Deck 5: Understanding Consumer Behavior

Question 1

There are five stages in the consumer purchase decision process. The second stage is

A)information search.
B)purchase decision.
C)alternative evaluation.
D)opportunity identification.
E)problem recognition.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Consumer behavior refers to

A)the aspects of a consumer's decision making processes that cannot be measured.
B)the actions a person takes in purchasing and using products and services, including the mental and social processes that come before and after these actions.
C)the five stages a buyer passes through in making choices about which product and service to investigate, purchase, and consume.
D)the mental and social processes related to purchasing that are innate in a person from birth.
E)those purchasing behaviors that result from (1) repeated experience and (2) reasoning.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Which of the following statements about how women buy new cars today is most accurate?

A)Women have definite likes or dislikes when buying a new car, but they don't feel comfortable expressing their opinions.
B)Most women actually enjoy the price negotiation process.
C)The issue of "speed" is an important factor to men but not really important to women.
D)Women are more likely to make their new-car purchase selection as a result of information provided by a friend or a relative than from promotional information.
E)Women care more about exterior styles and lines and men are more concerned with cargo space and gas mileage.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

There are five stages in the consumer purchase decision process. The fourth stage is

A)information search.
B)purchase decision.
C)alternative evaluation.
D)option testing.
E)problem recognition.

Question 5

The actions a person takes in purchasing and using products and services, including the mental and social processes that come before and after these actions, are referred to as

A)purchase intentions.
B)market research.
C)consumer behavior.
D)consumer conduct.
E)purchase protocols.

Question 6

The fifth stage in the consumer purchase decision process involves comparing the product or service purchased by buyers with their expectations to determine whether they are satisfied or dissatisfied. What is this stage called?

A)postpurchase behavior
B)alternative evaluation
C)purchase decision
D)problem recognition
E)information search

Question 7

Enlightened carmakers have hired women designers, engineers, and marketing executives to better understand the way women decide to buy new cars. They have learned that

A)meeting the expectations of men during the new-car purchasing process is more difficult than meeting those of women.
B)men make the majority of new-car purchasing decisions.
C)women and men think differently about the new-car buying experience.
D)women care more about quality than men.
E)men care more about price than women.

Question 8

Women influence what percentage of new-car buying decisions?

A)15 percent
B)20 percent
C)40 percent
D)60 percent
E)80 percent

Question 9

The second stage in the consumer purchase decision process involves searching for information, which may include an internal search and/or an external search. What is this stage called?

A)postpurchase behavior
B)alternative evaluation
C)purchase decision
D)problem recognition
E)information search

Question 10

There are five stages in the consumer purchase decision process. The third stage is

A)information search.
B)purchase decision.
C)alternative evaluation.
D)opportunity testing.
E)problem recognition.

Question 11

There are five stages in the consumer purchase decision process. The fifth stage is

A)information search.
B)purchase decision.
C)alternative evaluation.
D)postpurchase behavior.
E)problem recognition.

Question 12

Many automobile dealerships employ a nonnegotiable or no-haggle price strategy to sell their cars. A customer who wants to buy a new or used car would pay the posted price. These dealers probably adopted this pricing policy because

A)the industry was discussing the abandonment of self-regulation practices.
B)women have an intense dislike of price negotiation, yet still want to buy a car.
C)many recent immigrants into the United States are not accustomed to negotiation.
D)women distrust men in general and car salesmen in particular.
E)a sluggish economy guarantees that negotiations would produce negative profit per vehicle.

Question 13

Women make what percentage of new-car buying decisions?

A)15 percent
B)30 percent
C)45 percent
D)60 percent
E)80 percent

Question 14

The initial stage in the consumer purchase decision process involves perceiving a difference between a person's ideal and actual situations big enough to trigger a decision. What is this stage called?

A)postpurchase behavior
B)alternative evaluation
C)purchase decision
D)problem recognition
E)information search

Question 15

There are five stages in the consumer purchase decision process. The first stage is

A)information search.
B)purchase decision.
C)alternative evaluation.
D)opportunity identification.
E)problem recognition.

Question 16

The five stages a buyer passes through in making choices about which products and services to buy is called the

A)information decision process.
B)purchase decision process.
C)alternative evaluation process.
D)postpurchase behavior process.
E)problem recognition process.

Question 17

The fourth stage in the consumer purchase decision process involves deciding from whom to buy and when to buy so that the purchase decision can be made. What is this stage called?

A)purchase indecision
B)prepurchase evaluation
C)purchase decision
D)problem recognition
E)information search

Question 18

The third stage in the consumer purchase decision process involves evaluating brands in the consideration set based on the evaluative criteria (both objective and subjective) identified during the information search step for the ultimate decision. What is this stage called?

