mktg 373 - chapter 4: consumer behavior

consumer behavior

the process and activities people engage in when searching for, selecting, purchasing, using evaluating, and disposing of products and services as so to satisfy their needs and desires

what is marketing’s role

to influence the purchase behavior by understanding the specific needs of customers they are attempting to satisfy and how to translate that into purchase criteria

key consumer insight(kci)

features, interests, and the overlap between the two

basic model of consumer decision making

problem recognition → information search → alternative evaluation → purchase decisions → postpurchase evaluation

problem recognition

The first stage in the consumer decision-making process in which the consumer perceives a need and becomes motivated to satisfy it. current v desired state

sources of product recognition

• out of stock

• dissatisfaction

• market-induced recognition

• new oroducts

• related products/purchases

• new needs/wants

motitvation

driving force behind human action as consumers address needs

relevant internal psychological processes

motivation → perception → attitude formation → integration → learning

maslows hierarchy of needs

The need hierarchy includes physiological, safety, social/love and belonging, esteem, and self-actualization needs.

freudian psychoanalytic approach

focuses on the deep-rooted motivations that under lie behavior and often lie in the subconscious

motivation research

uses a variety of methods to gain insight into undertlying causes of consumer behavior

types of motivation research

in-depth interviews, association tests, focus groups, projective techniques

information search

once consumers perceive a problem or need that can be satisfied by the purchase of a product or service, they begin to search for information needed to make a purchase decision.

types of information seraches

internal and external

internal search

scan information stored in memory to recall past experiences or knowledge regarding purchase alternatives

external search

search process where consumers seek external searches such as: internal sources, personal sources, market controlled sources, public sources, personal experience

perception

the process by which an individual receives, selects, organizes, and interprets information to create a meaningful picture of the world

information search, how many and which sources to use

• importance of the purchase decision

• effort needed to acquire information

• amount of past experience

• degree of perceived risk associated with decision

• time available

perception internal factors

beliefs, experiences, needs, moods expectations

perception external factors

stimulus characteristics(size, color, and internsity)

sensation

an immediate, direct response of the senses to the five senses

selecting information

can depend on: relevancy to current needs, and psychological factors

selective exposure

A process whereby consumers choose whether or not to make themselves available to media and message information.

selective perception

selective exposure → selective attention → selective comprehension →

selective attention

A perceptual process in which consumers choose to attend to some stimuli and not others.

selective comprehension

The perceptual process whereby consumers interpret information based on their own attitudes, beliefs, motives, and experiences.

selective retention

The perceptual process whereby consumers remember some information but not all

interpreting information

must assign meaning by organization, categorizing, and interpreting incoming info.

alternative evaluation

In this stage, the consumer compares the various brands or products and services they have identified as being capable of solving the problem and satisfying the needs or motives that initiated the decision process.

evoked set

a subset of all the brand of which the consumer is wate and actively ocnsdiering oin the decision porcess

goal of marketing(evaluation of alternatives)

increase the likelihood that a brand will be included in the consumers evoked set and considered during alternative evaluation

evaluative criteria

dimensions or attributes of a product or service that are used to compare different alternatives. functional and psychosocial consequences

functional consqeuences

concrete outcomes of product or service usage that are tangible and directly experienced by consumers. objective criteria

psychosocial consequences

abstract outcomes that are more intangible, subjective, and personal, such as how a product makes you feel or how you think others will view you for purchasing or using it.

attitudes

overall feelings or evluations of an object such as a brand, a company, another person, a retial store, or an ad.

utilitarian function

maximixe rewqard and minimize punishment

knowledge function

store knowledge to simplyfy processes in the efuture when you purchase again

value-expression function

our attitiudes allow us to express core beleifs/values and attitudes to others

ego-defense function

if you find information that you find as offensive you deflect this information to prevent any hurt that it might cause

changing attitudes

• change beliefs about important attribute

• change perceptions of the importance or value of attribute

• add new attribute to the attitude formation mix

• change perceptions of beliefs about competing brand

purchase decision

strategies consumers use to decide among purchase alternatives.

integration process

the way product knowledge, meanings, and beliefs are combined to evaluate two or more alternatives

formal integration rules

require examination and comparison of alternatives on specific attributes

informal integration rules(heuristics)

simplified decisions rules such as the affect referral decisions rule.

post purchase evaluation

after purchase, consumer compares level of performance with expectiations.

satisfaction

expecctations met or exceeded

dissasatisfaction

performance below expectations

cognitive dissonance

feeling of psychological tension or doubt a consumer may experience after making a difficult purchase choice

strategies consumer may use to deal w dissonance

• seek out reassurance and opininons from others

• lower attitudes of the unchosen

• deny or distort any info that doesn’t support choice

• look for information that does support their choice