3.2 : תהליך החלטת הצרכן

The consumer decision-making process typically involves five stages, including problem recognition, information search, evaluation of alternatives, purchase decision, and post-purchase evaluation.

To illustrate this process, consider Troy buying a smartphone.

Troy's current smartphone frequently runs out of storage space. He recognizes the need for a new smartphone with better performance and storage capacity. That's problem recognition.

Next, he researches online, reads reviews, seeks advice from friends, and physically compares models to reduce uncertainty and make a well-informed choice. That's information search.

Further, to find the best product, Troy narrows his options to three models among the available alternatives based on price, storage capacity, operating system, and brand reputation. That's evaluation of alternatives.

Troy finally opts for a mid-range smartphone for its balanced features, affordability, and positive reviews from experts and users. That's purchase decision.

A few weeks after buying it, Troy would review the smartphone's performance. It would help him validate his purchase decision, potentially providing feedback to the seller and influencing his future buying decisions. That's post-purchase evaluation.