MGMT 105 Chapter 6: Section 1
Mktg Ch 6: Consumer Decision Making
● When buying products, particularly new or expensive items, consumers generally
follow the consumer decision-making process
○ 1) need recognition
○ (2) information search
○ (3) evaluation of alternatives
○ (4) purchase
○ (5) postpurchase behavior
●Need recognition occurs when consumers are faced with an imbalance between
actual and desired states that arouses and activates the consumer
decision-making process
● A marketing manager’s objective is to get consumers to recognize an imbalance
between their present status and their preferred state
○ Advertising and sales promotion often provide this stimulus
● Consumers recognize unfulfilled needs in various ways
○ when a current product isn’t performing properly
○ when the consumer is about to run out of something that is generally kept
on hand
○ if they become aware of a product that seems superior to the one currently
used
● After recognizing a need or want, consumers search for information about the
various alternatives available to satisfy it
Document Summary
When buying products, particularly new or expensive items, consumers generally follow the consumer decision-making process. Need recognition occurs when consumers are faced with an imbalance between actual and desired states that arouses and activates the consumer decision-making process. A marketing manager"s objective is to get consumers to recognize an imbalance between their present status and their preferred state. Advertising and sales promotion often provide this stimulus. Consumers recognize unfulfilled needs in various ways. When a current product isn"t performing properly. When the consumer is about to run out of something that is generally kept on hand. If they become aware of a product that seems superior to the one currently used. After recognizing a need or want, consumers search for information about the various alternatives available to satisfy it. In an internal information search , the person recalls information stored in the memory. In contrast, an external information search seeks information in the outside environment.