A)postpurchase behavior
B)alternative evaluation
C)purchase decision
D)problem recognition
E)information search

Question 19

Which of the following statements about how women buy cars today is most accurate?

A)For women, safety is about features that would help survive an accident.
B)Women have definite likes or dislikes when buying a car, but they don't feel comfortable expressing their opinions.
C)When it comes to the actual purchase process, women are more adept negotiators than men.
D)Women care more about exterior styles and lines and men are more concerned with cargo space and gas mileage.
E)Women usually shop one dealership before making a decision and men usually shop three.

Question 20

Consumer behavior includes the actions a person takes in purchasing services and using products and services, including

A)the physical effort spent on these actions.
B)the financial limitations one must overcome to accomplish these actions.
C)the mental and social processes that come before and after these actions.
D)the emotional processes that occur during these actions.
E)the cognitive and attitudinal processes that must be learned to complete these actions.

Question 21

You have determined you want to buy an advanced hybrid vehicle, and a visit to Ford's website has revealed that the Ford Fusion Hybrid SE uses hybrid fuel technology with the latest in lithium-ion battery technology. You are currently in which stage of the consumer purchase decision process for this type of automobile?

A)problem recognition
B)needs analysis
C)purchase decision
D)information search
E)postpurchase evaluation

Question 22

Scanning your memory for previous experiences with products or brands is called

A)problem recognition.
B)alternative evaluation.
C)cognitive dissonance.
D)internal search.
E)external search.

Question 23

A simultaneous evaluation of both product attributes and seller characteristics represents which stage of the consumer purchase decision process?

A)purchase decision
B)information search
C)financial transaction
D)alternative evaluation
E)postpurchase behavior

Question 24

Amanda plans to go for a run after her classes are over. As she is lacing up her running shoes, she notices that one of the shoe's seams is unraveling, and she thinks it is about time for a new pair. In which stage of the consumer purchase decision process is Amanda at that moment?

A)information search
B)problem recognition
C)purchase behavior
D)alternative evaluation
E)prepurchase cognition

Question 25

Scanning your memory for previous experiences with products or brands occurs during which stage of the consumer purchase decision process?

A)information search
B)purchase decision
C)alternative evaluation
D)postpurchase behavior
E)problem recognition

Question 26

In which stage in the consumer purchase decision process would a consumer ask, "How much can I afford to spend on a new 42-inch LED HDTV?"

A)problem recognition
B)alternative evaluation
C)purchase decision
D)evaluation
E)information search

Question 27

A comparison with expectations and an evaluation as satisfied or dissatisfied represent which stage of the consumer purchase decision process?

A)purchase decision
B)information search
C)financial transaction
D)alternative evaluation
E)postpurchase behavior

Question 28

During the consumer purchase decision process, an individual at the __________ stage will perceive differences between his or her ideal and actual situations big enough to trigger a decision.

A)problem recognition
B)alternative evaluation
C)cognitive dissonance
D)information search
E)postpurchase behavior

Question 29

Perceiving a difference between a person's ideal and actual situations big enough to trigger a decision represents which stage of the consumer purchase decision process?

A)purchase decision
B)information search
C)problem recognition
D)alternative evaluation
E)option identification

Question 30

When Aurelia looked in her closet and said, "I don't have anything to wear to the party this weekend," she seems to be in which stage of the consumer purchase decision process?

A)purchase decision
B)alternative evaluation
C)information search
D)problem recognition
E)postpurchase behavior

Question 31

Jamie goes shopping with a friend and notices her friend's durable ripstop nylon wallet. She thinks of her own worn wallet and realizes she needs a new one. In which stage of the consumer purchase decision process was Jamie when she had this realization?

A)information search
B)problem recognition
C)purchase behavior
D)alternative evaluation
E)prepurchase cognition

Question 32

"Which brand of smartphone does my roommate own?" would be a question asked during the __________ stage in the consumer purchase decision process.

A)problem recognition
B)alternative evaluation
C)information search
D)purchase decision
E)comparison

Question 33

In marketing, advertisements or salespeople can activate a consumer's purchase decision process by

A)creating a sense of fear or guilt.
B)manipulating a customer's want into a need.
C)promising product attributes that exceed the actual product potential.
D)showing the shortcomings of competing (or currently owned) products.
E)shifting the consumer's focus from internal search to external search.

Question 34

Scanning memory for previous experiences and also exploring the external environment represent which stage of the consumer purchase decision process?

