This chapter introduced you to the field of consumer behaviour and examined its relevance to promotional strategy.

Consumer behaviour is best viewed as the proc ess and activities that people engage in when searching for, selecting, purchasi ng, using, evaluating, and disposing of products and services to satisfy their n eeds and desires. A five-stage model of the consumer decision-making process con sists of problem recognition, information search, alternative evaluation, purcha se, and post purchase evaluation. Internal psychological processes that influenc e the consumer decision-making process include motivation, perception, attitude formation and change, and integration processes. The decision process model views consumer behaviour primarily from a cognitive o rientation. The chapter considered other perspectives by examining various appro aches to consumer learning and their implications for advertising and promotion. Behavioural learning theories such as classical conditioning and operant (instr umental) conditioning were dis-cussed. Problems with behavioural learning theori es were noted, and the alternative perspective of cognitive learning was discuss ed. The chapter also examined relevant external factors that influence consumer deci sion making. Culture, subculture, social class, reference groups, and situationa l determinants were discussed, along with their implications for the development of promotional strategies and programs. The chapter concluded with an introduct ion to alternative perspectives on the study of consumer behaviour (also called interpretive, postmodern, or post positivist perspectives).