Reference groups can influence buying decisions by: encouraging impulse purchasing. entering into a customer's consideration set. focusing on a specific customer. enhancing a consumer's image. promoting lavish spending. The multiattribute attitude model is designed to: predict how a customer will evaluate a store based on its attributes and how important these attributes are to the customer. forecast inventory needs based on a multiple regression model. stratify the target market by examining customers' attributes and determine the store's or product's position in the market. modify preexisting attitudes by providing customers with a list of benefits (attributes) for shopping at a particular store or buying a particular product. shorten the buying process by highlighting the attributes that will most likely affect the buying behavior of the targeted market