Consumer Behaviour (704003)

CHAPTER 2:
SITUATIONAL INFLUENCES
 Contents

• 2.1. Situations and consumer behaviour

• 2.2. Situations relevant to the consumption
process
• 2.3. Classification of situational influences
• 2.4. Situational influences and marketing
strategy

7/30/2020 704003 - Chapter 2: Situational influences 2

 Learning objectives

• Be aware that situations influence CB

• Know that there are four main situations
within which the consumption process
occurs
• Understand the nature of situation
influences
• Be aware that situational influences have
implications for marketing strategy

7/30/2020 704003 - Chapter 2: Situational influences 3

 2.1. Situations
and consumer behaviour

• Consumer decision process

Source: Quester et al., (2014), Consumer Behaviour: implications for marketing strategy 7th ed, McGraw-Hill Education, page 26

7/30/2020 704003 - Chapter 2: Situational influences 4

 2.1. Situations
and consumer behaviour

• Situational influences

Source: Quester et al., (2014), Consumer Behaviour: implications for marketing strategy 7th ed, McGraw-Hill Education, page 38

7/30/2020 704003 - Chapter 2: Situational influences 5

 2.1. Situations
and consumer behaviour

• Situations influence consumer behaviour

– Four main types of situations
– Can be categorized according to five main
dimensions
– Implications for marketing strategy

7/30/2020 704003 - Chapter 2: Situational influences 6

 2.1. Situations
and consumer behaviour

• Three important aspects of this influence

– When a particular situation will influence CB
– How strong the effect is likely to be
– The way in which the situation will influence
behaviour

7/30/2020 704003 - Chapter 2: Situational influences 7

 2.2. Situations relevant to
the consumption process

• The communication situation

• The purchase situation
• The usage situation
• The disposal situation

7/30/2020 704003 - Chapter 2: Situational influences 8

 2.2. Situations relevant to
the consumption process

• The communication situation

– Where?
– Alone or with others?
– Surrounding noise?

7/30/2020 704003 - Chapter 2: Situational influences 9

 2.2. Situations relevant to
the consumption process

• The communication situation

• The purchase situation
– Where?
– Alone or with others?
– In a hurry?

7/30/2020 704003 - Chapter 2: Situational influences 10

 2.2. Situations relevant to
the consumption process

• The communication situation

• The purchase situation
• The usage situation
– With guests or alone?
– For pleasure or for work?

7/30/2020 704003 - Chapter 2: Situational influences 11

 2.2. Situations relevant to
the consumption process

• The communication situation

• The purchase situation
• The usage situation
• The disposal situation
– Before the next purchase? Trade-ins?
– After the purchase, e.g. packaging

7/30/2020 704003 - Chapter 2: Situational influences 12

 2.2. Situations relevant to
the consumption process

• The purchase situation

Source: Quester et al., (2014), Consumer Behaviour: implications for marketing strategy 7th ed, McGraw-Hill Education, page 40

7/30/2020 704003 - Chapter 2: Situational influences 13

 2.3. Classification of
situational influences

• Five dimensions of situational influence

– Physical surroundings
– Social surroundings
– Temporal perspectives
– Task definition
– Antecedent states

7/30/2020 704003 - Chapter 2: Situational influences 14

 2.3. Classification of
situational influences

• Physical Surroundings
– Atmospherics is the sum of all the physical
features of a retail environment.
• The quality of the store and the store’s image
• Atmosphere is referred to as service scape

7/30/2020 704003 - Chapter 2: Situational influences 15

 2.3. Classification of
situational influences

• Examples of physical surroundings

– Store location / Interior decor
– Music / Smell/aromas
– Temperature (air-conditioning or heating)
– Choice provided (by product category or
across the categories)

7/30/2020 704003 - Chapter 2: Situational influences 16

 2.3. Classification of
situational influences

Source: Quester et al., (2014), Consumer Behaviour: implications for marketing strategy 7th ed, McGraw-Hill Education, page 43

7/30/2020 704003 - Chapter 2: Situational influences 17

 Comparison of Hotel Lobbies

The servicescape is part of the value proposition!

