Fur Coat Faux Pas

When asked to describe a woman who purchases a fur coat, my mind conjures images of Glenn Close’s formidable performance as Cruella de Vil.

Our fur coat buyer would be an aging, wealthy matriarch who is bitter about the loss of her youth. She would caress soft animal pelts while considering the puckering of her neck, and would pull a rictal grin to avoid the sagging of jowls.

Umm, and this is why consumer research is vital because while the psychographics of my persona have striking similarities to MRI; the demographics are off.

Yes, even the brain sucker is fallible…but in defense, my right brain was thinking of wearers, not those who have purchased a fur coat in the last 12 months.

1.5% of U.S. women have purchased a fur coat or stole in the last 12 months, with a purchase price of $100+; despite celebrities continuing to bare all for PETA. What might surprise you is the mode age of these shoppers is 25-34 years old.

More nuggets about these fur-buying women, that could make you shake your head in wonder, include:
• They index higher than the average U.S. woman for:
      – eating organic foods
      – engaging in fundraising
      – contributing to NPR
      and, buying a vehicle that reflects a commitment to the environment.

But, where are the Cruella de Vil psychographic matches?

Our fur-buying women are far less likely to own a cat or dog. (Owning/interacting with pets could increase empathy for animal suffering and therefore limit the tendency to purchase fur: although, a whopping 31% still own a dog in the household – hopefully not a Dalmatian.)

They are more prone to depression and almost 30% follow a strict skin care regime.

Next time, you glimpse a lady buying fur, perhaps you’ll think about them a little differently?
(Source: MRI, Fall 2008 dataset)

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