1 O.D.M Computer & Mgt.

Education

Consumer Behaviour
unit -1
Q.1:- Explain the meaning of Consumer Behavior. Why should a marketer study the hierarchy
of needs model under this are of marketing?
Ans:- Consumer behavior:-
A Consumer is an individual of a set of individuals who have an actual or potential interest in
the purchase of usage of any Product. Idea or a Service. The study of the behavioral aspects of a
consumer:-
Purchase –intention
Purchase- decision
Product usage
Product disposition is called Consumer Behavior.
Thus consumer behavior is the study of the processes involved when individuals or groups select
purchase, use or dispose off products to satisfy their needs of wants.
Earlier the emphasis was on Buyer Behavior. This means on attempt was made to study the
behavior of an individual at the time of purchase of a product, service, idea, and experience etc.
however it has been realized that consumer behavior is an on-going decision is important, but also
the using & disposing off the product gives a lot of insight into a customer’s future purchases.

The marketer is interested in understanding the entire consumption process:-

How does a customer decide which product to purchase?
Before From which sources does he collects information about a product and
Purchasing its alternative Brands?

How does a customer acquire a product?

During What all situational factors affect his choice?
Purchasing What does the purchase say about the consumer?

Is the consumer satisfied with the product?

Post Purchasing Will he buy/recommend the brand again?
Behavior How does he uses a product?
How does he dispose off the product?
What are the environmental consequences of disposing?
Thus the concept of consumer behavior entails all above mentioned stages and the issues involved
in all the stages. The study involves the in-depth analysis of what a customer buys why he buys,
what influences his choice and how does a customer disposes off a product? This study discusses
the psychological, economic, social and demographic aspects of a customer, which is turn affects
the environmental variables.

Inter disciplinary approach to consumer behaviour

The study of consumer behavior is interdisciplinary in nature. Various subjects have

contributed to the development of this subject. Psychology- as a field of study of an individual;
Sociology as a filed of study of an individual in a society; Anthropology as a field of study of
various cultures; History as a field of study of various past experiences of a consumer etc.

Economics Psychology

Sociology
Interdisciplinary
approach to C.B
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Demography Anthropology

History

Roles of a consumer: - A marketer studies the various roles a consumer play in the decision
making process:-

Influencer (who influence the

purchase decision)

Role User (Who uses a product)

Purchase

(who actually purchase a product in may circumstances, user or purchaser may be the same. For
eg. When a doctor purchases a B.P. Apparatus for himself, he is a purchaser as well as a user.
The two may be different, when an individual gives the Apparatus as a gift to a friend who is
a medical student.
Influencer is the person providing information or recommendations for or against a particular
Product or Brand without actually buying or using the same e.g. the shop owner may guide the
purchaser on which brand of apparatus to buy. Before taking a decision on which product, which
brand , from where, in what quantity & at what price to buy a product, a consumer goes through a
number of steps:-

Stage- I
Marketer Family
STAGES
FriendsIN CONSUMER DECISION-MAKING This
Reference PROCESS
is a stage from being ignorant about a
product. The customer becomes aware of the
Awareness 4P’s of an offering.
Stage-II
Marketing efforts At this stage the marketer aims at building the
interest of a customer in a Brand. The
customer seeks more information and
Interest becomes receptive to marketing efforts.

Stage-III The marketer lures the customer to an event

Choice of a brand where he gets keenly involved in the product &
Choice of store desires to obtain the same. He identifies &
Choice of time of purchase evaluates the various alternatives available for
Choice of quantity. a specific product.