A)purchase decision
B)information search
C)problem recognition
D)alternative evaluation
E)financial consideration

Question 35

The point at which you would exchange money for a sandwich of corned beef on rye is in the ____________ stage.

A)purchase decision
B)information search
C)problem recognition
D)alternative evaluation
E)option identification

Question 36

When the marketing student said, "It's really hard for me to get to class on time without a car," she was entering which stage of the consumer purchase decision process?

A)purchase decision
B)alternative evaluation
C)information search
D)problem recognition
E)postpurchase behavior

Question 37

Clarifying the problem for the consumer represents which stage of the consumer purchase decision process?

A)purchase decision
B)information search
C)problem recognition
D)alternative evaluation
E)financial consideration

Question 38

Which stage in the consumer purchase decision process suggests criteria to use for the purchase, yields brand names that might meet the criteria, and develops consumer value perceptions?

A)problem recognition
B)information search
C)alternative evaluation
D)purchase decision
E)postpurchase evaluation

Question 39

Perceiving a difference between a person's ideal and actual situations that is big enough to trigger a decision is called

A)problem recognition.
B)alternative evaluation.
C)cognitive dissonance.
D)routine response behavior.
E)postpurchase behavior.

Question 40

Glow Pets, from the makers of Pillow Pets, are a light-up pillow product designed for young children. The pillows are colorful animals that produce a soft light for 20 minutes at a time and were produced for children with a fear of the dark. As a result, the company aired some ads on various TV programs showing children being comforted and sleeping restfully with a Glow Pet, making parents and kids alike desire such a situation. The content of the advertising's message most likely focuses on which stage of the consumer purchase decision process?

A)problem recognition
B)information search
C)alternative evaluation
D)purchase decision
E)postpurchase behavior

Question 41

An example of a public source of information consulted during an external search would include

A)advertising.
B)relatives.
C)salespeople.
D)friends.
E)product-rating organizations.

Question 42

Emily wants to purchase a tablet device. She is unsure about what hardware and apps she will need. As a result, she has begun asking for advice from her friends and relatives. In addition, she has talked to several salespeople at Apple and Best Buy and has looked at some websites, such as HP and Dell. Emily is engaging in

A)problem recognition.
B)an internal search.
C)an external search.
D)a purchase task.
E)the creation of an antecedent state.

Question 43

Sources of external information that originate with the sellers of products and services and include advertising, company websites, salespeople, and point-of-purchase displays in stores are referred to as

A)relational sources.
B)public sources.
C)personal sources.
D)stakeholder sources.
E)marketer-dominated sources.

Question 44

Bob's best friend Mike turns 25 next week. Bob decided to purchase Mike a tablet device/e-book reader as a present. Because Bob has purchased three personal computers and other consumer electronic devices over the past five years, he scanned his memory for various brand options. This is an example of what part of the consumer purchase decision process?

A)recollection search
B)external search
C)evaluative criteria
D)antecedent states
E)internal search

Question 45

An example of a marketer-dominated source of information consulted during an external search would include

A)advertising.
B)personal experience.
C)Consumer Reports magazine.
D)consumer programs on talk radio stations.
E)friends and relatives.

Question 46

There are various nonprofit publications dedicated to assisting in consumer education and decision making. Examples of these public sources of information for an external information search include Consumer Reports, __________, and TV consumer programs.

A)advertisements
B)sales personnel
C)friends and relatives
D)government agencies
E)point-of-purchase displays

Question 47

An external search for product information is likely to occur when

A)the cost of gathering information is low.
B)review of past experience provides adequate information.
C)the risk of making a wrong purchase decision is low.
D)the item is frequently purchased.
E)the item is for personal use rather than for professional use.

Question 48

An example of a marketer-dominated source of information consulted during an external search would include

A)previous ownership of a product.
B)a Better Business Bureau rating.
C)a product display in a retail store.
D)a consumer program on talk radio.
E)your mother.

Question 49

A(n) __________ for information is needed when past experience or knowledge is insufficient, the risk of making a wrong purchase decision is high, and the cost of gathering information is low.

A)external search
B)cognitive search
C)alternative search
D)internal search
E)postpurchase search

Question 50

When past experience is insufficient, the risk of making a wrong decision is high, and the cost of gathering information is low, a consumer is more likely to use an __________ for information.

A)internal search
B)informal search
C)expert directed search
D)external search
E)experiential search

Question 51

Casey's girlfriend will celebrate her birthday next week, so he needs to buy her a gift. He remembers the brand of watch that she wears and considers if she would like a new one by the same maker. This is an example of what part of the consumer purchase decision process?

