One of my favorite speaker brands, iHome, was selling a speaker for $78.15 on sale. However, when I clicked the customer review, there were multiple reviews about the downside aspects of the speaker such as defected base and frequent breakdown. So, despite of my affection of iHome speakers, I continued searching for different speakers. There was an Altec speaker selling for only $49.99 on sale. It had very helpful reviews: A great sound with no distortion for an example.
Last Tuesday, we have learned about consumer decision making process. The five stages of consumer decision making process are problem recognition, information search, and evaluation of alternatives, product choice, and outcome. I have applied my recent purchase to the decision making process. I was wondering how I could improve the party atmosphere, and decided to get a speaker for my iPod. Then I have searched Amazon for the optimal deal through reading various consumer reports. During the information search process, I have also looked at the evaluation of alternative. Although I am a Sony speakers fan, Altec had much lower price than Sony and better reviews.
I am very satisfied with my choice. The only downside of having this speaker is that more and more friends are coming with their own iPod to play their music.
Fraser Song
Wake Forest University 2012
Schools of Business - BEM (marketing)
songi8@wfu.edu
Although it’s not Amazon, I have been recently captivated by the consumer behavior my sister demonstrates with these new boutique-type shopping websites. Gilt and Hautelook, two of the most known boutique shopping websites, have a very interesting business model. Not sure how, but they manage to get loads and loads of high-end consumer products mostly for women (jewelry, clothes, shoes, accessories) with names like Prada and 7 Jeans, for example. The websites operate so that you have to sign-up to be an “exclusive” member to get the great deals, then they bombard you with daily emails notifying you of the discounts. This is what got me thinking. I realized that because of these emails, my sister basically ignored the first two stages in the decision making process; that is, she completely overlooked her problem recognition and information search. Because these emails (like the ones from Amazon) come with the pictures of all the sale items and events, my sister would find herself just clicking away, going from event to event even though she thought she had no intentions of buying. Then of course, she realizes that she MUST have some dress. It would be different if this was a onetime thing, but it’s become quite a (expensive) habit. Because it’s so easy for her to browse the high-fashion clothes she likes, and because the websites will incessantly remind you if you don’t visit, my sister dives right into product evaluation and choice with no real thought.
ReplyDelete-Patrick Szawara