Stage- IV This is stage when the customer purchase and

owns a Brand of his choice.
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Desire

Action

Thus above mentioned are the stages through which a consumer goes through before deciding
upon which product to buy. The duration and the sequence of stages may differ from consumer to
consumer and from products to product.
The study of the above mentioned process of consumer behaviour helps the marketer in choosing a
right appeal to influence a customer.
HIERARCHY-OF NEEDS:-
The study of consumer behaviour entails the hierarchy of needs as discussed by A.H.
Maslow. This model of need divides the needs of an individual in various levels. Depending upon
which level of need is more dominating at a given point of time, the marketer can design the
promotional campaign accordingly.

a) Physiological Needs:-
The physiological needs are the first and the most basic level of human needs. These needs
which are required to sustain biological life, include food, water, air, shelter, clothing, sex etc. the
marketers may appeal to the physiological needs of a customer by:-
Promoting physical health
Appealing to taste buds etc.

b) Safety & Security Needs:-

These are the second level of needs which arise in a customer and may be tapped by a
marketer. These needs are concerned with physical safety, order, stability, routine, familiarly and
control over ones life and environment. For example:-

Insurance policies
Savings accounts
Education &
Vocational training etc. are some products which generally use the appeals to the safety & security
needs of a cunsumer.

c) Social Needs
These are the needs for love, warmth, affection, belongingness and acceptance. People
seek warm and satisfying human relationships with other people and are motivated by love for their
families and friend.
Toothpaste, Deodorants etc.
Are some products, which appeal to the social need of the customer.
d) Logistic needs
Inward-Self acceptance
Self esteem Success
Independence
Logistic orientation
Outward-Prestige reputation
Status & recognitions
These needs presume the desire to show off one’s success and achievement through material
possessions eg. Car, Suiting & Shirting’s, Jewellary etc.
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]
e) Self-actualization Needs
This set of needs refers to an individual’s desire to fulfill his or her potential to become
everything he or she is capable of becoming. Many large companies use this level of needs to
appeal to a customer.
Suiting & shirting
Holiday Package
Residential place in a peaceful area etc.
Therefore a study of any of the above mentioned needs may help a marketer to customise
his offerings or appeals to suit the customer.
The concept of hierarchy of needs may also be used by a marketer for the purpose of
Segmentation, Positioning & designing Promotional programme.

a) Segmentation:-
Segmentation is the process of dividing the market into various categories. By identifying the
various level of needs the marketer can divide the market on the basis of needs for example for a
soap the needs may be hygiene, clearness, fairness, softness, moisturizer etc,
Segments

Total Marks

b) Positioning: - Positioning is the process of creating an image in the mind of the customer
about a brand. The need, which is aroused in a customer, may be used as a platform to position a
product.
For example, The need market for fairness was more in numbers & not being satisfied by any
marketer, HLL launched its ‘Fair & Lovely fairness soap’ which has been positioned as a soap to
cater to the need of fair skin. Following its success a number of brands have now positioned their
product in the same category.
Therefore, various types of needs if identified well in advance by a marketer may be useful in
designing its promotional strategies etc.

CONCLUSION:-
The field of study of consumer behaviour is very vast.
It includes the understanding of a customers personality, perception, motivation, attitudes & values.
The sequential decision-making of a consumer
The various levels of needs present in a consumer which affects his purchase decision etc.
All these area help the marketer in understanding the consumer better and serving him better by
customizing his offering accordingly.
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UNIT - 2
Q.2:- What do you mean by Diffusion of Innovations? Explain the process of diffusion of
innovation.
Ans: - DIFFUSION OF INNOVATION:-
An innovation is any product or service that is perceived to be new by consumers. An
innovation may be

Consumer Setting Industrial Setting

 5 O.D.M Computer & Mgt. Education
Product Product
Technology Technology
Service Service
If an innovations successful it spreads through the population. First it is bought or used by
only a few people, and then more and more consumers decide to adopt it. Most of the Innovations
are a failure. However, every marketer tries to make its innovation available to the maximum
number of people in a given market.
Diffusion of Innovations refers to the process whereby a new product, service, or idea spread
through population. The rate at which the product diffuses may vary on a number of factors.
The diffusion of innovation takes an entire sequence and resembles the decision-making
sequence where a person moves through the stage of