A)recollection search
B)external search
C)evaluative criteria
D)antecedent states
E)internal search

Question 52

An example of a marketer-dominated source of information consulted during an external search would include

A)personal experience.
B)salespeople.
C)consumer programs on talk radio stations.
D)friends and relatives.
E)Consumer Reports magazine.

Question 53

A mother of two toddlers would primarily use an internal search of her prior experiences with products and brands when purchasing

A)a gift for her babysitter.
B)an iPhone.
C)disposable diapers.
D)a swing set.
E)a weekend getaway.

Question 54

Nico wants to buy a new digital camera for his semester studying abroad but he knows very little about cameras, having never owned one. As a result, he has begun asking for advice from friends and relatives. In addition, he has talked to salespeople at a Wolf camera shop and Best Buy and he has looked at some websites. Nico is engaging in

A)problem recognition.
B)an internal search.
C)the purchase decision.
D)an external search.
E)the creation of an antecedent state.

Question 55

Relatives and friends whom the consumer trusts are known as __________ sources of external information.

A)relational
B)marketer-dominated
C)personal
D)stakeholder
E)public

Question 56

An example of a public source of information consulted during an external search would include

A)People magazine advertising.
B)Consumer Reports magazine.
C)a salesperson at the Apple Store.
D)your brother-in-law.
E)a point of purchase display at Target.

Question 57

When an elementary school teacher was returning to school in the fall, she wanted to buy markers and craft paper. She remembered the discount website she visited last year for her purchases, so she'll start there to see if the website still carries the items previously purchased. What term best describes the information search method used by the teacher?

A)personal external source
B)public external source
C)market-dominated external source
D)internal search
E)market-dominated internal source

Question 58

Julie is an avid mystery reader and her babysitter Tina has been borrowing some of her books over the summer. When Tina's birthday approaches, Julie wants to buy her a good mystery. When Julie was trying to recall her favorite mystery authors, she was engaged in

A)problem recognition.
B)an internal search.
C)an external search.
D)a purchase task.
E)the precognition of an antecedent state.

Question 59

A(n) __________ in the consumer purchase decision process occurs when consumers scan their memories for previous experiences with products or brands.

A)problem recognition
B)internal search
C)external search
D)purchase task
E)antecedent state

Question 60

When conducting an information search, various product-rating organizations, such as government agencies and TV consumer programs, are known as

A)relational sources.
B)marketer-dominated sources.
C)personal sources.
D)public sources.
E)stakeholder sources.

Question 61

The alternative evaluation stage clarifies the problem for the consumer by suggesting criteria to use for the purchase, yielding brand names that might meet the criteria, and

A)developing consumer value perceptions.
B)evaluating particular products.
C)selecting the type of retail outlet.
D)establishing a purchase timeline.
E)creating a hierarchy of needs.

Question 62

The Ford Fusion Hybrid SE uses hybrid fuel technology with the latest in lithium-ion battery technology to deliver more power, convenience, prestige, and fuel economy than non-hybrid cars. These attributes listed for the Ford Fusion Hybrid SE are those that consumers may consider when assessing the car. If they do, these attributes would be considered

A)points of difference.
B)informational alternatives.
C)evaluative criteria.
D)competitive advantages.
E)consumer attributes.

Question 63

Once a consumer has completed the alternative evaluation stage of the consumer purchase decision process, the two remaining choices are

A)which product to buy and how to pay for it.
B)whether to buy one or several if a BOGO deal is offered and how to pay for them.
C)from whom to buy and when to buy.
D)which product to buy and whether to tell others about the purchase.
E)whether to buy in person or online and whether to tell others about the purchase.

Question 64

All of the following would impact your decision about when to buy an offering except

A)the manufacturer is currently offering a $25 rebate.
B)you don't have the money now and don't get paid until Friday.
C)the product is on sale.
D)the store is closing in 10 minutes.
E)the retailer's return policy is very relaxed.

Question 65

The objective and subjective attributes of a brand that consumers use to compare different products and brands are referred to as

A)temporal states.
B)antecedent states.
C)information sources.
D)evaluative criteria.
E)the consideration set.

Question 66

The alternative evaluation stage clarifies the problem for the consumer by suggesting criteria to use for the purchase, __________, and developing consumer value perceptions.

A)evaluating particular products
B)selecting the type of purchase outlet
C)establishing a purchase timeline
D)minimizing cognitive dissonance
E)yielding brand names that might meet the criteria

Question 67

At the __________ of the consumer purchase decision process, a consumer compares the product with his or her expectations and is either satisfied or dissatisfied.

