Chapter 5: Consumer Markets and Buyer Behavior

Objective 5-1 Define the consumer market and construct a simple model of consumer buyer behavior. Objective 5-2 Explore the four major factors that influence consumer buyer behavior. Objective 5-3 Understand the stages in the buyer decision process and the major types of buying decision behavior. Objective 5-4 Describe the adoption and diffusion process for new products.

Consumer buyer behavior

The buying behavior of final consumers—individuals and households that buy goods and services for personal consumption. [5.1]

Consumer market

All the individuals and households that buy or acquire goods and services for personal consumption. [5.1]

Attitude

A person’s consistently favorable or unfavorable evaluations, feelings, and tendencies toward an object or idea. [5.2]

Belief

A descriptive thought that a person holds about something. [5.2]

Culture

The set of basic values, perceptions, wants, and behaviors learned by a member of society from family and other important institutions. [5.2]

Influencer marketing

Enlisting established influencers or creating new influencers to spread positive information about a company’s brands. [5.2]

Learning

Changes in an individual’s behavior arising from experience. [5.2]

Lifestyle

A person’s pattern of living as expressed in his or her activities, interests, and opinions. [5.2]

Motive (drive)

(drive) A need that is sufficiently pressing that the person seeks to satisfy it. [5.2]

Online social networks

Online social communities—blogs, online social media, brand communities, and other online forums—where people socialize and exchange information and opinions. [5.2]

Opinion leader

A person within a reference group who, because of special skills, knowledge, personality, or other characteristics, can socially influence others. [5.2]

Perception

The process by which people select, organize, and interpret information to form a meaningful picture of the world. [5.2]

Personality

The psychological characteristics that distinguish a person that are expressed in traits such as self-confidence, dominance, sociability, and adaptability. [5.2]

Reference group

A group that serves as a point of comparison or reference in shaping a person’s attitudes or behavior. [5.2]

Subculture

A group of people with shared value systems based on common life experiences and situations. [5.2]

Word-of-mouth influence

The impact of the personal words and recommendations of trusted friends, family, associates, and other consumers on buying behavior. [5.2]

Alternative evaluation

The stage of the buyer decision process in which the consumer uses information to evaluate alternative brands. [5.3]

Choice set

The smaller set of brands—say, five or fewer—that consumers carefully evaluate in order to make their final choice. [5.3]

Cognitive dissonance

Buyer discomfort caused by postpurchase conflict. [5.3]

Complex buying behavior

Consumer buying behavior in situations characterized by high consumer involvement in a purchase and significant perceived differences among brands. [5.3]

Consideration set

The set of perhaps 10 or more brands that consumers begin evaluating in order to generate a smaller choice set. [5.3]

Customer journey

The sum of the ongoing experiences consumers have with a brand that affect their buying behavior, engagement, and brand advocacy over time. [5.3]

Dissonance-reducing buying behavior

Consumer buying behavior in situations characterized by high involvement but few perceived differences among brands. [5.3]

Habitual buying behavior

Consumer buying behavior in situations characterized by low consumer involvement and few significant perceived differences among brands. [5.3]

Information search

The stage of the buyer decision process in which the consumer is motivated to search for more information. [5.3]

Need recognition

The first stage of the buyer decision process in which the consumer recognizes a problem or need. [5.3]

Postpurchase behavior

The stage of the buyer decision process in which consumers take further action after purchase based on their satisfaction or dissatisfaction. [5.3]

Purchase decision

The buyer’s decision about which brand to purchase. [5.3]

Variety-seeking buying behavior

Consumer buying behavior in situations characterized by low consumer involvement but significant perceived differences among brands. [5.3]

Adoption Process

The process through which an individual passes from first hearing about an innovation to final adoption. [5.4]

New Product

A good, service, or idea that is perceived by some potential customers as new. [5.4]