Understanding Problem$-$Solving Variations

This activity is important because marketing managers need to understand how consumers make decisions about which products to purchase. Oftentimes, consumers skip or minimize one $($or more$)$ steps of the consumer purchase decision process due to variations in their level of purchase involvement. Marketing managers must identify which of the three variations of the consumer purchase decision process consumers typically use for their products so that they can market appropriately to their consumers.

The goal of this activity is for you to identify examples of extended problem solving, limited problem solving, and routine problem solving purchases.

Select the most appropriate category of problem solving for the behaviors below.

Kara's a millennial who loves her smartphone. It's time for an upgrade so she is investigating lots of brands and evaluating a bunch of features. She has spent weeks researching to be ready for her purchase.

$($Click to select$)$

Kirk spent all day snowboarding and now it's $4$ p$.$m$.$ and he is starving. He has to work at $5,$ so there's no time for dinner. He runs into the convenience store and buys a Snickers since he knows that will hold him over.

Erin's kids love sugary cereal as a snack so once a week during her grocery run, she picks up a box of Cap'n Crunch cereal. Sometimes, she feels like she goes down the cereal aisle on autopilot.

It's Caleb's first independent car purchase so he is reading nonstop to learn all he can before he buys. He has his short list down to three cars, but this weekend, he is going to visit dealerships for test drives before he buys.

$($Click to select$)$

Greg's microwave just stopped working. He loves to eat popcorn while he studies so he needs to replace the oven now. The features he cares about are price and size since it has to fit on his bookcase and be cheap.

$($Click to select$)$

Ashley is an occasional runner who signed up for a $5K.$ She needs new shoes so she asks her avid runner friend for help. Ashley rnnciders Nike and New Balance and price and comfort are really all that matter to her.