African American Buying Patterns

African Americans have the secondlargest spending power of the three racial/ethnic subcultures in the United States. Consumer research on African American buying patterns have focused on similarities and differences with whites. When socioeconomic status differences between African
Americans and whites are removed, there are more similarities than points of difference.
Differences in buying patterns are greater within the African American subculture, due to levels of socioeconomic status, than between African Americans and whites of similar status. Even though similarities outweigh differences, there are consumption patterns that do differ between African Americans and whites.36 For example, African Americans spend far more than whites on boy’s clothing, rental goods, and audio equipment. Adult African Americans are twice as likely to own a pager and spend twice as much for online services, on a per capita basis, than whites. African American women spend three times more on health and beauty products than white women. Furthermore, the typical African American family is five years younger than the typical white family. This factor alone accounts for some of the observed differences in preferences for clothing, music, shelter, cars, and many other products, services, and activities. Finally, it must be emphasized that, historically, African Americans have been deprived of employment and educational opportunities in the United States. Both factors have resulted in income disparities between African Americans and whites, which influence purchase behavior. Recent research indicates that while African Americans are price conscious, they are strongly motivated by quality and choice. They respond more to products such as apparel and cosmetics and advertising that appeal to their African American pride and heritage as well as address
their ethnic features and needs regardless of socioeconomic status. Appreciation for the context in which African American consumers make purchase decisions is a necessary first step in understanding their buying patterns. Current research on African American purchase behavior reveals that stereotypes are often misleading, as they also are for the Hispanic and Asian American subcultures.