Assignment

The Consumer Decision Process will be outlined, explored and exemplified. Based on the readings (from the course text, the area of resources marked "start here" and the Learning Resource list), complete the questions below. Utilize headings to organize your responses. Research outside sources, cite within your text answer and then fully cite the source at the bottom of your response.

TOPIC 1:

Let's explore what the Consumer Decision Process is by examining a recent purchase that you have made. This should be a purchase that involved (in some detail) each of the five stages. This means it's a past purchase (because you need to reflect on the last stage; Postpurchase). Organize this part of your post using these specific headings:

a) Problem Recognition

b) Information Search

c) Alternative Evaluation

d) Purchase

e) Postpurchase

Within each heading take us through this single purchase experience. USE CONCEPTS from the readings (placing the concepts in bold), to describe some of your observations. Here are some required concepts that should be used for each of the above:

Problem Recognition: What is the desired state? What is the actual state? (use brands to describe these states). Identify the major motive/need that is underlying this purchase.

Information Search: Did you conduct Internal Search? External Search? or both? Identify and give examples of the type of search to support.

Alternative Evaluation: What evaluative criteria for the purchase did you identify? Was there a difference between Salient and Determinant attributes? What brands existed in your evoked set?

Purchase: In the readings there were considerations and influences for the purchase stage. Identify the ones that influenced your choice of how to buy the product.

Postpurchase: Are you satisfied? Ideally, the actual state and desired state put forth in Problem Recognition should come together (hope becomes reality). In other words, did this purchase solve all your needs AND did the product/brand live up to it's promises. Last, did you suffer any Cognitive Dissonance (Buyer's Remorse)?

TOPIC 2: Identify the LEVEL of Involvement from the purchase explored above. Explain (in detail) why you advocate that specific level.

TOPIC 3: Identify the Problem Solving Method. Was it Extended, Limited or Routine (support and explain why)?

TOPIC 4: Identify a purchase that you decided NOT to go through with (see the concept "No Consumer Action" in the reading). What are the reasons (see the concepts)?

Be sure to organize your post using the letters above that correspond to each question. Use paragraph form to respond. Do not repeat a brand/product category that has been previously used in a peer posting. Better responses include citations (end/foot notes) from the readings. Outside research is strongly encouraged just be sure to cite within the text response and provide the whole citation entry at the bottom of the post.