Awareness

Information Search

Evaluation

Trial

Adoption

Process of Diffusion of Innovations. Types of Adopters

34% Early 34% Late

Majority Majority

13.5% Early
innovators

2.5% 16% Laggards

innovators

Maturity
Introduction Growth Life Cycle Decline

The process of diffusion of innovation spreads in the market with one person adopting an innovation
and communicating it to the other people.
a) Innovators:-
Innovators are the first ones to try and adopt a new innovation. Though only 25% of the
populations are innovators, marketers are always interested in identifying them. They are people
 6 O.D.M Computer & Mgt. Education
who are on the lookout for novel development and aer the first ones to try a new offering. They are
the ones who spread innovation through word of mouth to others.
B) EARLY ADOPTERS:-
Early adopters share many of the same characteristics as innovators but an important
difference is their degree of concern for social acceptance, especially with regard to expensive
products.
An early adopter is receptive ot new styles because he or she is involved in the product
category and also places high value on being in fashion. They are not first ones to adopt an
innovation, but are relatively early one to adopt the same.
c) Early majority
There are 34% of the society who are early group as compared to most of the society. They
are a major group but who adopt a product only when it has been adopted by a substantial number
of people.
d) Late Majority
This is a majority of 34% but who are late to adopt a product. They represent the mainstream
public. They do not want to adopt new products due to several reasons. However thy do adopt the
product when it reaches its maturity.
e) Laggards:-
Constituting 16% of the population, they are the most conservative and traditional in their
outlook. They are the late group who adopt an innovation when it is no more an innovation. When
the product is on the declining stages, this group adopts the same.
Therefore, this is the sequence and the categories of people in a market who adopt an
Consumer Modification of an
innovation. existing product

Dynamically Continuous
Pronounced change in an Types of Discontinuous- major
existing product innovations changes in the way we live

For a successful adoption an Innovation should have

Compatibility
Traibility Complexity
Pre-
requisites

Observability Relative Advantage

Conclusion:-
Some Innovations like mobile phones etc. to diffuse itself took vary less time. It took Radio
30 years to reach 60 million users and TV 15 years to reach this number. In contrast, within 3 years
90 million were surfing the web. Today with the development of technology, innovations are diffused
at a faster rate, yet as in India, Rural India is not very quick to adopt the Innovations at the same
pace.
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UNIT - 3
Q.2:- Ans: Personality
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Personality may be defined as those inner characteristics which helps psychological in nature that
both determine and reflect how a person responds to his or her environment. Thus personality
comprises of inner characteristics, which are the specific qualities, attributes, traits, factors and
mannerisms that distinguish one individual from other individuals.
The concept of personality has the following:
Characteristics :-
Personality reflects individual differences
Personality is consistent and enduring
Certain circumstances may force personality in change.

These deeply engrained characteristics of an individual called personality traits, are very likely to
influence the product choice of an individual as well as the store choice.
It affect the way consumers respond to marketer’s promotional efforts.
The concept of personality is highly useful for marketers for the segmentation strategies.
Many marketers use the concept of personality for the purpose of Positioning of a product.
Freudian Theory
THEORIES OF PERSONALITIES

Neo- Freudian Theory Trait Theory

a) Freudian Theory:-
- Sigmund Freud
- Psychoanalytical theory
This theory was build on the premise that unconscious needs or drives, especially biological drives,
are at the heart of human motivation and personality.
Social code of conduct
Super Ego

Ego Individual’s conscious control

Id Basic Biological needs

Researchers believe that it is these basic, biological, unconscious needs of the customers,
which shape their personality and guide their product choice. Thus a consumer’s appearance and
possessions are the reflections of the individual’s personality.

Eg. The promotional campaign of Denim products also appeal to the hidden biological needs “Id”
though subtle sexual appeals.

b) Neo-Freudian Theory:-
Alfred Adler
Harry Stack
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This theory believes that social relationships are fundamental to the formation & development of
personality.
Acc. To Karen Horney- three personality groups are:-

Compliant individuals- Those who want to adjust themselves to the society at large.

