Chapter 6
Consumer Behavior - how consumers make purchase decisions and how consumers use and
dispose of product, process consumer’s use when making decisions
· Product usage
· Things that influence the consumer’s behavior
Value - is a personal assessment of the net worth one obtains from making a purchase, or the
enduring belief that a specific mode of conduct is personally or socially preferable to another
mode of conduct
•Purchases are made based upon perceived value, which is what you expect to get
•Utilitarian value is derived from a product or service that helps the consumer solve
problems and accomplish tasks
•Hedonic value is an end in itself rather than as a means to an end (experience)
•Perceived value - the value the consumer expects to obtain from a purchase
Consumer decision-making process: A Five-step process used by consumers when buying
goods or services
1. Need recognition
a. Results of imbalance between actual and desired states
b. Need recognition is the first stage in the decision-making process
c. Trying to expose you to stimuli that will satisfy your need
D. Want - recognition of an unfulfilled need and a product that will satisfy it
i. Stimulus – any unit of input affecting one or more of the five
Senses
1. Sight
2. Smell
3. Taste
4. Touch
5. Hearing
2. Information search
a. Internal information search
i. Recall information in memory (in your head)
b. External information search
i. Seek information in outside environment
1. Non marketing – controlled information source - a
product information source that is not associated with advertising
or promotion
2. Marketing – controlled information source - a product
information source that originates with marketers promoting the
product
c. Evoked set (consideration set) - (after you’ve done information search)
i. Group of brands resulting from an information search, from
which a buyer can choose
, 3. Evaluation of alternatives
a. Evoked set
i. Analyze product attribute
ii. Use cutoff criteria
iii. Rank attributes by importance
b. Compensatory model
i. I can compensate for any weaknesses with strengths
c. Non-compensatory model
i. A weakness in on attribute cannot be offset with a strength in
another attribute
d. Framing the alternative
i. Effective when you have inexperience buyers
ii. The things we are really good, make important in the consumer
Mind
4. Purchase
a. To buy or not to buy…
i. Ultimately the consumer has to decide whether to buy or not to
Buy
b. Two main factors that influence whether or not you actually buy
i. Attitudes of others
1. Is anyone else involved in the decision making process?
2. Does anyone else have input?
ii. Unexpected situational factors
5. Post purchase behavior
Postpurchase Behavior:
Cognitive dissonance- inner tension that a consumer experiences after recognizing an
inconsistency between behavior and values or opinions. Did I make the right decision?
● Consumers reduce dissonance by seeking info that reinforces positive ideas
about the purchase, avoid info that contradicts the purchase decision, revoking
the original decision by returning the product.
Involvement- the amount of time and effort a buyer invests in the search, evaluation, and
decision processes of consumer behavior.
, Enduring Involvement- interest in the product category is ongoing and long term. Ex. Collector
Situational Involvement- interest is temporary and dynamic and results from a particular set of
circumstances.
Routine Response Behavior - this type of decision making exhibited by consumers buy
frequently purchased, low-cost goods and services; requires little search and decision time
· Little involvement in selection process
· Frequently purchased low cost goods
· May stick with one brand
· Buy first/evaluate later
· Quick decision
Impulse purchase- different from routine, when you buy something and give no thought to the
purchase.
