Basic Marketing: A Global Managerial Approach

Perreault−McCarthy: Basic
Marketing: A
Global−Managerial
Approach, 14/e

6. Behavior Dimensions of
   the Consumer Market

Text © The McGraw−Hill

Companies, 2002

Behavioral Dimensions of the Consumer Market 173

Some consumers will reject a product if they see onefeature as substandard—

regardless of how favorably they regard the product’s other features. The consumer

in Exhibit 6-8 might avoid the Saab, which he saw as less than satisfactory on ease

of service, even if it were superior in all other aspects. In other instances, a con-

sumer’s overall attitude toward the product might be such that a few good features

could make up for some shortcomings. The comfortable interior of the Toyota

(Exhibit 6-8) might make up for less exciting styling—especially if the consumer

viewed comfort as really important.

Of course, most consumers don’t use a grid like this. However, constructing such

a grid helps managers think about what evaluative criteria target consumers consider

really important, what consumers’ attitudes are toward their product (or marketing

mix) on each criteria, and how consumers combine the criteria to reach a final deci-

sion. Having a better understanding of the process should help a manager develop

a better marketing mix.^23

Psychological variables

Motivation

Perception

Learning

Attitude

Personality/lifestyle

Social influences

Family

Social class

Reference groups

Culture

Marketing mixes All other stimuli

Purchase situation

Purchase reason

Time

Surroundings

Response

Need-want awareness

Routinized response

Search for information

Set criteria and evaluate

alternative solutions

Decide on solution

Postpone Purchase product

decision

Postpurchase

evaluation

Feedback of

information

as attitudes

Person making

decision

Exhibit 6-7

An Expanded Model of the

Consumer Problem-Solving

Process