3. What is clustering, and why do marketers use it? Six major aspects of consumer diversity have important effects on consumer behavior: age, gender, sexual orientation, regional differences, ethnic differences, and religious differences. Age is a key factor because people of the same age have similar life experiences, needs, symbols, and memories that may lead to similar consumption patterns. Four important age groups are teens and millennials (also known as Generation Y), Generation X, baby boomers, and seniors over 65 years old (the gray market).

Gender differences also affect consumer behavior, including the influence of changing sex roles. Men and women differ in terms of their consumer traits, information-processing styles, decision-making styles, and consumption patterns. In addition, more marketers are using sexual orientation to target gay and lesbian consumers for various goods and services