Index IntroductionSpain as a country under studyValues ​​and normsCultural valuesAnalysis and discussionIntroductionBuying habits and consumer behavior are one of the vital things that must be supported to penetrate a market. Every location has different purchasing behavior, so a comprehensive analysis where choices, norms and values ​​are taken into consideration before entering the market is very important. In the United States purchasing behavior is very different from that of any other country. The selection of consumers depends on their needs and wants which would subsequently influence the supply-demand chain of the products. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Items that may be best-selling items in one country may not be the same in any other country. For example, every year in August the Spaniards organize a festival where they use millions of tomatoes; this consumption of tomatoes is not so high in any other country. So, although tomatoes are a necessity, their consumption varies. In this research paper, consumer behavior towards purchasing products in the United States and Spain will be analyzed. In light of Hofstede's national index, there are five dimensions discussed as Power Distance, Individualism, Masculinity, Uncertainty Avoidance, Long-Term Orientation. These five parameters are used to discuss cultural diversity. of Spain and the United States. By knowing all these dimensions, it will become easy for us to understand the marketing performance and purchasing behavior of consumers. Spain as a country under studySpain is a beautiful member country of the European Union. The capital is Madrid and the inhabitants are called Spaniards. It is located in southwestern Europe. It covers a total area of ​​505,403 square kilometers. The approximate population is around 47 million. Spain is a mountainous country with an active volcano, numerous rivers and mountain ranges that are very attractive to tourists. The main source of income for Spain is tourism. The average number of tourists attracted by Spain is around 48 million per year. Instead they only employ 10% of the workforce in their country and that's enough for them. In Spain there are 88% natives and much fewer immigrants and the best thing is that they have a literacy rate of around 97.5. People are rich and they love cars very much and like to have a big collection. Hence, it reflects the community as rich. They like to have a family oriented atmosphere and love to hang out together. They didn't compete, rather they loved being a team. Compared to Spain, the United States is considered the most advanced country in the world. It is the home of the latest technologies and trends. Tourism, as well as immigration rates, are higher in the United States. The dollar is considered a valuable currency since the English language is a language spoken throughout the world. The people of the United States are an example of individualism and work hard day and night to earn. They are not family oriented people. the people of the United States are usually more interested in purchasing cell phones, laptops and similar technologies, not everyone who lives there can afford a car, and changing cars every now and then is not possible. Values ​​and norms Values ​​and norms are the basis of every culture. They tell how a nation should react, what the good things are and what the taboos are in that nation. Every nation follows its own norms and values ​​as these are the traditions. In Spain people are not very advanced and do not practice fasting. They prefer simple living trends. They have locationsscenic and shopping is done mainly by tourists. In the United States, however, life is very fast and people are always competing with each other. They usually live as individuals and earn their living alone. Cultural values ​​Cultural values ​​define the culture, the way of living, dressing, eating of any nation. These are different for different cultures. Spanish culture is simple as mentioned above, it is family oriented and usually not everyone makes money in Spain. National values ​​and norms In light of Hofstede's model, the contrast of Spain, as well as the United States, was made as follows;Individual versus collectivismThe US culture is based on the individual, here people earn for themselves. Every member of the family earns. Students also earn and support themselves. But in Spain families have a collective lifestyle. Usually, one person from the family earns and supports his family. The income is enough to support the whole family.Youth and AgePeople living in the United States live a very fast life. They have to start earning from an early age and therefore depend more on junk food and easy to prepare foods. These foods are therefore not healthy in the long term; there is more disease and obesity in the United States. In short, people have no time for themselves and rush all their lives. Lifespan is shorter and people die at a younger age. In Spain there is an annual festival where the whole country throws tomatoes at each other. They follow a healthy lifestyle and therefore the number of elderly people in Spain is greater. People are healthy and live longer. Extended Family and Limited Family Continuing the previous point, the people of the United States have limited families because they do not have an adequate family unit. Couples usually have one to two children on average. The families are short and as soon as the kids reach maturity, they start looking for work and settle down in different states depending on the nature of their work. Compared to Spain, people are the family unit. They stay together and breed more. They usually have extended families. Competitiveness versus Cooperation The people of the United States have great competition among themselves. They compete for the best and therefore there is a constant struggle going on. But in Spain the conditions are adverse. The literacy rate is 97% and students are not taught to hit each other, rather to have harmony. They support each other and do business as a single unit. Diversity vs. Uniformity The cultural diversity found in the United States is quite vast as many nations migrate here. As a result, there is a multiple market going on, such as halal food for Muslims, non-veg food for Indians, seafood, Chinese and other varieties. But in Spain the inhabitants are 87% so there is less cultural diversity. Spanish trends are in vogue and show cultural uniformity. Environmentally Oriented Values ​​and Norms The environmentally oriented norms and values ​​of the United States and Spain are as follows: Cleanliness Keeping a nation clean is very important. In the United States people are fined for polluting their own country. Spain has a cleaner environment without making much effort because Spaniards are literate. Also, the government controls the cleanliness as it has a lot of natural beauty and a tourist attraction place. Performance and Status The people of the United States do not matter much in terms of power distance, and usually, decisions made are on the basis of power distance. individual basis. The Spanish people ask their