Question

Subject: Consumer Behavior. Topic: Steps in Decision Making Process.

We are currently studying the steps in the decision making process – and know that the number of steps (and the amount of time spent in each step) varies based on consumer involvement with the decision. As consumers, we don’t always make good decisions – we buy things that we later regret.

Instructions: Write about a bad consumer decision you made recently, and be sure to relate your discussion to: Be sure you address all of these issues in your answer.

1. The number of steps in the decision making process and how much time you spent at each step.  If you skipped steps entirely, relate your answer to that.
2. The amount of involvement with the purchase that you made.  What type of decision-making process was in effect?
3. Were there any situational influences on your bad decision (such as time pressure, impulsive shopping, etc.)?

Answer 1

The question is about my recent consumer decision.

ok... I am really happy to explain to you one such incident that happened this week itself. But there is a small twist in my story, so it was not a completely bad decision according to me.

This is about buying a laptop. My husband's laptop got spoiled and it is already 3-4 years old one. So we thought of buying one as he has got a lot of online work and a laptop is a necessity while travelling. We always used to buy a particular brand and every time ended with some or other issues. So we had decided that we will be buying a dell laptop only this time.

1. Identify the goal. This is the first step and it is already done.

We have decided we will be buying a dell laptop of around 60 K cost. Also we set the specifications we needed for doing online and designing works.

The decision took around one week, because to decide on the specification needs it took a little bit of time.

2. Gather information on the decision made:

This is the second step and here we searched online portals for the laptop as per the specifications and cost. We also discussed this decision with a friend who was running a software firm. This friend told us that it is always better to go directly to the shop and buy than online shopping. He explained a few reasons for that too. Then we started searching the outlets of that brand in the city and near my place. This went on for around 3 days.

3. Checking the consequences: is the third step in decision making.

We were checking the specifications of different series and its cost online, so that we can ask for it in the shop. Then we contacted an authorized outlet and the showroom salesperson asked us to come and visit the showroom, so that he can show various better options, than we have asked for.

The next day we visited the showroom and according to our specifications, he showed the laptop, which was above 70 K.

Then we told him our budget is 60 K. Then he showed us another laptop, explaining this also fills up the specifications we needed and he will customize it for us, but the total cost will be around 62 K.

Then we thought whether 2 K will affect much on the budget or not. Contacting the showroom person to personally visiting and discussing the need took 2 days totally.

4. Make the Decision:

This is the fourth and important step in the decision making. But the hilarious part is that it took just 1 hour only to make the final decision.

We agreed to buy the laptop he has shown us and we asked for the final bill.

5. Evaluate the decision made:

This is actually the final step in the consumer decision making and it is usually done post purchase or after completing a decision.

Here comes the twist in my case. As the person was entering our details to the computer to generate the bill, we just asked for the series number and checked the price on a famous online portal. We were shocked to know that the online cost of the same serial number laptop with same specification was almost 10 K less. We showed it to the salesperson, but he couldn't give a trustable explanation.

So we asked him to stop billing and told him that we will contact him back after a few more enquiries.

This step was actually happened very quickly in about 5-10 minutes.

Even though we did not lose the money, the time spent for travelling and visiting and the experience of breaking our trust wasn't pleasant at all.

We have been personally involved in every step of the decision made. But we must have asked more help from a friend who is an expert in electronic gadgets.

Were there any situational influences on your bad decision ?

I must agree that yes there were influences.

Firstly, we will be going on a travel next week and we wanted the laptop before that.

Secondly, the showroom person indirectly pressurized telling, the cost may rise if the existing stock empties, and this is offer prize due to a recent festival.