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Chapter 1

Consumers Rule

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR, 9eMichael R. Solomon

Dr. Rika HoustonCSU-Los AngelesMKT 342: Consumer Behavior

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What is Consumer Behavior?

• The study of the processes involved when individuals or groups select, purchase, use, or dispose of products, services, ideas, or experiences to satisfy needs and desires

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The Meaning of Consumption

• Consumers often buy products not for what they do, but for what they mean

• Consumers can develop relationships with brands:

Self-Concept Attachment Nostalgic Attachment

Interdependence Love

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Figure 1.1

Stages in the Consumption Process

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Actors in Consumer Behavior

• Individuals

• Groups

• Organizations

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Consumers’ Impact on Marketing

Understanding consumer behavior is critical for developing effective marketing strategy

• To satisfy consumers’ needs

• To help define the market

• To identify threats/opportunities to a brand

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How do marketers understand consumer behavior?

• Market segmentation

• Lifestyle analysis

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Marketers Influence Consumer Preferences

• Music

• Movies

• Sports

• Books

• Celebrities

• Entertainment

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Consumers Also Influence Marketers

• Virtual brand communities provide consumer-generated content

• Blogs

• Pictures

• Video Blogs

• Ads

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Global Consumer Culture

• Unites people around the world with a common devotion:

• Brand name products• Movie stars• Celebrities• Leisure activities

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Public Policy & Consumer Advocacy

Concern for the welfare of consumers

Department of Agriculture Federal Trade Commission

Food and Drug Administration

Securities and Exchange Commission

Environmental Protection Agency

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Consumer Activism

• Culture jamming

• a strategy to disrupt efforts by the corporate world to dominate our cultural landscape.

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The “Dark Side” of Consumption

Consumer terrorism

Addictive consumption

Compulsive consumption

Consumed consumers

Illegal activities

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Experimental PsychClinical Psychology

Developmental PsychHuman EcologyMicroeconomics

Social PsychologySociology

MacroeconomicsSemiotics/Literary Criticism

DemographyHistory

Cultural Anthropology

Figure 1.2

Disciplines in Consumer ResearchMICRO CONSUMER BEHAVIOR

(INDIVIDUAL FOCUS)

MACRO CONSUMERBEHAVIOR

(SOCIAL FOCUS)

Consumer behaviorinvolves many different

disciplines

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Table 1.3

Positivist versus Interpretivist Approaches

Assumptions Positivist Approach Interpretivist Approach

Nature of reality

Objective, tangibleSingle

Socially constructedMultiple

Goal Prediction Understanding

Knowledge generated

Time freeContext-independent

Time-boundContest dependent

View of causality

Existence of real causes Multiple, simultaneous shaping events

Research relationship

Separation between researcher and subject

Interactive, cooperative with researcher being part of phenomenon under study

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Figure 1.3

Wheel of Consumer Behavior

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MKT 342: Consumer BehaviorKey Concepts: Chapter 1

• What is consumer behavior?• Meaning of consumption• Stages of consumer behavior process• Actors in consumer behavior• Consumer impact on marketing• Consumer segmentation• Consumer lifestyle analysis• How marketers influence consumers• How consumers influence marketers• Global consumer culture• Public policy and consumer advocacy• Consumer activism• The dark side of consumption• Disciplines in consumer research• Positivist vs. interpretivist approaches to consumer research• Wheel of consumer behavior