BUS630: Consumer Behavior

2a. Identify why it is important for marketers to understand how consumers learn about products and services

• Why is it important to ascertain how a consumer learns about a product?
• Ideally, how would a consumer learn about a product?
• Why is understanding the consumer learning process important?

Consumers may discover information about a product in various ways, including friends, social media, TV, conversations at work, etc. Then, once a consumer is interested enough to conduct their own research, they may decide whether to purchase the product for themselves. This research may come from product reviews, watching videos about the product, or conducting an online search. As a marketer, you may be able to guide how a consumer learns about a product by creating videos, blogs, or even written instructions about the product or service being offered.

This information is important for a marketer to understand because it may be used to market the product or provide additional information to help consumers decide to buy it. The consumer learning process has two consumer involvement levels: high and low involvement. Consumer involvement may be high for more expensive products, while a less expensive product may take less time or involvement to understand how the product works.

For example, if you consider buying a new home, you may spend months or even years researching possible homes in the area, what they sell for, what types of financing are available, what you can afford, etc. This would be considered high involvement on the part of the consumer because they spend less time and effort understanding or researching the process.

On the other hand, if you are hungry and want to go to dinner, you will most likely decide where to go with little or no effort. This would be considered a low involvement on the part of the consumer because the cost is lower, and if you choose poorly, there is very little effort lost.

To review, see Involvement Levels.

 

2b. Explain that learned associations can generalize to other insights and why this is important to marketers

• Why is it important to understand what learned associations consumers might make about a product?
• What are learned associations as applied to marketing?
• How can you use learned association information in marketing products to consumers?

Learned associations in marketing are useful when advertising a product. For example, suppose a consumer watches a commercial of an attractive woman drinking a soda. In that case, the association is that they may also look that way if they drink that product. These associations help consumers see themselves using the product or relate to how that product might make them look or feel better.

By associating with a brand, a consumer may be more likely to return to that company to continue buying other products, resulting in brand loyalty. When a marketer develops great or creative advertising around a product or brand, the consumer may feel a positive association that makes them want to buy that product. The more likely others want to buy that product or associate with that brand, the more popular it becomes.

We may also have poor associations with a product, which could change our perception. Perhaps when we were young, we ate cereal for breakfast, lunch, and dinner most days and quickly grew tired of it. This may result in never wanting to eat cereal and have developed a negative association with cereal. Seeing commercials with cereal will not change that negative association.

Cognitive learning theory occurs when internal and external factors assist with the learning process. In marketing, this may occur when we use a product that works; later, we remember the product and buy it again. In essence, we have learned through the consumer behavior process.

To review, see Behavioral and Cognitive Learning Theories.

 

2c. Compare the differences between classical and instrumental conditioning

• Why is it important to understand the difference between instrumental and classical conditioning?
• What is an example of instrumental conditioning?
• What are the two types of learning theories?

Whether we like it or not, we have all been conditioned or shaped somehow. It may have been through our parents, friends, education, or popular advertising. We see or hear something, and it may have the ability to take us back to a specific memory, or we may immediately respond in the way we have been conditioned. Behavioral learning theory occurs when we learn through experience and associate a stimulus with a reward or punishment.

Classical conditioning may elicit a behavioral response. An example may be that we are not hungry but salivate when we smell something baking. Our bodies have been conditioned to respond in a certain way. For example, we may be more likely to enjoy watching a commercial with our favorite song playing in the background.

Instrumental conditioning may occur when, in the past, we received positive or negative feedback and our brain associates that situation with good or bad. For example, if we receive positive feedback or an award for a job well done, our brain may understand that the behavior is good, and in the future, we associate this with a good thing. While instrumental conditioning may occur because we have learned the response, classical conditioning may occur with an auto-response or because of our reaction to a past situation.

To review, see Behavioral and Cognitive Learning Theories and Memory and Retrieval.

2d. Explain why it's important for marketers to recognize that products can satisfy a range of consumer needs

• Can you think of an example of a product that satisfies more than one need?
• Once you understand consumer needs, how can you apply them to advertising?
• How does a product give satisfaction to consumers?

Remember that one toy you had as a child that you loved and never wanted to part with? It brought you the kind of satisfaction you have rarely experienced. That toy satisfied your needs that you didn't even know you had. And even now, you look back fondly on those days spent playing with that toy.

As an adult, you know your consumer needs but sometimes have difficulty articulating them until one day, when you see a product advertised on social media and connect with it in a way you may not understand. It may be a product that you can see yourself using in several ways. It becomes that product you need to buy, and when you get it, you happily use it every day and tell ten people about it because it makes you that happy. This is an end-user example of great advertising. The marketers connected with you in a way you still may not understand.

Many products will solve more than one problem, and when we find something that solves several of our needs, we may become very excited about that product. For example, a laptop computer may help us to work, play games, store photos and music, or create artwork. We become more excited about using a product that we can use with such diversity.

To review, see Motivational Theories and Models and Why Human Consumption Never Ceases.

 

2e. Evaluate how the way we assess and choose a product depends upon our degree of involvement with the product, the marketing message, and/or the purchase situation

• Why is it important to think about how a consumer chooses a product?
• Why does the degree of involvement matter when choosing a product?
• What is a marketing message, and how might that influence a buyer?

We have so many product choices today that it can be overwhelming. Choosing a product can take some time. We may analyze the product, ask others about what they use, read product reviews, or just choose one because we don't have the time to conduct a proper search. When it comes to marketing, we want to make the process easier on the consumer and provide a level of learning and understanding that makes their involvement easier to understand.

Consumer purchasing decisions may use one of two levels of involvement in choosing a product: high or low. If we plan to purchase a car or a more expensive product, the degree of involvement in researching or learning about the product may be high. In contrast, a less expensive product may take less time or involvement in the research about the product.

Another thing to consider is limiting the number of choices or purchasing decisions a consumer needs to make. Sometimes, the decision-making process can be overwhelming when a consumer wants to purchase a product. By giving too many options, studies have shown that consumers may decide not to make a purchase because they cannot easily decide. The marketing message occurs when a brand communicates the values of a product to the consumer. Limiting the options or decisions in the marketing message may increase the likelihood that the consumer will buy the product.

To review, see:

• Involvement Levels
• McGuire's Psychological Motives
• Buying Behavior Influences

 

Unit 2 Vocabulary

This vocabulary list includes terms you will need to know to successfully complete the final exam.

• behavioral learning theory
• classical conditioning
• cognitive learning theory
• consumer involvement
• consumer learning process
• consumer needs
• instrumental conditioning
• learned association
• marketing message
• purchasing decisions