decision process

Decision making perspective◦ High involvement decisions◦ Low involvement decisions

Experiential perspective Behavioral influence perspective

ProblemRecognition

Extensive Search

ExtendedAlternative Evaluation

Complex Choice

AcquisitionEvaluation

ProblemRecognition

Limited Search

MinimalAlternative Evaluation

Simple ChoiceProcesses

AcquisitionEvaluation

Problem Recognition(affect driven)

Search forAffect-based Solutions

Alternative Evaluation(comparison of affect)

Choice(affect-based)

Acquisition Evaluation

Search (learned Response)

Choice (behaviorresults fromreinforcers)

Acquisition Evaluation(self-perception process)

ProblemRecognition(results fromdiscriminativestimulus)

Initial purchases◦ Tend to require more extensive problem solving

Repeat purchases◦ Tend to require limited problem solving,

sometimes habitual decisions

Problem/Need Recognition

Information Search

Evaluation of Alternatives

Purchase

Post-Purchase Evaluation

Consumer recognizes a gap or discrepancy between his/her current state and his/her desired state.

Deliberate attempt to gain knowledge about a purchase decision; goal is to reduce uncertainty.

Internal search◦ Retrieve information from long term memory

External search◦ Gather information from external sources, e.g.,

ads, media, friends, stores

Occurs either separately or in conjunction with information search.

We rely on internal processes to help us organize the evaluation process.◦ Consideration (evoked set)◦ Decision rules (heuristics)

Strategies used by consumers to guide decision making.

Some decision rules use product characteristics to guide decisions.◦ Compensatory◦ Noncompensatory

Some decision rules rely on stored information in consumers’ memories to guide decisions.

Select the best overall brand◦Consumer evaluates brand options in

terms of each relevant attribute and computes a weighted or summated score for each brand. The consumer chooses the brand with the highest score.

A compensatory model because a positive score on one attribute can outweigh a negative score on another attribute.

Conjunctive Decision Rule◦Consumer sets a minimum standard for

each attribute and if a brand fails to pass any standard, it is dropped from consideration.

Reduces a large consideration set to a manageable size.

Often used in conjunction with another decision rule.

Disjunctive Decision Rule◦Consumer sets a minimum acceptable

standard as the cutoff point for each attribute--any brand that exceeds the cutoff point is accepted.

Reduces large consideration set to a more manageable number of alternatives.

Consumer may settle for the first satisfactory brand as final choice or may use another decision rule.

Lexicographic Decision Rule◦The consumer ranks the attributes

according to importance and then selects the brand that is superior on the most important attribute.

If one brand ranks sufficiently high on just one attribute, it will be selected regardless of how it scores on other attributes.

Synthesized decision rule◦Consumers maintain overall evaluations

of brands in their long term memories. Brands on not evaluated on individual attributes but on the highest perceived overall rating.

Another way in which consumers evaluate information is the frame of reference from which s/he subjectively evaluates messages related to a decision problem.◦ “Percent lean” vs. “Percent fat”◦ “Sale” vs. “Clearance”

Consumers evaluate purchases during consumption process.

Three possible outcomes.

Postpurchase cognitive dissonance.

Complaining behavior.

Actual product performance matches prepurchase expectations

◦ Neutral Feeling

Actual product performance exceeds prepurchase expectations.

◦ Positive disconfirmation of expectations◦ Satisfaction

Actual product performance is below prepurchase expectations.

◦ Negative disconfirmation of expectations◦ Dissatisfaction

Dissatisfaction DelightedSatisfaction

Alternative actions ◦ Do nothing◦ Avoid seller/brand in the future◦ Negative WOM to friends◦ Seek redress of problem from seller◦ Complain to outside agency

Is based on:◦ Level of dissatisfaction◦ Importance of decision/purchase◦ Costs/benefits of actions◦ Personal characteristics◦ Attribution of blame

Understanding decision making process enables marketers to assist consumers along decision pathway.◦Offer products that meet needs/wants◦Advertising◦Making information available◦Making product available◦Follow-up sales calls, good service