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|CHAPTER 5 Consumer Markets and Buyer Behavior 189

evaluation of alternatives, purchase decision, and postpurchase OBJECTIVE 4 Describe the adoption and diffusion
behavior. The marketer’s job is to understand the buyer’s behav- process for new products. (pp 186–188)
ior at each stage and the influences that are operating. During
need recognition, the consumer recognizes a problem or need The product adoption process is made up of five stages: aware-
that could be satisfied by a product or service in the market. Once ness, interest, evaluation, trial, and adoption. New-product mar-
the need is recognized, the consumer is aroused to seek more keters must think about how to help consumers move through
information and moves into the information search stage. With these stages. With regard to the diffusion process for new
information in hand, the consumer proceeds to alternative evalu- products, consumers respond at different rates, depending on
ation, during which the information is used to evaluate brands consumer and product characteristics. Consumers may be in-
in the choice set. From there, the consumer makes a purchase novators, early adopters, early mainstream, late mainstream, or
decision and actually buys the product. In the final stage of the lagging adopters. Each group may require different marketing
buyer decision process, postpurchase behavior, the consumer approaches. Marketers often try to bring their new products to
takes action based on satisfaction or dissatisfaction. the attention of potential early adopters, especially those who are
opinion leaders. Finally, several characteristics influence the rate
of adoption: relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, divis-
ibility, and communicability.

MyMarketingLab

Go to mymktlab.com to complete the problems marked with this icon .

Key Terms Lifestyle (p 176) Variety-seeking buying behavior (p 183)
Personality (p 177) Need recognition (p 184)
OBJECTIVE 1 Motive (drive) (p 177) Information search (p 184)
Perception (p 180) Alternative evaluation (p 184)
Consumer buyer behavior (p 166) Learning (p 181) Purchase decision (p 185)
Consumer market (p 166) Belief (p 181) Postpurchase behavior (p 185)
Attitude (p 181) Cognitive dissonance (p 185)
OBJECTIVE 2
OBJECTIVE 3 OBJECTIVE 4
Culture (p 168)
Subculture (p 168) Complex buying behavior (p 182) New product (p 186)
Cross-cultural marketing (p 170) Dissonance-reducing buying behavior Adoption process (p 186)
Social class (p 170)
Group (p 171) (p 182)
Word-of-mouth influence (p 171) Habitual buying behavior (p 182)
Opinion leader (p 171)
Online social networks (p 172)

DISCUSSION AND CRITICAL THINKING

Discussion Questions 5-3 Describe the diffusion process for new products. How
are consumers categorized in relation to this measure?
5-1 What is subculture? Describe at least two subcultures to (AACSB: Communication)
which you belong and identify any reference groups that
might influence your consumption behavior. (AACSB: 5-4 What characteristics of a new product affect its rate of
Communication; Diversity; Reflective Thinking) adoption? How will each factor influence the rate of adop-
tion of electric automobiles? (AACSB: Communication;
5-2 Why are marketers interested in social factors such as the Reflective Thinking)
consumer’s social roles and status, and what dimensions
do they use to measure them? Describe your social factors
along those dimensions and identify consumption-related
activities based on your social factors. (AACSB: Communi-
cation; Reflective Thinking)