Assignment 5
- Why is it difficult to place a product in a consumer’s evoked set after it has already been rejected? What strategies might a marketer use in an attempt to accomplish this goal?
It may be difficult to place a product in a consumer’s evoked set after it has already been rejected because of the following reasons:
- Consumer decision making process consists of the steps 1) problem recognition; 2) information search; 3) evaluation of alternatives; 4) product choice; and 5) post purchase evaluation . Habitual decision making involves the consumer problem solving in which the consumer has already set evaluation criteria and identified available options .
- Factors affecting the consumer decision making process include perception, consumer learning, consumer attitudes, culture, physical environment, reference groups, social groups and motivation . Therefore, under the influence of these mentioned factors, consumers may choose not to buy a rejected product.
Figure 1. Perception and the uses of senses
- Prior customer knowledge about the product may reduce the chances of product search by the consumer . The consumer is less likely to search for a product he has already rejected.
- There is a perceived risk always associated with the purchase of the product which is a belief that the product purchased may have negative consequences . When a consumer has prior knowledge that the product has been rejected, the consumer is likely to develop a perceived risk associated with the product in the mind of the consumer.
Figure 2. Five Types of Perceived Risk
- The availability of the product alternatives provides options for the consumer to choose from the various choices rather than the rejected product.
- Consumers are evoked to shop for products on the basis of certain consumer market beliefs . Therefore, it becomes difficult to convince the consumers to buy a rejected product which may be against consumer’s market beliefs. Consumers may be willing to buy products on the basis of their brand preferences, stores, product pricing, discounts and product packaging.
Figure 3. Consumer Market Beliefs
Various strategies which may be used by the marketer to evoke an interest for a rejected product in the consumer’s mind set:
- Product Positioning Strategies include the power of the marketer to convince the consumer to buy the product . The various product positioning strategies to position the products in the mind of the consumers.
- Delivering consumer value: The marketers can inform consumers about the perceived benefits of using the products which shall add to consumer value . Customer value may be in the form of form utility, place utility, time utility and possession utility .
- Product Quality Perception: The consumer perception of the product quality has a great impact on the consumer buying decisions and therefore marketing efforts needs to be directed to improve the product quality.
- Marketing mix strategies which involve the marketing mix elements of Product, Place, Promotion, Price, People, Process and Physical Evidence.
- Marketing exposure: Marketers need to ensure that consumers are exposed to their marketing activities
- Discuss two different non-compensatory decision rules, and highlight the difference(s) between them.
Conjunctive Decision Rule: According to this rule, the consumer sets a minimum mental cutoff point for various features and rejects any product which fails to meet or exceeds this cutoff point across all features .
Disjunctive Rule: According to this rule, the consumer sets a minimum mental cut off for various features which is similar to the conjunctive decision rule . However, according to the disjunctive decision rule, the cutoff point is usually high. The product which meets or exceeds this cut off on any feature is selected in contrast to the conjunctive decision rule where any product which fails to meet or exceeds the minimum cutoff point across all features is rejected .
References
Babin, B. J., & Harris, E. (2010). CB2. OH: Cengage Learning.
Dhar, R. (1996). The Effect of Decision Strategy on Deciding to Defer Choice . Journal of Behavioral Decision Making, 265-281.
Evans, Jamal, & Foxall. (2007). Consumer behaviour. England: John Wiley & Sons.
Perner, L. (2008). INTRODUCTION TO MARKETING. Retrieved from USC: http://www.consumerpsychologist.com/intro.htm
Solomon. (2009). Consumer Behavior : In Fashion. Asia: Pearson Education.
