We’ve made it to Unit 5: Consumer Decision Making, where you will learn more about the choices that you as consumers make every day. In this unit, we will learn more about customer behavior which describes how consumers make purchase decisions and how they use and dispose of the purchased goods or services.
We’ve all gone through this process — identifying a need, searching for options, evaluating alternatives, and making a decision about what to purchase — and often, we reflect on our purchase and determine whether or not we are satisfied. Sometimes, if not, we’ll return the item if possible. Other times, we cannot return the item (food, for example) and we have what’s called buyer’s remorse. Ever had that feeling?
In this unit, you’ll review Consumer Decision Making through the lens of the consumer, and through how a marketing department has to consider each stage of this process in order to adequately position goods and services to consumers.
By the end of this unit, you should be able to:
- Describe theories of consumer decision-making
- Describe the stages of the buying process
- Explain the different buying processes for low-involvement and high-involvement decisions
In order to successfully complete this unit, you’ll need to do the following:
1. Read this Open Educational Resource (free to access): Chapter 4: Understanding Buyer Behavior1 (Pages 89-116)
Please note: you do not need to complete the activities listed in this resource.
2. Review this module which includes text and videos to learn more about the steps in the Consumer Decision Making Process.
3. Watch this quick video (also embedded below) about how marketing influences the Consumer Decision Making Process.
Sources:
1Chapter 4: Understanding Buyer Behavior: https://openlab.bmcc.cuny.edu/mar-100-a050-intro-to-marketing-professor-buckler-spring-2022/wp-content/uploads/sites/1883/2021/10/Intro-to-Marketing-Chaper-4.pdf
2https://www.marketingteacher.com/buyer-decision-process-2/ Accessed February 9, 2022
3CoolTool on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLzJEJwwmvw
