Chapter6 - Consumer Decision Making

          

          Nowadays there are many choices of everything. Various brand, different looks, different  price and qualities... There are so many factors influence customers' decision. 

        Cultural factor is one of the important factors influence people's choice. People in different countries have different culture and values. Starbucks have a drink : 'Americano'. There was no Americano before the Second World War. After the Second World War, Americans finished the war in Europe, many American armies came to south Europe, the soldiers can not get use to the espresso coffee in Europe, so they add water to the espresso to dilute the strength and taste of the espresso coffee. Because at that time, only American soldiers drink espresso coffee in this way, so people named this kind of coffee 'Americano'. Starbucks play an important role of Americano's popularization. Because the cultural difference, there came out a new American style coffee. 

           Individual factor is also a very important factor which influence people's choices. Everybody have different taste, habit, and so on. For example, Starbucks have customers of different ages and genders. When parents bring their kids to Starbucks, they want to buy juice or milk instead of coffees. Because coffee is not good for kids and they should drink coffee when they are so young. Another example, some people like to drink ice coffee, and others like to drink hot coffee. Some people like dark roast but some other people think that dark roast is too strong and bitter for them. In order to satisfy customers' tastes, Starbucks provide hot and cold drinks, blonde roast coffee, medium roast coffee, and dark roast coffee and so on. 

           Starbucks have customers from widely social levels. Americans prefer convenient things. Starbucks are so popular and its stores are all over the streets. People from no matter what social class can come in and grab a drink. I saw several times even homeless people went to Starbucks buy drinks after they get some money.    

 

            One factor that influencing the external information search is product experience. When consumers have had previous experience with a good or service, the level of involvement typically decreases. I like to spend my free time in Starbucks, when I enjoy my time in Starbucks, I saw several times that the worker in Starbucks would make some samples of their new drink in the one shot size cup, and give these samples to different customers, introduce them what is this new drink. Because consumers are familiar with the new drinks and know whether it will satisfy their needs, they become less involved in the purchase.