Time is an important factor and is necessary for consumption to occur. Time can affect consumption in any of the following forms:
Time pressure
Time of year
Time of day
The term temporal factor refers to situational characteristics related to time. Thus, each of the time forms listed here represents a different temporal factor.
Time pressure is an urgency to act based on some real or self-imposed deadline. Time pressure affects consumers in several ways:
Consumers process less information when time is scarce.
Consumers are more likely to rely on simple choice heuristics - habit or easy availability.
Consumers may only rely on price and quality instead of other attributes.
Time pressure can switch a consumer's orientation from hedonic to utilitarian.
Thus, brands that position themselves as high quality might benefit from situations in which consumers are characterized by time pressure, even if the price is high.
Seasonality refers to regularly occurring conditions that vary with the time of year. A cold drink is worth more to a consumer in summer than in winter.
The choice of a particular beverage (Americans are switching over to drinking tea in the mornings), clothes, or activity is sometimes determined by the time of the day. The circadian cycle refers to the rhythm within our bodies that varies with the time of day. The circadian cycle is responsible for productivity in many activities. A host of products exist to try to aid consumers through the low-energy periods of the day.
Advertiming is an advertising schedule that primarily runs an advertisement at times when customers will be most receptive to the message. It can also be based on seasonal patterns or day-to-day changes in the weather. Swimming pool marketers know that consumers are more receptive to their ads in the spring or summer.