Segmenting young consumers: a study of decision-making styles in Norway

Purpose This study aims to examine the consumer decision-making styles (CDMS) of young Norwegian consumers to identify distinct consumer segments. It explores how personality traits, retail preferences and socio-demographic factors profile these segments, contributing to a nuanced understanding of youth consumer behavior in a Nordic context. Design/methodology/approach An online survey of 645 young Norwegian consumers used the Consumer Styles Inventory (CSI) framework, supplemented by the Big Five personality traits, retail environment preferences and socio-demographics. Factor and cluster analyses were conducted to identify segments, while analysis of variance and Chi-square tests were used to profile them based on psychological and sociodemographic attributes. Findings Four consumer segments emerged: “Overwhelmed Quality Seekers,” “Selective Perfectionists,” “Discerning Explorers” and “Spontaneous Pleasure Seekers.” While “Selective Perfectionists” exhibited methodical shopping behaviors and sustainability preferences, “Discerning Explorers” balanced novelty-seeking with quality consciousness. Personality traits such as conscientiousness and agreeableness strongly profiled these segments. Retail preferences varied, with shopping malls appealing universally and online food delivery showing minimal engagement. Notably, Norwegian youth de-emphasized brand loyalty, reflecting cultural values of sustainability and egalitarianism. Originality/value This study is the first, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, to integrate personality traits with the CDMS in a Norwegian context, providing novel insights into consumer segmentation. This highlights the interplay between CDMS and cultural influences, offering actionable implications for marketers and policymakers targeting young consumers in sustainability-focused societies.