teachers or elders before making any decisions. For them, the status of the most experienced person matters a lot and they do not take anydecision before accepting advice. Tradition vs. Change The traditions of the United States vary and change but those of Spain remain constant. Since there is a lot of cultural diversity in the United States, the changes in traditions are greater. In Spain, they stick to their old traditions and do not welcome change. Risk Taking vs Safety People living in the United States welcome change and are ready to take any risk while in Spain, people avoid any kind of risk. They get angry when routines change and are nervous about ambiguity. People in the United States buy new products because the risk is not a big deal for them, but the Spanish are the most loyal customers. Problem SolvingProblem solving is considered very serious in Spain and people come together to solve things, but in the United States usually the individual fixes things on their own and does not share them with others. Nature The United States has fifty states and has all kinds of landscapes, while Spain is the mountainous area. Native Americans are very busy in their lives and are not as hospitable compared to Spaniards. Self-Oriented Values ​​and Norms Active versus Passive US consumers are active consumers as they respond to online ads and order things online. They are attracted by offers and would purchase goods without thinking too much. While in Spain, the consumer trend is a little different as they are passive and are not very involved in online shopping trends. They would ask others before making any purchase. Sensual Gratification People in the United States are risk takers and are drawn to impulsive purchases. For them, choosing an asset that suits their pockets is not a big problem; they appreciate the daily offers and use them. In Spain, sensual gratification is not given much weight and business is not attractive to them because they avoid taking risks. Material vs. Immaterial Native Americans are materialistic, working hard to earn a luxurious lifestyle, while Spanish people have a simple lifestyle with many family members living together. They are not attracted by material possessions and prefer to live a simple life. Hard Work and Free Time Americans work very hard as all their families work. They have weekends free but also spend them completing pending tasks, whereas, in Spain, people work hard but have free time and families can go out and have fun. They have dinner together and the sophisticated food attracts them as the whole family goes out to eat. Delayed Gratification vs. Instant Gratification Americans are good at instant gratification. They don't take advice, they make a quick decision and make a purchase, while in Spain there is a trend towards delayed gratification. People would seek the opinion of their elders and teachers and then take a decision because they don't want to take any risk. Religion In Spain the prevalent religion is Catholicism. The younger generations do not take their religion seriously and do not regularly attend Mass. While in the United States 69% of the population is Christian, 45% can be considered Protestant and 20% Catholic. Consumption Behaviors in Purchasing, Using, and Disposing of ProductsFrom Hofstede's cultural dimensions model, the consumption behaviors of Native Americans and Spaniards were clearly seen. Now, keeping these trends in mind, consumer behaviors can be expressed as: Consumer Demand There is more consumer demand in the US, they also needvariety. Offers on different products are very attractive to the consumer market and purchases are more impulsive. In Spain, they mostly avoid risk; they would not prefer impulse buying, rather buying from authentic sources would be more important. Where Consumers Shop Consumers in the United States can shop anywhere, whether online shopping or shopping, as long as the prices are attractive and the products are good. In Spain the trend is very different, as people are more dedicated to safe purchasing and are loyal to their brands. They would rather go to stores, buy the desired products and feel satisfied with the desired goods. Retail Shopping In the United States, retail shopping does not have much importance, while in Spain, retail shopping would lead to more satisfied consumers. They would rather buy cars and keep changing and upgrading them quite often. Use of Technology The use of technology for buying and selling is greater in the United States than in Spain. The Spanish are a feminist society so they are not very involved in technology and buying gadgets. In the United States, the trend of young people is more to buy cell phones and other similar gadgets and keep upgrading and improving them. Information seeking In the United States there is a minor role in power distance, so information seeking is not considered worthy enough and usually, the decisions made are solitary. While in Spain there is a lot of power distance and information seeking is considered an essential part of any business. PromotionPromotions may appeal more to the US market, while in Spain promotions do not increase sales. Because in Spain there is no competition as they work as a company, while in the US promotions can increase sales due to head to head competition. Price Prices in the US market will greatly influence consumers as they are impulsive buyers and there is more tendency towards shopping. US citizens wait for the Christmas sales to do their annual shopping. In Spain prices don't matter much, as long as they are affordable, as they are loyal customers. Products A product that is new to the market and convenient will be purchased by Americans, but in Spain only products that are risk-free will be consumed by Spaniards.PlaceThe United States can shop while traveling; they prefer to buy from nearby shops. There are many convenient stores in the United States, but in Spain, the location does not matter, people go to loyalty stores to get the products they want. Current trends Currently, the United States serves a good consumer market, but China is penetrating the United States. markets. The products are good but the poor ones have decreased the prices. The shelf life of these products is much less, but consumers buy them due to the excellent pricing policy. While in Spain very expensive and excellent quality brands are available. The prices are high but they provide consumers with excellent quality products. For them, customer satisfaction is of utmost importance and they have loyal customers, consumers do not search from store to store but contact their old brands. They are long-term oriented people and want their products to last longer and not get tired quickly. Analysis and discussion The above-mentioned model can be classified into five dimensions: power distance, individualism and collectivism, masculinity and feminism, uncertainty. avoidance and long-term orientation. In the United States the power distance is 40%, which means that there is an informal and direct relationship with those in power. While in Spain it is at 57%, it means that Spaniards are more inclined.