Aggressive individuals- Those who move against people & stress the need for power, strength &
the ability to manipulate others.

Detached Individuals:- Those who are indifferent and want to stay away from the social norms.
Many marketers position their product in relation to how an individual relates himself to the
other people in the society. For example:- The advertisement campaign designed for Rexona
Deodorant targets the compliant personality.
e.g. Elle 18 colour cosmetics targets the aggressive personality.
c) Trait Theory:-
A trait is any distinguishing, relatively enduring way in which one individual differs from
others. The orientation of trait theory is primarily quantitative or empirical. It focuses on the
measurement of personality in terms of specific psychological characteristics called –traits.
Traits may be:-
Self confidence
Risk-taking
Consumer materialism
Ethnocentrisms etc.
Traits researchers have found that it is generally more realistic to expect personality to be linked to
how consumers make their choices. For example, a consumer with a high risk taking trait may be
more receptive to new innovations and new brand launches in the market.
A consumer with low ethnocentrisms is more likely to buy foreign-made products as against
buying their own country-of-origin made product.

Consumer Innovators
Need for Uniqueness

Traits

Optimum Stimulation level

Sensation Seeking
Variety novelty Seeking

Thus a marketer tries to identify specific traits in the target customers to be able to appeal to them.
The Personality of individuals is one of the most significant factor affecting the choice of the type of
product and the brand chosen.

CONCLUSION:-
It is very popularly believed that:-
What product or brands consumers purchase
When & how they consume the products or brands
From where they buy them
How they dispose off.
Is very likely to be influenced by the personality factors.
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For this reason, several advertising and marketing people have depicted and then
incorporated specific personality traits or characteristics in their marketing and advertising
programme.
For example the purchase of ‘Ray Ban’ sun glasses targets the studies of the individual as
one of the personality attribute to position its brands.
Thus the concept of Personality has a very wide application, in helping the marketers to build
a brand image of the product. The marketers try to build an image which may be consistent with the
personality of the target customers so that the customers are able to relate themselves to the brand
and therefore purchase the same.
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UNIT - 3
Q.4:- Is it possible to change Attitudes? How? (With reference to ELM)

Ans:- ATTITUDE:-
Attitude is a lasting, general evaluation of people, objects, advertisement or issues either
favourable or unfavourable, which is enduring.
An attitude performs the following functions:-
Utilitarian function
Value-expressive function
Ego-defensive function
Knowledge function
An attitude can serve more that one functions, but in many cases a particular one will be dominant.
By identifying the dominant function a product serves for consumers what benefits its provides-
marketers can emphasise these benefits in their communication and packaging.
As discussed, an attitude is a predisposition to evaluate an object or product positively or
negatively. Every marketer wants its target segment to have a positive attitude towards its brand of
offering. Though attitudes are enduring, every marketer attempts to change a negative attitude into
a positive one. One of the most important methods of converting a negative attitude into positive is
communication.

Sender Communication Medium Receiver

I The source:-
Source of a message is the person or authority promoting an offering. It is very
understandable that the same words uttered or written by different people can have very different
effects. Under most conditions the source of a message can have a big impact on the likelihood that
the message will be accepted. The source can be chosen because he or she is an expert,
attractive, famous or even a typical consumer who is both likeable & trustworthy.

Credibility: Source’s perceived expertise,

objectivity or trustworthiness.

Source

Attractiveness:- Source’s perceived social

value due to physical appearance,
personality, social status or his similarity to
receiver.
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II. The message
Characteristics of the message itself help to determine its impact on attitudes. These
variables include how the message is said as well as what it said. These include:-
The use of words & pictures
Repetition
Conclusion – Explicit or implicit
One-sided or two-sided argument
Comparative advertising.
Type of appeal:- Sexual/Fear/Humorous/ Emotional/Logical
Form of a story presentation Drama/Lecture.
Effects of Visual & Verbal components of Advertisements on Brand Attitudes.

