Understanding Consumer Choices
Understanding Consumer Choices
Choices
Understanding Consumer Choices
• Need Recognition: Identifying unmet needs triggers the consumer journey, leading to search for applicable
solutions.
• Information Search: Consumers actively seek information through personal experiences, reviews, and
advertisements that inform decisions.
• Evaluation of Alternatives: Consumers assess various options based on criteria like price, quality, and
brand reputation before purchase.
Stage 1 - Need Recognition
• Product Comparison Dynamics: Consumers evaluate alternatives using key attributes like price, features,
and brand identity before making decisions.
• Compensatory vs Non-Compensatory: Decision types can be compensatory, allowing trade-offs, or non-
compensatory, focusing on minimum acceptable criteria.
• Smartphone Example: For smartphones, consumers may weigh specifications, prices, and reviews to
choose their preferred model effectively.
Stage 4 - Purchase Decision
• Psychological Influences: Cognitive biases and emotional responses significantly guide consumer choices,
often varying by age demographic.
• Social Factors: Peer influence and societal norms affect consumer decisions, differing notably between
younger and older generations.
• Situational Context: Purchase environments uniquely shape decision-making; for instance, youth may
favor social shopping scenarios over solitude.
Conclusion & Implications for Marketers