Could you explain a nuance difference in customer, consumer, buyer, and shopper?
Native speaker’s answer
Rebecca
Good question. These are all similar, but there are slight differences in usage. In general, these terms all refer to people who buy or use products. When we are talking about retail settings, such as people who shop in a store, we generally use "customer" or "shopper." Ex: There are many customers in the store due to the sale. Ex: The store only allows 10 shoppers at a time, due to social distancing measures. "Buyer" also refers to a person who makes a purchase, but it can also refer to the profession. A professional "buyer" is a person who purchases stock or material for a business. Ex: The downtown location of X clothing store always has the best sales. This is because the buyer really understands current trends and shopper's preferences. Lastly, a "consumer" is any person that consumes any goods or services. They can also be shoppers, customers, or buyers. Consumers is usually the term used in news articles or research about shopping, the economy, or business. Ex: The study showed that 50% of consumers were more likely to purchase a product if it was on sale. Ex: Americans are the biggest consumers of beef.
