$()$ Mentoring Moment: Identifying Consumer Decision$-$Making

Rules

Consumers use compensatory and noncompensatory rules when they evaluate alternative product

choices. Compensatory rules allow a product to make up for its shortcomings on one dimension by

excelling on another. Noncompensatory rules do not allow for this and are more habitual or emotional in

nature.

It is important to understand which rules a consumer is using when deciding on a product choice so that

the most effective marketing mix strategy can be used to target the type of rule the consumer is using.