Page 190 - Foundations of Marketing

Consumer Buying Behavior | Chapter 6 157

E merging Trends

Keeping Customers Connected Everywhere

Free Wi-Fi isn’t limited to coffee shops and fast-food res- buying decisions by researching product details and
taurants anymore. In this wireless world, many consum- reading consumer reviews. Nordstrom, Macy’s, and
ers with mobile devices expect to be a click away from Target are among the many retailers that now have free
social media and news updates at all times. As a result, Wi-Fi. Woodman’s Food Markets in Wisconsin has also
a growing number of department stores, supermarkets, joined the wireless world with a free shopping-list app
and even sports stadiums are providing free Wi-Fi to keep for iPhones to streamline shopping and free Wi-Fi in its
customers happily connected to the Internet. stores.
Saks Fifth Avenue offers free Wi-Fi in its 44 stores, Most National Football League stadiums are now set
along with an in-store shopping app that makes it up for free Wi-Fi so fans can check other sports results
easy for customers to browse and buy. Although some and post social media comments or photos directly from
stores are concerned about shoppers comparing prices their seats. Making it easy to live the connected lifestyle at
online and buying from Internet retailers, Saks recog- the stadium encourages fans to go to the game rather than
c
nizes that customers also use the Web to make better staying home to watch.

© iStockphoto.com/CRTd

Seeking to understand attitudes has resulted in two major academic models: the attitude
toward the object model (the Fishbein model) and the behavioral intentions model (also known
as the Theory of Reasoned Action). These models provide an understanding of the role of atti-
tudes in decision making. The attitude toward the object model can be used to understand, and
possibly predict, a consumer’s attitude. It consists of three elements: beliefs about product
attributes, the strength of beliefs, and the evaluation of beliefs. These elements combine to
4
form what is called the overall attitude toward the object.
The behavioral intentions model, rather than focusing on attributes, focuses on intentions to
act or purchase. This model considers consumer perceptions of what other people, particularly
peers, believe is the best choice among a set of alternatives. As its name indicates, this model
focuses on attitudes toward the buying behavior, not toward the object. The subjective norm
component is important in recognizing that individuals live in an inherently social environ-
ment and are influenced by what others think and believe. Consider attitudes toward personal
appearance (such as what clothes people wear, hairstyles, or piercings or tattoos). Consumers
will take into account what others will think of their decisions. Many people are motivated
to comply with what others hold to be an acceptable norm and stay in close communication
through traditional word-of-mouth communications, media, and online social networking.
Several methods help marketers gauge consumer attitudes. One of the simplest ways is to
question people directly. The Internet and social networking sites are useful tools for market-
ers seeking to garner information on attitudes directly from consumers. Using sites such as
Facebook, companies can ask consumers for feedback and product reviews.
Marketers also evaluate attitudes through attitude scales. An attitude scale usually con-
sists of a series of adjectives, phrases, or sentences about an object. Respondents indicate
the intensity of their feelings toward the object by reacting to the adjectives, phrases, or sen-
tences. For example, a marketer who is measuring people’s attitudes toward shopping might
ask respondents to indicate the extent to which they agree or disagree with a number of state-
attitude scale A means of
ments, such as “shopping is more fun than watching television.”
measuring consumer attitudes
When marketers determine that a significant number of consumers have negative atti-
by gauging the intensity of indi-
tudes toward an aspect of a marketing mix, they may try to improve those attitudes. This task viduals’ reactions to adjectives,
is generally lengthy, expensive, and difficult and can require extensive promotional efforts. phrases, or sentences about an
To alter responses so that more consumers purchase a certain brand, a firm might launch object

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