Social class refers to the division of society into hierarchical groups based on factors like wealth, income, and occupation. There are typically considered to be three main social classes: upper, middle, and lower. The upper class includes the wealthy and business owners, the middle class consists of white-collar professionals, and the lower class is made up of blue-collar workers. Social class influences consumer behaviors related to clothing, leisure activities, spending habits, and more. However, social class can be difficult to define and measure, as income and dual incomes have blurred traditional class distinctions.

1. Social Class
&
Its Characteristics

2. What is Social Class ?
• The division of member of a society into a hierarchy
of distinct status classes, so that members of each
class have some relative status and members of all
other classes have either more or less status.
• In other word, A social class is made up of people of
similar social status who regard one another as social
equals.

3. Social Class profiles
• Classes are not sharply defined status groups like
castes.
• Three main classes—upper, middle, and lower.
• An upper class profile consist of the wealthy,
employers, and industrialists, plus top executives.
• A middle class profile which includes most white-
collar workers and professionals.
• A lower class profile usually known as a working class
includes those in blue-collar or manual jobs.

4. Consumer behavior of Social class
profiles
• Clothing, Fashion, and Shopping
(every social class have their own preferences over
clothing, fashion and shopping locations.)
• The Pursuit of Leisure
(Type of leisure activities differ)
• Saving, Spending, and Credit

5. Limitations of Social Class
• Social class is more difficult to measure than income
• Many purchase behaviours are related more to
income than social class
• Consumers often use expected social class for their
consumption patterns
• Dual incomes have changed consumption patterns
• Individual dimensions of social class are sometimes
better predictors of consumer behaviour

6. Characteristics of Class System
• A system of hierarchy of status
• system of social ranking based primarily on
economic position
• A class system more mobile than caste system
• social classes act as sub-cultures—each social class is
a system of behavior, a set of values and a way of life.
• status is achieved by one’s own efforts rather than
ascribed, assigned or inherited.