Visual Component Attitude towards the

of Advertisement advertisement
Brand
Attitudes

Verbal Component Benefits about

of advertisement product Attribute

Thus we have reviewed the two major components of the communication model-the source and the
message. Depending upon the consumer’s level of involvement either of the two components will
be more influential in the process of attitude change.
Research indicates that this level of involvement determines which aspects- the Source
(endorser Celebrity) or the message shall be processed. This concept can be understood with the

ELABORATION LIKELIHOOD MODEL (ELM)

It assumes that once a consumer receives a message, he or she begins to process it.
Depending on the personal relevance of this information, the receiver will follow one of two routes to
persuasion.

Under conditions of high involvement, the consumer takes the central route to persuasion. Under
conditions of low involvement a peripheral is taken instead.
Behaviour

Change
Attitude
Change
Belief & Attitude

Behavioural
change
change

Peripheral Route

Belief change
Responses

Central Route
Cognitive

(Message)

Comprehensive

(Source)
Attention &
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High-Involvement

Low-Involvement
Processing

processing
Message
Communication

channel)
(Source,

Q.5:- “Do consumers form strong relationship with products and service?”
How can the marketer increase the customer’s level of involvement with a
product?
Ans:- CONSUMER INVOLVEMENT :-
A product or a service is a means to satisfy an individuals needs & desires. Very often these products
or services from an integral part of an individuals life. Therefore the statement that “Consumers form strong
relationships with products & services” is true.
However, the degree of involvement of a consumer with a product may not be the same for
all product types. Generally, an individual may be more involved in an expensive product but may
not be equally involved in a product which is just a rupee or two priced.
Consumer Involvement may be defined as a persons perceived relevance of the object
based on their inherent needs, values and interest. The object here refers to any product, which a
customer involvement refers to the degree of information processing or extent of importance that a
consumer attaches to a product.
For example:- if a customer wants to purchase a mid-segment Car, be has to spend an
approximate amount of Rs. Three lakhs. Thus for any individual spending such a big amount on
purchasing a product, be tends to get highly involved in the process of search for alternatives
evaluation of various alternatives & finally taking a decision. Therefore it is clear that most of the
times, when more expensive products are to be purchased the consumer gets more involved in the
purchase process.

Expensive product:- Higher Involvement

When a student is purchasing a book for preparing for a competitive examination, the book to
be purchased may not be as expensive as a car, yet the customer gets highly involved in the
process of evaluation of alternatives & making a final purchase decision.
This is because for the student the purchase decision may affect his career objectives & the
efficiency with which he achieves it.
Therefore, in such circumstances, the consumer involvement is high, as the relevance of the
product to be purchased is perceived to be very high.
A similar situation may occur when a medicine is being purchased, which may not be very
expensive, yet the consumer may be highly involved in checking that it shouldn’t react him.

Important products:- Higher involvement

Broadly, speaking consumer involvement may be considered as the motivation to process

the information related to the product. The level of involvement may be influenced by”-
 12 O.D.M Computer & Mgt. Education

Personal Factors Objects factors Situational Factors

Needs Differentiation Purchase
Importance of alternatives Use

Interest Source of communication Occasion

Values Content of Communication

Levels of involvement

The degree to which an individual is involved in the processing of information about any
product or a specific brand ranges from simple processing to elaboration.

I Level Low involvement

Inertia Habitual decisions
Lack of motivation to evaluate alternative e.g. Tea, Tooth brush, Washing powder, cigarettes. Etc.

II Level Simple processing Some involvement

Some evaluation of alternatives
Simple decision-making
E.g. skin creams, torch, snacks etc.

III Level Elaboration High involvement

Lengthy decision-making process
Evaluation of alternatives of various factors.
e.g. Cars, Diamond, Property etc.
Thus from low to high, the consumer may be involved in the process of purchase in varying
degrees. This involvement may be of any type:-
Product Involvement High Involvement if the Consumer is
highly interested in a given product
category.

