MKT-4093 Post Decision Process

Module Ten: The Post-Decision Process

Introduction to the Post-Decision Process

The post-decision process focuses on what happens after consumers have made a purchase and consumed a product or service. Understanding consumer reactions, learning from their experiences, and evaluating satisfaction levels are crucial for marketers to develop strategies for retention and engagement.

Key Concepts to Explore

• Consumer Learning from Consumption Experiences: Understanding how consumers derive lessons from their product usage and how these insights influence future purchasing decisions.

• Confirmation of Expectations and its Impact on Satisfaction/Dissatisfaction: Investigating how expectations formed prior to purchase align with actual experiences and the effects this has on consumers' feelings and future behavior.

• Disconfirmation: This concept involves the assessment of satisfaction vs. dissatisfaction based on the gap between expectations and performance.

• Actions Taken by Consumers After Dissatisfaction: Exploring the various responses that consumers might exhibit, such as complaining, returning products, or avoiding future purchases.

• The Relationship Between Satisfaction and Loyalty: A deeper look into how satisfied customers often become loyal patrons, and how dissatisfaction can lead to churn.

• Disposal of Products: The Disposition Process: Understanding how consumers deal with products after use, including recycling or discarding methods and the emotional implications of product disposal.

Chapter Overview

Consumer Learning

• How consumers learn from their consumption experiences influences future choices.

• Incorporating both cognitive and emotional factors during the learning phase.

Satisfaction and Dissatisfaction Processes

• A thorough understanding of emotional responses during and post-consumption is crucial for brands to foster satisfaction.

• Addressing how these emotions impact brand relationships over time.

Learning from Consumption Experiences

• Consumer's Pre-Purchase Process:

  • Information Search: Consumers often engage in extensive information gathering through various channels, both online and offline. This includes parsing through advertisements, word-of-mouth recommendations from peers, and learning about others' experiences with the product.

  • Decision Making: Post-gathering of relevant information, the purchase decision occurs, which is significantly influenced by perceived product quality and brand reputation.

• Understanding Learning from Consumption:

  • Direct Experience: Personal, firsthand experience with a product/service is the cornerstone of effective learning regarding quality and value.

  • Information Flow: Information dissemination does not cease post-purchase; it evolves and continues to educate consumers post-consumption, affecting their likelihood of repeat purchases.

Hypothesis Testing in Consumer Learning

• Hypothesis Generation: Consumers formulate expectations based on existing knowledge and prior reviews that impact the anticipation of product satisfaction.

• Exposure to Evidence: This includes direct engagement with the product/service after purchase.

• Encoding of Evidence: Gathering inputs and sensory experiences during the consumption phase that influence subsequent beliefs.

• Integration of Evidence: Adjusting initial beliefs based on the actual experience with the product/service, critical for shaping future decisions and promoting brand loyalty.

Factors Influencing the Learning Process

• Familiarity: Consumers with previous experience or knowledge in a product category tend to have stronger learning outcomes.

• Motivation: High consumer motivation can enhance engagement with the product, positively impacting learning.

• Ambiguity of Information: Clear and legitimate information fortifies consumers’ learning pathways and leads to more informed decisions.

Implications for Marketers

• Marketers should prioritize maintaining high levels of consumer motivation through targeted advertising and engaging promotional campaigns.

• Developing strategies that align with consumer awareness and familiarity is key. Tailored communications can significantly enhance brand perception.

Top Dog vs. Underdog Strategies

• Top Dog Strategies: Established brands focus on reinforcing loyalty through brand promises and maintaining a positive brand image, such as Coca-Cola’s consistent branding efforts.

• Underdog Strategies: Less established brands focus on building awareness, incentivizing trials through promotional offers, and other strategies to create a competitive edge in the marketplace.

Satisfaction vs. Dissatisfaction Judgment

• Satisfaction: This positive feeling arises when a product's performance meets or exceeds consumer expectations.

• Dissatisfaction: It arises when there is a mismatch between expected and actual product performance. Measuring satisfaction is vital for understanding long-term impact on consumer loyalty and profitability.

American Consumer Satisfaction Index

• This index serves as a monitoring tool for tracking consumer satisfaction across various categories, offering insights for marketers to comprehend trends and evolving consumer needs.

Expectation Confirmation and Disconfirmation

• Consumers base their satisfaction judgments on the discrepancies between pre-purchase expectations and the actual performance delivered.

• Positive confirmation generally leads to satisfaction, while negative disconfirmation often results in dissatisfaction.

Influence of Consumption Emotions

• Emotional responses, both cognitive and affective, play a vital role in determining overall consumer satisfaction.

• Attribution Theory: This proposes that consumers assign blame for dissatisfaction based on perceived controllability, stability of the issue, and the intensity of the failure. Understanding these emotional dynamics is crucial for brands to navigate consumer relationships and encourage loyalty in future purchasing behavior.