young adults), but doesn’t extend into much detail beyond the
simplifications. It could probably be used as a tool to summarize different demographics of
potential and current customers.
I think that surveys are a very effective way for marketers to get a firm grasp on their
consumer base, however, it needs to be much more comprehensive than the just the VALS
assessment that offers only a small amount of questions to use in the analysis. In order for a
company to be successful in their sales, they need to truly understand the different market
segmentations that they are selling to, and I think that combining multiple factors into a more
comprehensive survey is the best way to do so. The VALS survey focuses only on psychographic
segmentation, which is based on consumer lifestyles. I think that these questions should be
combined with questions that are geared towards benefit segmentation. Clearly, the more that is
known about why a consumer is purchasing particular products will help the marketer
understand what their merchandise lacks. A good example of this segmentation would be the
survey devised by Russell Haley.
I also think that in addition to the benefit and psychographic segmentation, the more
comprehensive survey needs to include questions about person/situation segmentation. This is
important to include because it looks beyond just the consumer as a type of person to include
information that is relevant about their current situation. Personality types are not the only basis
when it comes to purchasing, and the situation surrounding the acquisition also plays a big role
in understanding different habits.
The final piece that I would include in a more comprehensive survey would be
geodemographic segmentation. I think that areas where people are living also reveal a lot about
the type of consumer they most likely are. This can also aid a business in knowing where to
place their locations so that they are most accessible to the regions that contain the types of
consumers that they are targeting. A good example of this type of survey would be the PRIZM
NE system.
In summary, I think that surveys are a great way for marketers to better understand their
target markets, and the consumer behaviors in these different segments. However, I don’t think
that any of these assessments are effective when standing alone. I think that a single, more
comprehensive test could be compiled using various questions regarding consumer lifestyles,
neighborhood geography, usage situation dimensions, and benefits sought from different
products.