Consumer Behavior Chapter 13

What is a ritual situation? Why are they important?

A ritual situation can be described as a socially defined occasion that triggers a set of interrelated behaviors that occur in a structured format, that have symbolic meaning. Ritual situations can range from completely private to completely public. They are of major importance to marketers because they often involve prescribed consumption behaviors. Every major American holiday (ritual situation) has consumption rituals associated with it. Even such religious holidays as Easter involve meals and clothing purchases.

What is meant by the term situation? Why is it important for a marketing manager to understand situational influences on purchasing behavior?

A situation is a set of factors outside of and removed from the individual consumer, as well as removed from the characteristics or attributes of the stimulus object that the consumer is taking action on. Managers must look for situational influences because those influences can have impacts on consumers that may negate or work against marketing strategies.

How does crowding affect shopping behavior?

As more people enter a store and/or as more of the space of the store is filled with merchandise, an increasing percentage of the shoppers will experience a feeling of being crowded, confined, or claustrophobic. Most consumers find these feelings to be unpleasant and will take steps to change them. The primary means of doing this is to spend less time in the store by buying less, making faster decisions, and using less of the available information. This, in turn, tends to produce less satisfactory purchases, an unpleasant shopping trip, and a reduced likelihood of returning to the store.

What is a servicescape?

Atmosphere is referred to as servicescape when describing a service business such as a hospital, bank, or restaurant.

What is atmospherics?

Atmospherics is the process managers use to manipulate the physical retail environment to create specific mood responses in shoppers.

Why do people give gifts?

Consumers give gifts for many reasons. Social expectations and ritualized consumption situations such as birthdays often "require" gift giving independent of the giver's actual desires. Gifts are also given to elicit return favors either in the form of gifts or actions. And, of course, gifts are also given as an expression of love and caring

Describe a process for developing a situation-based marketing strategy.

Individuals do not encounter situations randomly. Instead, most people "create" many of the situations they face. This allows marketers to consider advertising and segmentation strategies based on the situations that individuals selecting given lifestyles are likely to encounter. After determining the influence of different situations on purchase behavior for a product category, a marketer must determine which products or brands are most likely to be purchased when that situation arises. Then an appropriate positioning strategy can be developed. Table 13 - 2 illustrates the first part of this methodology for suntan lotion. Lecture Tip 1 provides a guideline for doing this in class.

What is a mood? How does it differ from an emotion? How do moods influence consumption behavior?

Moods are transient feeling states that are generally not tied to a specific event or object. They are less intense than emotions. Moods may affect all aspects of a person's behavior; however, they generally do not completely interrupt ongoing behavior as an emotion might.

How do moods differ from momentary conditions?

Moods are transient feeling states that are generally not tied to a specific event or object. They tend to be less intense than emotions and may operate without the individual's awareness. While moods may affect all aspects of a person's behavior, they generally do not completely interrupt ongoing behavior as an emotion might. Whereas moods reflect states of mind, momentary conditions reflect temporary states of being such as being tired, being ill, having a great deal of money, being broke, and so forth.

Are individuals randomly exposed to situational influences? Why?

No. Most people create the situations they face. In other words, consumers normally choose to engage in certain activities and therefore expose themselves to the situation.

What is meant by the statement, "Situational variables may interact with product or personal characteristics"?

Normally, no one variable will be totally responsible for behavior. Some combination of two or all three variables will usually be present. For example, the personal characteristic of urban or rural background may interact with the social surrounding situation of crowding (or the perception thereof) to influence behavior.

What are social surroundings (as a situational variable)? Give an example of how they can influence the consumption process.

Social surroundings deal with the other people present that could have an impact on the individual consumer's behavior. Shopping with one's parents will often produce different behaviors and purchases than shopping with one's friends.

What are physical surroundings (as a situational variable)? Give an example of how they can influence the consumption process.

Surroundings are those apparent, physical (real) aspects of any situation such as sound, light, configurations of merchandise, etc. The decor of a restaurant affects (or can affect) consumers and influences their purchase (choice) and consumption.

What is task definition (as a situational variable)? Give an example of how it can influence the consumption process.

Task definition is the purpose or reason for engaging in the consumption behavior. Buying a product for self-use versus as a gift has a substantial effect on the amount of shopping done and the features considered.

What is temporal perspective (as a situational variable)? Give an example of how it can influence the consumption process.

Temporal perspectives deal with the effect of time on consumer behavior. For example, the length of time available for a grocery shopping trip will have an effect on the amount of purchasing one does, as well as on the store one selects.

Consumers give gifts for many reasons. Social expectations and ritualized consumption situations such as birthdays often "require" gift giving independent of the giver's actual desires. Gifts are also given to elicit return favors either in the form of gifts or actions. And, of course, gifts are also given as an expression of love and caring

The nature of a gift can signify the type of relationship the giver has or desires with the receiver. A gift of stationery implies a very different desired relationship between two individuals than does a gift of cologne.

What is store atmosphere?

The sum of all the physical features of a retail environment is referred to as the store atmosphere or environment.

What are antecedent conditions (as a situational variable)? Give an example of how they can influence the consumption process

These are features of the individual person that are not lasting characteristics. They are momentary moods or conditions. Being angry or upset, for example, might well influence reaction to a sales presentation and, therefore, affect buying behavior.

How do people manage their moods?

We often seek situations, activities, or objects that will alleviate negative moods or enhance positive ones. Products and services are on means consumers use to manage their mood states. Thus a person feeling sad or "down" might view a situation comedy on television, go to a cheerful movie, eat at an upbeat restaurant, or purchase a new compact disk, shirt, or other fun product.