A)problem recognition stage
B)information search stage
C)alternative evaluation stage
D)purchase decision stage
E)postpurchase stage

Question 68

Charlie was standing outside his classroom talking on the phone when a friend heard him say, "Thank you for taking my call so quickly. I'd like to order the 32-gigabyte iPad. I'll pick it up today at the Southdale Apple Store. Can I use the easy pay plan?" Charlie was in which stage of the consumer purchase decision process?

A)problem recognition
B)alternative evaluation
C)information search
D)purchase decision
E)postpurchase evaluation

Question 69

Evaluative criteria refer to

A)the objective and subjective attributes of a brand consumers use to compare different products and brands.
B)those attributes of a brand that are based exclusively on objective criteria in order to make an unbiased purchase decision.
C)those attributes of a brand that are based exclusively on subjective criteria in order to avoid postpurchase anxiety.
D)the attributes of a product that a manufacturer wishes to promote to a specific target market.
E)a list of required product attributes from which a customer will not waver regardless of additional incentives.

Question 70

Which of the following statements concerning evaluative criteria is most accurate?

A)If the alternatives in a consideration set do not meet the requirements of the evaluative criteria, the entire decision process is usually discontinued.
B)Consumers often have several criteria for evaluating a single product.
C)Evaluative criteria represent objective rather than subjective attributes.
D)Evaluative criteria represent subjective rather than objective attributes.
E)Ultimately, the most important evaluative criterion is price.

Question 71

A consideration set refers to

A)the group of brands a consumer would consider acceptable from among all the brands in the product class of which he or she is aware.
B)the group of generic brands that a consumer would reluctantly consider acceptable.
C)the group of brands of which a consumer is aware.
D)all possible competitive product substitutes that may satisfy a consumer's needs regardless of the product class.
E)those product alternatives a consumer has considered, including those deemed unacceptable.

Question 72

Which of the following is not an example of a marketer-dominated source of information consulted during an external search?

A)advertising
B)point-of-purchase displays
C)Consumer Reports magazine
D)company salespeople
E)company websites

Question 73

The alternative evaluation stage clarifies the problem for the consumer by __________, yielding brand names that might meet the criteria, and developing the consumer value perception that each alternative presents.

A)evaluating particular products
B)selecting the type of purchase outlet
C)suggesting criteria to use for the purchase
D)minimizing cognitive dissonance
E)establishing a purchase timeline

Question 74

Sensitivity to consumers' consumption or use experience, whether they are satisfied or dissatisfied, is extremely important in their

A)consideration set assessment.
B)prepurchase behavior.
C)evaluative criteria selection.
D)value perceptions.
E)information search.

Question 75

The group of brands a consumer would consider acceptable from among all the brands in the product class of which he or she is aware is referred to as the

A)evaluative set.
B)evolved set.
C)consideration set.
D)alternative selection group.
E)aspiration group.

Question 76

In recent ratings from independent rating agencies for selected smartphone brands and models, a number of factors are listed, such as price, display, audio quality, text messaging, web capability, and camera quality. These factors are the typical __________ for smartphones.

A)consideration sets
B)evaluative criteria
C)value propositions
D)quality considerations
E)core benefits

Question 77

Sanaa recently made partner at her law firm, and she is rewarding herself with the purchase of a new car. She told a co-worker, "The Volvo has nine airbags but the Cadillac drives so smoothly." Sanaa is currently in which stage of the purchase decision process?

A)problem recognition
B)information search
C)alternative evaluation
D)purchase decision
E)postpurchase evaluation

Question 78

Independent agencies provide ratings of many products. A typical report on smartphones includes brands such as Apple, HTC, LG, Motorola, and Samsung. These brands are referred to as the __________ when consumers use these smartphone ratings to evaluate the products.

A)consideration set
B)evaluative criteria
C)points of difference
D)value propositions
E)core benefits

Question 79

When purchasing a tablet device, factors a consumer considers prior to purchase are called __________, which represent both the objective attributes of a brand and the subjective ones used to compare different products and brands.

A)points of difference
B)informational alternatives
C)buying-decision choices
D)evaluative criteria
E)consumer attributes

Question 80

The BMW StreetCarver is a $495 skateboard that features BMW's technology in its wheel suspension, which stabilizes the board's sleek design and allows for greater control around sharp curves. BMW wants its skateboard to be within the consideration set of potential skateboard buyers. In this case, it will most likely focus on

A)reducing the postpurchase dissatisfaction that may result from purchasing its product.
B)making sure its representatives attend sporting events such as ESPN's X-Games to get new product ideas.
C)making appeals directed toward motivational ego needs.
D)explaining the stability and control aspects of the StreetCarver in its advertising messages.
E)creating personality profiles for skateboarders.