Eisenberg (The Number
) reveals the mechanisms of manufacturing needs and wants in this book that explores every facet of retail consumption, from advertising to behavioral marketing, from malls to Internet communities. The author presents his own family's consumption habits as a litmus test, which, while providing context, effectively sidelines the experiences of those who do not embrace consumerism with the same fervor. Dividing the retail landscape into “Buy” and “Sell,” Eisenberg provides a cornucopia of consumption trends, brain scans indicating beer preferences, zip-code–based lifestyle data, psychographic information, blogs and “buzz” measurement. Searching for a “Unified Theory of Buying,” the author dismisses analysts such as Marx for misunderstanding needs and Schor for scolding consumers. Entertaining the possibilities of “Brand Communities,” the author superficially considers Bourdieu's concept of cultural capital, settling finally on a typology of “Romantic” and “Classic” buyers. Although a thorough compendium of today's marketplace, the author's friendly “come along with me” tone sometimes devolves into glibness, and in accepting conditions as is, his observations might prove as fleeting as buyer's remorse. (Nov.)
