The vast majority of consumer behavior studies are conducted with people who do not act, nor behave, nor think, nor talk, nor shop, like the vast majority of consumers.
In fact, there is no vast majority of consumers. Nor is there an “average” consumer. We believe that we are now at the end of “average.”
The Flea Market Lab is our attempt to reach those consumers who are underserved by our theories and empirical understanding. We want to understand those consumers who make up the 15% of Americans who live below the poverty line.
We want to understand the recent immigrant who frequents these markets.
We want to peer into the decision making process for the consumers who are the most at risk to be victims of fraud, corporate maleficence, and political graft.
How do you prioritize spending, when you are concerned about your bills?
Do you make risker decisions based on your funds?
Do you partake or abstain from unsafe consumption because of your financial situation?
As a whole, we have let western college students be the representativesfor consumer behavior.
Instead of focusing our research on these W.E.I.R.D. (Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, Democratic) people, we are collecting data from consumers who are more impoverished, and more diverse than their counter parts at our universities.
For more information, contact Broderick Turner at brodericklt@vt.edu