High Involvement at the time of

High Involvement is the processing Types purchase if the product is being
of marketing communication e.g. Purchase purchased to impress someone or
looking for Advertisement Situation as a gift.
Involvement Involvement

The type of consumer may be cognitive or emotional

Based on the object to be purchased
Cognitive:- Expensive products, Highly differentiated products.
Emotional:- Less expensive products, gifts, low degree of differentiation.

The level of consumer involvement broadly speaking depends upon the following components.
 13 O.D.M Computer & Mgt. Education

Personal Interest in the

Probability of making a product
bad purchase. Perceived Importance

Pleasure value of the Status value of the

product product

Hence, any of the above mentioned characteristics may decide, how much will a consumer be
involved in the process of purchasing a product.
For a marketing manager, it is important to understand that what creates or affect the
involvement of a consumer in a product category. This is so, because if the marketers have
something different to offer to the consumer, he would influence the customers cognitive
involvement to get a sale.
Further, a marketing manager must also analysis the level to which the consumer is involved
in the product category, so that a communication strategy may be designed accordingly.
For products falling in low involvement category:
Attractive celebrity
Musical message
Emotional appeal
Humour etc. may be used
e.g. Kurkure, pepsi etc
High Involvement Category:
Logical Reasoning
Arguments & counter arguments
USP
e.g. Automobiles, Real Estate etc.
Although consumers differ in their level of involvement with respect to a product, marketers try to be
aware of those factors that increase or decrease attention. With this they can take steps to increase
the likelihood that product information will get through.
A consumer’s motivation to process relevant information can be enhanced fairly by the marketer
who uses any of the following techniques:-
An appeal to the consumer hedonic needs generally generate higher levels of attention e.g. Denim,
Tale, LML Motorcycles.
Use of new stimuli, tends to catch the attention of the audience e.g. Onida Television shows a ‘devil’
in the advertisement.
Highly popular or sought-after celebrities may be used as endorsers in a product advertisement e.g.
Amitabh Bachchan for Nerolac, Cadbury’s , Parker.
Customer Relationship Management techniques may be an individual to the company with an
ongoing relationship & in turn loyality.
Conclusion:-

From the above discussion, it is clear that generally people get attached to products. Though
not everyone is motivated to the same extent and in the same form.
But a marketing manager can study the level, type & form of a consumer’s involvement and
aim to increase the same with a view to improve the bond between the consumer and the product.
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UNIT - 4
Q.6:- Discuss the stages in Consumer Decision Making. Do all Consumers
pass through the same stage?

Ans:- CONSUMER DECISION- MAKING:-

Generally speaking, the decision of a consumer to purchase a product is a response to a
problem realized by him traditionally, consumer researches have approached decision-making from
a rational perspective. It was viewed that consumers pass through a series of stages to finally arrive
at a purchase decision. This implies that these steps in the decision-making process should be
carefully studied by marketing managers to understand how consumers obtain information, how
beliefs are formed and what product choice criteria are specified by consumers.

Before we discuss the stages involved in the consumer decision-making process, let us look at the
types of consumer decisions.

Routine Response Limited Problem Extensive Problem

Behaviour Solving Solving

Low cost products More Expensive products

Frequent purchasing Infrequent purchasing
Low involvement High Involvement
Familiar Products & Brand Unfamiliar products & Brands & their
Differences
Less time spent on purchasing Extensive time spent on purchasing.
Low risk High risk
Decision may be taken at the Multiple consultation prior to store visits.
Point of purchasing

Broadly speaking an elaborate process of decision-making is adopted in extensive problem solving

type of consumer decision.

STAGES IN CONSUMER DECISION-MAKING

Problem Recognition

Information Search

Evaluation of Alternatives

Product choice

Outcomes
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Stage I:- PROBLEM RECOGNITION:-

This is the first stage in the consumer decision-making and occurs whenever the consumer sees a difference
between his current state of affairs and some desired state.

