Consumer (Non) Complaint Behavior: A Comparative Study of Senior Consumers in Germany Before and After the COVID-19 Pandemic
Abstract
Research in the field of consumer (non) complaint behavior is limited. The few studies that have been published are old and dated before the COVID-19 pandemic. The focus of this study is on people aged 60 years and over (seniors) as this age group has received little attention in research to date. This focus can be justified by demographic developments, collective aging, and the strong purchasing power of this group. The research question of this comparative study is: Have men and women aged 60 years and older changed their (non) complaint behavior from before and after the COVID-19 pandemic? This study is based on our previous study (Meiners et al. 2021). Data collection for the new study was conducted via a representative, ad hoc, online survey in December 2022 after most COVID-19 restrictions were lifted. In total, data were collected from 250 seniors who had had negative experiences when purchasing a product or service and this sample was then evaluated and analyzed. In particular, the phenomenon of "not complaining" was investigated. This study shows that senior consumer (non) complaint behavior has changed following the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions. It is relevant because, according to the UN World Population Prospects (2019), the proportion of people aged 65 years and older will increase to 22.6% by 2100 whereas in 2020, the proportion was only 9.3%. People in this age group already have above-average incomes and savings, spend significantly more on consumer goods than younger buyer groups, demand higher-quality products, spend more money on literature, travel more frequently, have a greater interest in financial investments and mainly buy new and/or high-end cars. Senior consumers will thus be one of the most important customer groups in the future and a key driver of corporate success in many industries. This study analyses the (non) complaint behavior of senior consumers using Germany as an example. It will contribute to the emerging research field of "Economics of Population Aging" and has important implications for this field by being the first study to examine (non) complaint behavior before and after COVID-19.
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