How People Make Buying Decisions
Discussion Questions and Activities
Discussion Questions
-
Why do people in different cultures buy different products? Discuss with
your class the types of vehicles you have seen other countries. Why are
they different, and how do they better meet buyers' needs in those
countries? What types of cars do you think should be sold in the United
States today?
- What is your opinion of companies like Google that
gather information about your browsing patterns? What advantages and
drawbacks does this pose for consumers? If you were a business owner,
what kinds of information would you gather on your customers and how
would you use it?
- Are there any areas in which you consider
yourself an opinion leader? What are they? How are companies getting
information about opinion leaders?
- What purchasing decisions have
you been able to influence in your family and why? Is marketing to
children a good idea? If not, what if one of your competitors were
successful in doing so? Would it change your opinion?
- Name some
products that have led to postpurchase dissonance on your part. Then
categorize them as high- or low-involvement products.
- Describe
the decision process for impulse purchases at the retail level. Would
they be classified as high- or low-involvement purchases?
- How do you think the manufacturers of products sold through infomercials reduce postpurchase dissonance?
-
Explain the relationship between extensive, limited, and routine
decision making relative to high- and low-involvement decisions.
Identify examples of extensive, limited, and routine decision making
based on your personal consumption behavior.
- Why is understanding
consumer behavior so important for companies? Think of examples where
you do not think companies understood their consumers.