Ideal

Ideal State Ideal

Actual State Actual

No Problem Opportunity Actual need

Recognition Recognition
Need Recognition can occur due to
Running out of a product
By buying a product that doesn’t satisfy the need
Creation of new needs.
By watching a friend use a product
By watching an advertisement
By discussions
By cognition
At the Problem Recognition stage, the consumer becomes aware of some lack of comfort in his life
due to the absence of some product in his possession.
Stage II:- Information search
Once a problem has been recognized consumer need adequate information to resolve it.
Information search is the process by which the consumer surveys his environment for appropriate
data to make a reasonable decision.
Types of Information search

Prepurchase Search On- going search

Search for information Search is done during
Before a purchase is made the process of purchase.
Aim to make a better Aim to gather
Purchase decision information just at the time of
Purchase.

Sources of Internal-prior experience, prior learning

Information External- Advertisements, friends, observation.

Deliberate search – Search for information actively.

Search for
Information
Accidental Search – Coming across information passively.
e.g. advertisement, packaging, sales promotion.

According to the Economics- of information approach to the search process, consumers gather only
as much data as needed to make an informed decision. Consumers form expectation of the value of
additional information & continue to search to the extent that the rewards of doing so exceed the
costs. This also implies that the most valuable units of information will be collected first. The amount
of external search for most roducts is generally very small, but is more for expensive products.
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However, consumers differ in the amount of search they tend to undertake. All things being
equal
Younger, better-educated to search people tend to collect more information.
Women are inclined to search than men.
Those who place greater value on style and image do more search
Search is more for products with high perceived risk.
Stage III:- Evaluation of alternatives
In this stage of information search, a consumer may come across various alternatives to
solve a problem. A consumer engaged in extended problem solving may be fully evaluate several
Brands, whereas someone making habitual decision may not consider any alternatives to their
normal brand.
All the alternatives may be categorized as under:-

All Alternatives All existing brands

Evoked set Aware Inert set Inept set

Considered
Aware but not Brand not aware
considered

Brands already
Retrieval Prominent
in memory
set products in retail
Environment

Generally the consumer evaluates the brand from his evoked set i.e. the brands about which a
consumer is aware and would like to take a decision to purchase.

Stage IV:- Selection among alternatives

Once the relevant options from a category have been assembled and evaluated, a choice
must be made among them. The decision rules guiding choice can range from very simple and
quick strategies to complicated process requiring much attention & cognitive processing.
There are various dimensions used to judge the alternatives which are called as evaluative
criteria. Evaluative criteria may be Functional attributes
Experiential attributes
Significant differences amongst brands
Emotional attributes etc.
Many a times, certain shortcuts may be used for selecting among alternatives, called, Heuristics.
For e.g.
Relying on a product Signal ISI/Agrmark/ISD
 17 O.D.M Computer & Mgt. Education
Country of origin,- Made in USA’
Choosing Familiar Brands
High price means high quality
Habitual purchase.

CONCLUSION:-
Thus, a decision of purchase is made using several short cuts. Consumers are faced the
need to make decision about products almost all the time. Some of these decisions are very
important & entail great effort and an elaborate decision-making process, as described above.
However, other habitual or routine decisions which are virtually automatically made , may not pass
through a detailed & time consuming process.
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Q.7:- (A) WHAT IS SUBLIMINAL PERCEPTION? IS IT EFFECTIVE?

ANS:- PERCETPION:-
Perception is the process by which the sensory organs of an individual selects, organizes &
interprets the stimuli from the environment. Perception is an intellectual process and is different
from sensation. Sensation refers to the immediate response of our sensory receptors ie. Eyes, ears,
nose, mouth etc. perception focuses on what we add to the raw sensations in order to give a
meaning to the stimuli.

