**Needs, Wants, and Demands **Needs are the basic human requirements. People need air, food, water, clothing, and shelter to survive, People also have strong needs for recreation, education, and entertainment. These needs become wants when they are directed to specific objects that might satisfy the need. A consumer In the United States needs food but may want a hamburger, french fries and a soft drink. A person in Mauritius needs food but may want a mango, rice, lentils, and beans. Wants are shaped by our society. Demands are wants for specific products backed by an ability to pay. Many people want a Mercedes; only a few are willing and able to buy one. Companies must measure not only how many people want their product, but also how many would actually be willing and able to buy it. These distinctions shed light on the frequent criticism that"marketers create needs" or"marketers get people to buy things they don't want." Marketers do not create needs: Needs preexist marketers. Marketers, along with other societal factors, influence wants. Marketers might promote the idea that a Mercedes would satisfy a person's need for social status. They do not, however, create the need for social status Understanding customer needs and wants is not always simple. Some customers have needs of which they are not fully conscious, or they cannot articulate these needs, or they use words that require some interpretation. What does it mean when the customer asks for a"powerful" lawnmower, a"fast" lathe, an"attractive" bathing suit, or a"restful" hotel? The marketer must probe further. We can distinguish among five types of needs: I. Stated needs(The customer wants an inexpensive car.) 2. Real needs(The customer wants a car whose operating cost, not its initial price, is low.) 3. Unstated needs(The customer expects good service from the dealer)