Chapter 2
Chapter Spotlights
Consumer decision process action options
Problem recognition: actual state versus
desired state and motivation arousal
Pre-purchase, post-purchase, and
ongoing information search
Internal and external information search
Consideration sets
Consumer Decision
Process Action Options
Start through steps and complete them in
order
Start, stop, start, stop, etc. and complete
steps in order
Start steps and “loop back” as needed
based on what happens and complete
process
Start into the process then stop
Problem Recognition
When consumers realize that they need
something!
It is the first step in the decision-making
process:
Problem
recognition
Information search
Alternative evaluation
Choice
Motivational Arousal
Different people have different benefit
motivations for purchasing different
products or services.
Types of benefit motives:
To optimize satisfaction
To prevent possible future problems
To escape from a problem
To resolve a conflict
Problem Recognition:
Actual State versus
Desired State
It is the psychological process used
to determine the difference
between the consumer’s actual
benefits state (where you are) and
the desired benefits state (where
you want to be).
Problem Recognition
Influences
Situational influences
Consumer influences
Situational Influences
Product consumption (e.g., running
out of gas)
Product acquisition (e.g., purchasing a
new home may stimulate other
purchases)
Changed circumstances (e.g., moving
Consumer Influences
Actual state consumers: those who
look to existing products to solve
their problems.
Desired state consumers: those
who shop for new products to
address their problems.
Marketing Influences
Marketing mix
changes and/or
promotion actions
may help stimulate
problem
recognition:
Advertising
Coupons
Free offers
Information Search
Information collected
by consumers is the
basis for evaluation
and choice behavior.
It is important for
marketers to know:
Why consumers are
searching for information
Where will they look
What information
consumers seek
How extensively they are
Types of Information
Search
Prepurchase search:
Directed searches: consumer searches for
information that will help solve a specific problem.
Browsing: consumer is “just looking” with no
immediate intent to buy.
Accidental search: consumer is not actively looking
for information, but takes note of information that is
formally presented or inadvertently encountered.
Post-purchase search: gathering information
on choice made after the purchase.
Ongoing search: continuous information
Internal and External
Information Search
Internal search: search based on existing
information in memory.
Information quantity, quality, relevance,
currency
Experts vs. novices
External search: the search of information
beyond one’s memory.
Personal sources: friends, experts, salespeople
Impersonal sources: advertising, in-store
displays, trade reports, the Internet.
Why Do Consumers
Engage in External
Information Search?
High perceived value versus perceived cost of
search
Need to acquire information
Ease of acquiring and using information
Confidence in decision-making ability
Locus of control (internals vs. externals)
Actual or perceived risk
Costs of external search
Types of products sought
Types of Risk
Functional or
performance
Financial
Psychological
Social
Physiological
Time
Costs of External Search
Financial
Time
Decision delay
(opportunity cost)
Physical cost
Psychological cost
Type of Product Sought
Specialty goods: search willingness is high
when consumer has developed strong
preferences
Shopping goods: less search willingness for
products that the consumer must devote
time and effort to compare and contrast.
Convenience goods: consumer is reluctant
Characteristics of
Purchase Decision
If number of
possible solutions is
limited – extensive
search is acceptable
If need for trial is
high – more likely to
search
Difficulty of trial
External Search Strategy
Consideration set: those brands, outlets, etc.
that have front-of-mind presence and from
among which there is intention to choose.
Which brands of computers would you consider
purchasing?
Also called “evoked set” or “relevant set”
Marketplace information sources:
General (face-to-face or mass media)