Perceptual process
Sensory Stimuli Sensory Receptors

Sight Eyes
Sound Ears
Smell Nose Exposur Attention Interpretatio
Taste Mouth e n
Textures Skin
Subliminal Perception
Most marketers are concerned with creating messages about consumer’s thresholds so that
it ma get noticed by the audience. At the same time, there are advertisements whose messages
have been deliberately designed to be perceived below the conscious level.
The concept of subliminal perception is based on twin concepts of

Absolute Threshold Differential Threshold

Threshold refers to the lowest level of sensory reception at which a stimuli can be noticed by
an individual absolute threshold is the minimum amount of stimulation that can be detected on a
given sensory channel. e.g. There may be very creatively designed message on a banner on the
road. But if its font size is small enough to be visible, it is not noticed. Thus it is below the absolute
threshold.

Differential threshold

It refers to the ability of a sensory system to detect changes or differences between two
stimuli. The minimum difference that can be detected between two stimuli is known as the Just
Noticeable Difference.
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Many times if any marketer has made some negative changes in the product quality is
reduced product price is increased etc. he doesn’t want the customer to notice the same. Therefore
he keeps these changes below the just noticeable difference level.
In the other hand any positive changes made by a marketer, however small it may be is
preferred to be kept above the Just Noticeable Difference.
Thus the changes which a marketer wants to be observed by the customers are deliberately
made known to the audience by making them notice the same.
The concept of the threshold helps in the subliminal Perception. Another word for threshold is
‘limen’, stimuli that fall below the limen are termed subliminal. Subliminal perception occurs when
the stimulus is below the level of the consumers conscious or awareness.
The topic of subliminal perception has been debated for over 40 years. some believe that it is
not ethical to use it because by this you are exploiting the sub-conscious level of a consumer.
Research has shown that many consumers believe that subliminal advertising actually made them
buy things that they do not really want.
Subliminal advertising makes use of hidden messages and images which are not consciously
perceived. Subliminal messages can be sent on both visual and oral channels.

Subliminal Techniques

Visual Oral

EMBEDS:- These are tiny figures inserted into print advertisements, by use of high-speed
photography or airbrushing. These hidden figures, usually of a sexual nature, supposedly exert
strong but unconscious influence on innocent readers.

B) SOUND RECORDING: Generally used in self-help cassettes the audio message contains
sound of waves crashing or some other natural sound. These tapes are mean to help the listener
stop smoking, lose weight, gain confidence etc.
As on the debate on the use of the technique of subliminal perception, so does a debate
exist on the effectiveness of this technique? Some research on clinical psychologist suggests that
people can be influenced by subliminal messages under very specific conditions. However it is
doubtful that these techniques would be of much use in most marketing contexts.
Effective subliminal perceptions must be very specifically tailored to individuals, rather than
the mass messages required by advertising. Also these messages should be close to ‘liminal’
messages. For example in PVR multiplex cinema halls during intervals, a slide shows the message’
Mac Donal Burger Ndn Coke”. Though there is nothing written on the slide to the effect of
purchasing the same. Yet the audience may times are induced to buy the Burger& the Cold drink.
LML, when first introduced its motorcycles in India, used a subliminal perception message of
comparing the body of the motorcycles with a female body. There are consumer groups who
consider subliminal advertising as unethical and discourage marketers to use it.
At the same time there are many advertisers who have questioned the very usefulness of
these messages on the following issues.
The individuals differ widely on threshold levels. Some people have a low threshold as compared to
others. To target such people, the message has to be so weak that it would not reach those who
have a high threshold.
Advertisers lack control over consumers distance & position from a screen. In a big cinema hall,
only a small portion of the audience would be in exactly the right seats to be exposed to a
subliminal message.
At home people may not be watching the TV commercial with such a great attention that they may
catch a subliminal message.
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Conclusion:-
There is not much proof on the effectiveness of subliminal messages on the buying
behaviour of the audience. Further even if the desired effect is induced it operates at a very general
level. For example, a message for a specific drink. Because basic drives are affected, if affected at
all and it helps the competitors equally.