Consumer Decision-Making Process

Topic

Consumer Decision-Making Process (Theory and Practice)

Instructions

Select ONE of following two topics for your assignment:
1. Describe the steps of the consumer decision making process then critically assess
whether it as an accurate representation of accurate decision making.
2. Critique marketers’ traditional understanding of consumer needs and wants, and discuss
how desire may be a more relevant way to understand contemporary consumer behaviour.

Critical analysis is key.

Core reading:
Solomon, M., Bamossy, G., Askegaard, S. and M.K. Hogg (2013) Consumer Behaviour: A
European Perspective, Prentice-Hall: New Jersey. (ISBN 978-0273772729)
Desmond, J. (2003) Consumer Behaviour, Palgrave: London,(ISBN 0-333-04992-7)

Answer preview

Consumer behaviours are part of the major determinants of an organization’s successful segmentation, targeting and positioning. Knowing the specific consumerism trends within the market segment can be challenging, but socio-cultural and economic features help in determining what an organisation would be expecting from the targeted consumers. Following the complexity of the factors that influence consumerism, marketing theorists introduced a standard model that helps marketers analyse decision-making process that consumers make in purchasing. Five stages, including need recognition, information search process, evaluation of available alternatives, selection stage and post-purchasing evaluation, are considered stages of decision-making that consumer follow in purchasing process (Dudovskiy, 2013).

Word count: 2329