Page 190 - DMGT506_CONSUMER_BEHAVIOUR

Unit 13: Consumer Decision-making Process

13.4 Summary Notes

Buying decisions and consumption of products or services always take place in the context
of some specific situation. It is extremely important for marketers to understand how
situations and internal as well as external influences affect the purchase decision process.
Depending on various factors, including the level of consumer involvement, time pressure,
and the mood etc., consumer decision making generally falls under one of the three major
decision approaches; nominal decision making, limited decision making, and extended
decision making.
Nominal decision making occurs when the products are low cost, frequently purchased,
familiar brands/products, of low-involvement category, and little thought or search time
is given to purchase.
Limited decision making is usually straightforward and simple. It involves input from
long-term memory and limited search, few alternatives and attributes are considered, and
there is little or no post-purchase evaluation.
Extended decision making occurs when the product is expensive, risky, ego intensive, is
purchased infrequently, consumer involvement is high, consumer considers much
information from internal and external sources, post purchase evaluation is more likely
to be complex and dissonance causing.
Nominal decision making and extended decision making are two ends of a continuum. In
between there might be various shades of consumer involvement depending on the product
category, nature of purchase situation, and personal factors.

13.5 Keywords

Awareness Set: Contains evoked set, inept set and inert set
Evoked Set: Contains brands that consumer will evaluate

Inept Set: Contains those brands which consumers find unworthy of consideration
Inert Set: Contains those brands which consumers are aware of, but won't consider
Limited Decisions: Simple decisions involving internal search and a little external search
Nominal Decisions: Routine and habitual purchase decisions

13.6 Self Assessment

Fill in the Blanks
1. Ads of men's creams show that men also need to be fair, can be a source of .......................
and may lead to purchase of the cream.
2. You have fever and you need some medicine. You decide to buy the same medicine that
you bought the last time you had fever. This may be termed as ....................... decision
making.
3. You are facing dandruff problems and ask a friend to advise you on which brand's shampoo
to buy. This may be termed as ....................... decision making.
4. You want to buy new shoes and you select a few brands from which you will choose. These
options represent your .......................

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