Consumer
Psychology (PSY -
514)
VU
LESSON36
INTRODUCTION
TO CONSUMER DECISION
MAKING
CHAPTER
6: CONSUMER DECISION
MAKING
Contents
of Chapter No. 6
Input
Marketing
Input
Socio-cultural
Inputs
Process
Need
Recognition
Pre-purchase
search
Evaluation
of Alternatives
Output
Purchase
Behavior
Post-Purchase
Evaluation
Introduction
to Consumer Decision
Making
Usually
the decisions consumers are
face are somewhat like the
ones mentioned below:
What
to buy?
How
much to buy?
Where
to buy?
When
to buy?
How
to buy?
Deciding
what to buy is the most basic
tasks. No buying activity
may take place unless this
fundamental decision is
made.
Here consumers' product or
service decision may
encompass
Generic
category of products (Electronic
Equipment)
Specific
category of products (Computer)
Brands
Prices and Product
features
Specific
Decision
Consumer
must decide, e.g. how
much rice to purchase, how
much oil, how many
cans of cold drinks?
etc...
Two
products although physically
same are likely to be
perceived differently because of
other facets
associated.
Not
all sales outlets are same,
they may differ:
Downtown
or suburban stores
Discount
or full service
stores
Merchandise
lines (full VS. Narrow
Purchase a camera from a brand
shops or a super
store)
Consumers
decide not only on the
general type of store but
also determine a particular
store
The
decision is influenced by such factors
as:
Urgency
of need (medicine)
Availability
of the chosen item (cars)
Store
opening times (appliances before
evening, clothes till late
night)
Period
of sales and
clearances
Availability
of transportation (Public transport or personal
vehicle)
Freedom
of all family members to
shop
Other
concerns are to shop
extensively or shop from the
first outlet, pay cash or
charge, have it delivered or take
it
home.
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Consumer
Psychology (PSY -
514)
VU
Consumer
decisions vary considerably in their
complexity. Simple decisions
may be about purchasing
food. Buying
durable
goods may be a complicated
decision. Buying a home is
too complicated.
Decision
Complexity
The
nature of decision complexity
may be understood with the help of
following continuum of
situations:
Routine
Problem Solving (RPS)
When
consumers purchase a brand they have
purchased before It involves little or no
information seeking.
Consumers
are brand loyal and purchase
in a habitual, automatic and
unthinking
Limited
Problem Solving (LPS)
When
consumers buy a new brand in a
familiar product category
(e.g. new brand of jeans) It
involves a moderate
amount
of information seeking and time in
choosing.
Extensive
Problem Solving (LPS)
When
consumers buy in an unfamiliar
product category. It involves the
need to obtain substantial
information and
a
longer time to think. Consumers must
form a concept of product
category and determine the criteria to be
used
in
choosing a brand.
The
Dynamics of Problem Solving
Continuum
Consumer
Decision Making
Process
Consumer
Decision making process may be understood in
terms of the following three
stages:
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Consumer
Psychology (PSY -
514)
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