Marketing Chapter 12 Can Either Monetary For Example The Cost Driving Around Town Looking For

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can be either monetary (for example, the cost of driving around town looking for a new

bedroom dresser) or nonmonetary (for example, psychological or physical exhaustion or

stress).

Time Availability

Attitude toward Shopping

Personal Factors

Search tends to increase as a consumer’s level of education and income increase. Search

also tends to decrease as consumers become older.

Situational Influencers

Situational factors also influence the amount of search that takes place. Perceived

urgency, financial pressure, and mood can all impact search behavior. The purchase

occasion can also affect the search. Consumers sometimes have such an urgent need for

a product that they will select the first option they come across.

Q: Which search factors are important when you need to buy furniture, a car, or

an insurance policy?

A: Students’ answers will vary. Personal and situational factors can be important

factors that compel individuals to purchase something.

External Search Often Minimized

E. Search Regret [Instructor PPT Slide 21]

The term search regret refers to the negative emotions that come from failed search processes.

Many times, consumers are simply not able to find an acceptable solution to their problems. As

a result, the decision-making process stops. In these situations, consumers may feel as if the

entire search process was a waste of time, and they will start to feel search regret.

Video material for this chapter can be found on page 22 of the IM

End of Chapter Material

Discussion Questions

(*) Indicates material on prep cards.

1. *Describe each of the activities that are present in the consumer decision-making process.

2. How do the activities in the consumer decision-making process relate to the basic

consumer behavior consumption process?

3. Describe each of the three major decision-making perspectives.

9. How does consumer involvement, perceived risk, product experience, and time availability

influence the extent to which consumers will search when seeking to satisfy a problem that

they are facing?

10. *What types of technologies are affecting consumer search behavior?

DISC: Customer

LO: 12-5

Topic: A-head: External Search

Bloom’s: Comprehension

Difficulty: Moderate

Group Activity

Divide the class into teams. The size can vary according to class size. Tell the class that the

assignment will be to find information about buying a new product. (The purpose is to use a

product category with which they probably have little direct experience. An example might be

“buying new bedroom furniture.”) Have each team focus on a specific type of information

source, and tell the group that they are to collect information from only their specified source.

For example, label one group “friends,” one group “Internet,” one group “apps,” one group

“salespeople,” one group “advertisements,” etc. Have the groups gather information that is

relevant to purchasing the new product. Have the groups report on the information that they

gather and how useful they thought the search process was. Have them also comment on how

much they enjoyed gathering the information and how easy the process was. What observations

do they make? This is a good exercise for sparking conversation on what types of information

sources students prefer (it is likely that the Internet and smartphone apps will be most popular

and useful for the students).

Assignments

1. *Describe a recent situation that you faced in which you think the decision-making model

discussed in the chapter applies well. What type of decision approach did you take? Why?

2. Create a new Facebook discussion group that is focused on consumer search activities.

Once the group is formed, ask members to describe a recent experience they had with

searching for information for a new product. Ask them if they searched the Internet, talked

with friends, or used a smartphone app while searching for information. Take note of the

different ways in which they refer to the consumer decision-making process. Also, note

how the group members comment about where other members find information about

products.

3. Visit a popular electronics retailer’s website, such as Best Buy. What types of information

do you find useful on the site? What types of information do you find to be less useful?

Are there ways in which the site could more effectively help a consumer find solutions to

specific needs?

4. Recall a recent purchase that you have made. What types of risk were involved? Did you

consider these risks? Why, or why not?

5. Survey consumers of varying demographic backgrounds about the information sources that

they tend to use when considering a new product. Do you notice any trends? Which groups

tend to use online information sources and applications more (or less)? Why do you think

this is?

Chapter Video Summary

To view the video case on Consumer Behavior at Scholfield Honda, access the Chapter 12

Consumer Behavior at Scholfield Honda

Ask Your Students

1. What do customers feel about the alternative fuel vehicles?

2. According to the sales consultants of Scholfield Honda, what are the steps that customers

generally follow to reach a buying decision?