Consumption Trajectories: Elderly Consumers of Bank Services

Abstract

The growth of the population over 60 years old and increasing life expectancy have increased elderly individuals participation in the consumer market. This phenomenon has been especially evident in the Brazilian bank services market, since retirees need to have a bank account in order to receive their retirement income. However, how these consumers exercise agency in their bank services consumption practices varies, involving both a position as consumer and a construction as elderly subjects. This research aims to analyze the construction of the subject-consumer of banking services by the elderly. An empirical study was conducted through interviews with ten consumers in Progresso - RS - Brazil. Results show that perception of agency power in banking services consumption by the elderly is a phenomenon influenced by individual life trajectory and the ability to deal with the subjectivation process. Consumers' need to deal with others (both people and technology) emerges as an inhibitor to the desire to self-construct as a subject-consumer of banking services. Finally, we theorize that consumer agency perception is built in accordance with individual life trajectories as consumers and social subjects.

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