Orbit Hotel and Hostel, Los Angeles

Four Seasons Hotel, New York

7/30/2020 704003 - Chapter 2: Situational influences 18
 2.3. Classification of
situational influences

• Five dimensions of situational influence

– Physical surroundings
– Social surroundings

7/30/2020 704003 - Chapter 2: Situational influences 19

 Examples of social surroundings

• Examples of social surroundings

– Types of customers in the store / Queues and
crowding
– Whether the consumer is likely to be known by
others/recognised
– Whether there are high-profile
people/celebrities shopping at that store
– Whether the product will be consumed
privately or in the presence of others

7/30/2020 704003 - Chapter 2: Situational influences 20

 Effect of social situation on
desired dessert attributes

Source: Quester et al., (2014), Consumer Behaviour: implications for marketing strategy 7th ed, McGraw-Hill Education, page 46

7/30/2020 704003 - Chapter 2: Situational influences 21

 2.3. Classification of
situational influences

• Five dimensions of situational influence

– Physical surroundings
– Social surroundings
– Temporal perspectives

7/30/2020 704003 - Chapter 2: Situational influences 22

 2.3. Classification of
situational influences

• Examples of temporal influences

– Whether the product is seasonal
– Whether the product is urgently required
(snack between lectures)
– Time available for shopping limited/excess
(the product may be an excuse for shopping)
– How long the previous product lasted or was
expected to last

7/30/2020 704003 - Chapter 2: Situational influences 23

 2.3. Classification of
situational influences

• Five dimensions of situational influence

– Physical surroundings
– Social surroundings
– Temporal perspectives
– Task definition

7/30/2020 704003 - Chapter 2: Situational influences 24

 2.3. Classification of
situational influences

• Examples of task definition

– Is the product utilitarian or used as a status
symbol?
– Is it a gift or for oneself?
– Must the product be long-lasting/tough?
or decorative?
– Is the product intended for several uses?

7/30/2020 704003 - Chapter 2: Situational influences 25

 2.3. Classification of
situational influences

• Five dimensions of situational influence

– Physical surroundings
– Social surroundings
– Temporal perspectives
– Task definition
– Antecedent states

7/30/2020 704003 - Chapter 2: Situational influences 26

 2.3. Classification of
situational influences

• Examples of antecedent states

– Moods
• Feeling sad triggers buying sweets or seeing a
funny movie / Feeling rejected triggers buying
games’ software
– Momentary conditions
• Can’t buy a book because the credit card was left
at home / Buy more groceries because hungry
before shopping

7/30/2020 704003 - Chapter 2: Situational influences 27

 2.4. Situational influences
and marketing strategy

• Identify the different situations that might

involve the consumption of a product
• Determine which products or brands are
most likely to be purchased or consumed
across those situations.

7/30/2020 704003 - Chapter 2: Situational influences 28

 2.4. Situational influences
and marketing strategy

• Situational influence matrix

Source: Quester et al., (2014), Consumer Behaviour: implications for marketing strategy 7th ed, McGraw-Hill Education, page 51

7/30/2020 704003 - Chapter 2: Situational influences 29

 2.4. Situational influences
and marketing strategy

• Usage situations and product positioning

7/30/2020 704003 - Chapter 2: Situational influences 30

Source: Quester et al., (2014), Consumer Behaviour: implications for marketing strategy 7th ed, McGraw-Hill Education, page 52
 Topics covered in this lecture

• There are four types of situational influence

• The nature of situational influence
• Dimensions of situation
– Physical, Social, Time (temporal),Task,
Antecedent
• Situational influences and marketing
strategy

7/30/2020 704003 - Chapter 2: Situational influences 31

 Next lecture

• Chapter 03 : Problem recognition and

Information search
• Case study:
– What expats want: how foreigners in Vietnam
search for information (p. 119)

7/30/2020 704003 - Chapter 2: Situational influences 32