Discovering consumer needs and wants
1. Introduction
The food has a great significance in people’s life, not only as a source of survival but also as a source of inspiration, passion and pleasure. It is an art practiced for centuries by millions of people who find a way to satisfy their most intense desire, "eat", and the best way to do it is with their own small appliances, so they can control what they eat.
Small appliances like a toaster, mixers, food processors, heaters, among others, are very useful in a kitchen, and every household has at least one of each type. But, we do we choose a small appliance? Why do we choose a Brand in particular? Why do we choose a stand mixer instead of a hand mixer? Is this really a “need” or s just a “want”?
In this research, I’m going to answer these questions, focusing on mixers consumers, given the following objectives:
· Identify the consumer profile (target market for these products)
· Identify their demographic characteristics
· Identify the needs and wants of a mixers consumer a
· Identify consumer’s purchase decision and behavior
· Identify what most of people value of this appliance.
· Main reasons why people buy a mixer.
· Identify the competition and how it is marketed.

2. Demographic Forces
First of all, it is necessary to make a simple environmental scan, to know some data about the consumers, so we can know them better. The most relevant and important force to analyze is the Demographic force/
United States of America has a population of 308’745,438( U.S. Census Bureau - Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010) people, an increase of 9.7% from Census 2000. Of the total of population the 97.42% lived in 116’716,215 household, for an average of 2.58 people per household.( U.S. Census Bureau - Households and Families: 2010)
The average annual income of a unit in USA is US$ 63,685 before taxes and US$61,673 after taxes.( Consumer Expenditure Survey, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, September, 2012) Each unit has an average annual expenditure of US$49,705, where the 33.8% is designated for housing (shelter, utilities supplies, among others), in which the 0.55% is destined for small appliances.( Consumer Expenditure Survey, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, September, 2012)
Moreover, Major Domestic Appliances is the largest segment of the household appliances market in the United States, accounting for 67% of the market's total value. The minor domestic appliances segment accounts for the remaining 33% of the market.

Table 1: United States household appliances market category segmentation

Reference: Marketline 2012

In conclusion, we can see that every unit allocates a part of their salary in the purchase of household appliances, between small and major appliances.

3. Consumer Profile - wants and needs

What a customer wants and what he needs are often two different things. The task is to determine which is more important. Besides, it is important to say that the customer is always right, even if the he wants the wrong item for his needs. However when a customer has no preference, it is when the employee in charge can discover the customer's true needs.

What customer needs is a sense of physical, physiological or psychological lack. It is considered that the man at this time may not be aware of this need. Although the need may look quite general, not everyone has the same needs. Besides, what customer wants or desire, is an externalization of a necessity or an externalization of a personal expression of the will to satisfy a need.

Nowadays more women are joining the work force and there is an increasing demand for products, especially kitchen appliances that can help women to relieve the daily household activities. This is reflected in the increasing sale of microwaves, Pressure cookers, Mixers, food processors, etc.
On the other hand, the 55+ group of consumer may prefer the premium segment because of the status a