Limited Decision Making - the type of decision making that requires a moderate amount of
time for gathering information and deliberating about an unfamiliar brand in a familiar product
category
· Low levels of involvement
· Low to moderate cost goods
· Evaluation of a few alternative brands
· Short to moderate time to decide
Extensive decision Making - the most complex type of consumer decision making, used when
buying an unfamiliar, expensive product or an infrequently bought item; requires use of several
criteria for evaluating options and much time for seeking information
· High levels of involvement
· High cost goods
· Evaluation of many brands
· Long time to decide
· May experience cognitive dissonance
Factors determining the Level of Consumer Involvement
· Previous Experience
· Interest
Consumer Behavior - how consumers make purchase decisions and how consumers use and
dispose of product, process consumer’s use when making decisions
· Product usage
· Things that influence the consumer’s behavior
Value - is a personal assessment of the net worth one obtains from making a purchase, or the
enduring belief that a specific mode of conduct is personally or socially preferable to another
mode of conduct
•Purchases are made based upon perceived value, which is what you expect to get
•Utilitarian value is derived from a product or service that helps the consumer solve
problems and accomplish tasks
•Hedonic value is an end in itself rather than as a means to an end (experience)
•Perceived value - the value the consumer expects to obtain from a purchase
Consumer decision-making process: A Five-step process used by consumers when buying
goods or services
1. Need recognition
a. Results of imbalance between actual and desired states
b. Need recognition is the first stage in the decision-making process
c. Trying to expose you to stimuli that will satisfy your need
D. Want - recognition of an unfulfilled need and a product that will satisfy it
i. Stimulus – any unit of input affecting one or more of the five
Senses
1. Sight
2. Smell
3. Taste
4. Touch
5. Hearing
2. Information search
a. Internal information search
i. Recall information in memory (in your head)
b. External information search
i. Seek information in outside environment
1. Non marketing – controlled information source - a
product information source that is not associated with advertising
or promotion
2. Marketing – controlled information source - a product
information source that originates with marketers promoting the
product
c. Evoked set (consideration set) - (after you’ve done information search)
i. Group of brands resulting from an information search, from
which a buyer can choose
, 3. Evaluation of alternatives
a. Evoked set
i. Analyze product attribute
ii. Use cutoff criteria
iii. Rank attributes by importance
b. Compensatory model
i. I can compensate for any weaknesses with strengths
c. Non-compensatory model
i. A weakness in on attribute cannot be offset with a strength in
another attribute
d. Framing the alternative
i. Effective when you have inexperience buyers
ii. The things we are really good, make important in the consumer
Mind
4. Purchase
a. To buy or not to buy…
i. Ultimately the consumer has to decide whether to buy or not to
Buy
b. Two main factors that influence whether or not you actually buy
i. Attitudes of others
1. Is anyone else involved in the decision making process?
2. Does anyone else have input?
ii. Unexpected situational factors
5. Post purchase behavior
Postpurchase Behavior:
Cognitive dissonance- inner tension that a consumer experiences after recognizing an
inconsistency between behavior and values or opinions. Did I make the right decision?
● Consumers reduce dissonance by seeking info that reinforces positive ideas
about the purchase, avoid info that contradicts the purchase decision, revoking
the original decision by returning the product.
Involvement- the amount of time and effort a buyer invests in the search, evaluation, and
decision processes of consumer behavior.
, Enduring Involvement- interest in the product category is ongoing and long term. Ex. Collector
Situational Involvement- interest is temporary and dynamic and results from a particular set of
circumstances.
Routine Response Behavior - this type of decision making exhibited by consumers buy
frequently purchased, low-cost goods and services; requires little search and decision time
· Little involvement in selection process
· Frequently purchased low cost goods
· May stick with one brand
· Buy first/evaluate later
· Quick decision
Impulse purchase- different from routine, when you buy something and give no thought to the
purchase.
Limited Decision Making - the type of decision making that requires a moderate amount of
time for gathering information and deliberating about an unfamiliar brand in a familiar product
category
· Low levels of involvement
· Low to moderate cost goods
· Evaluation of a few alternative brands
· Short to moderate time to decide
Extensive decision Making - the most complex type of consumer decision making, used when
buying an unfamiliar, expensive product or an infrequently bought item; requires use of several
criteria for evaluating options and much time for seeking information
· High levels of involvement
· High cost goods
· Evaluation of many brands
· Long time to decide
· May experience cognitive dissonance
Factors determining the Level of Consumer Involvement
· Previous Experience
· Interest
