WELCOME TO

Consumer
Behaviour
Where we explore the
#whybehindthebuy
Agenda
Check-in for the week
Revision
Q&A
Attitudes
The major functions that attitudes
perform:

1. The utilitarian function

2. The ego-defensive function
3. The value-expressive function
4. The knowledge function
Attitudes
The utilitarian function: People act in
a way to get rewards and avoid
punishments. For example, we're nice
to people who are nice to us, and we
avoid people who are not pleasant to
be around.
Attitudes
Think of it like this: If you know
someone who really loves BMW cars,
and you say good things about BMW
to make them like you more, that's
because you want their approval.
In the same way, when customers like
a product (when it makes them happy
or satisfies them), they'll have a more
positive attitude towards it.
Attitudes
The Ego-defensive function: People use
these attitudes to protect themselves
from truths about themselves or the
realities associated with living in the real
world.

It is also called the self-esteem

maintenance function.
Attitudes
Imagine a cosmetic company that
sells makeup and skincare products.
They often tell women that if they use
their products, they will look younger
and more beautiful. They do this
because they know that many women
want to feel good about themselves
and look their best.
Attitudes
The value-expressive function: This
refers to how people express their
central values to others.

This function allows the customer to

demonstrate his or her values
positively.
Attitudes
For example: Promoting green & and
natural, donating blood, and buying
products associated with a good
cause.

It is therefore a manner in which a

person can express how they feel
about something (product or cause).
Attitudes
Attitudes can be a main contributor
to a person’s understanding of the
environment and they can be a
means of placing this environment in
perspective.
Attitudes
Stores playing loud music,
Salespersons not neat, Smelling
something “fishy” in the meat aisle of
Checkers - never purchase meat
from Checkers again.

The attitude simplifies the encounter

for the customer, allowing him/ her to
focus on matters seen as more
important.
Consumer Problem Recognition

Decision Making Information Search

The consumer decision-making
process is a sequential and repetitive
set of psychological and physical Evaluation of Alternatives
activities ranging from problem
recognition to post-buying behaviour.
Buying/Purchase Decision

Post-Purchase Evaluation
Consumer
Decision Making
When focusing on the decision-making
process of individual consumers, it is
obvious that the basic decision made
by the individual is whether to spend
or not to spend, thereby saving.
Consumer Problem Recognition

Decision Making
A problem arises when consumers
recognise a difference between what they
perceive as the current or actual state of
affairs and the state of affairs that they
want.

Problem recognition is an awareness of the

need to change the existing state to
conform to the desired or ideal state.
Consumer Problem Recognition

Decision Making
The process of problem recognition may
vary widely, depending on the effect of
the various influencing factors.

Three factors that affect need or

problem recognition are: 1. information
stored in memory 2. Individual differences
3. Environmental influences
Consumer Problem Recognition

Decision Making
Most consumer problems/needs arise as a
result of the following: • Assortment
inadequacies – When a consumer’s
supply of a particular item is running out,
for EXAMPLE when you reach the end of a
tube of toothpaste • New information –
Arises when consumers become aware of
products and services and view them as
solutions to their problems.
Consumer Information Search

Decision Making
As soon as the consumer recognises the
problem, she or he begins to search for
information and process it. Consumer
search is the cognitive and behavioural
actions that consumers engage in to
retrieve information on specific problems
identified. This includes mental and
physical activities.
Consumer Information Search

Decision Making
It is an interactive learning process by
which consumers learn about competing
products, brands or services and their
prices, stores, and conditions of sale.
Information search can be internal or
external. An internal search is the
information that consumers retrieve from
memory – stored from a previous learning
process – which they draw from to
facilitate a quick purchase decision.
Consumer Information Search

Decision Making
An external search is the act of seeking
information from sources outside one's
personal knowledge and experience to
make informed purchasing decisions.
External sources can include online
reviews and friends and family
recommendations.
Consumer Information
Evaluation Search
of Alternatives

Decision Making
Consumer evaluation is the process in
which the consumer assesses the
advantages and disadvantages of each
solution. Consumers compare product
characteristics against pre-determined
product features or product criteria.
Consumer Buying/Purchase Decision
Information Search

Decision Making
The logical outcome of evaluation is the
consumer’s response or buying decision
which involves the consumer selecting the
option that they believe comes closest to
matching the pre-determined evaluative
criteria set.
Consumer Buying/Purchase
Post-Purchase Decision
Information Evaluation
Search

Decision Making
Post-buying evaluation means that, after
acquiring, consuming and disposing of a
product or service, the consumer
discovers something about it and banks
the added knowledge in her or his
memory for future use. A crucial question
from a marketing point of view is whether
or not consumers are satisfied once they
have bought a particular product