G1 Consumer Behavior Interview Assignment! Goh Hao Xuan Bernard! bernard.goh.2011 !

Jos trigger to purchase a new pen can be traced from two sources. One, he took up regular

writing as a result from his scriptwriting experiences in college and wanted a pen that was suited for extended periods of writing. The second source was complementary to the rst, in that he was dissatised with his current Uni-Ball product and wanted to explore alternatives to better suit his increased writing needs. His process resulted in purchasing the Pilot brand G2 ballpoint pen.! Jos decision making process, a laddered process! ! When it comes to pens, Jos choice to buy usually stems from convenience, recalling

previous purchases with which he had positive past experiences. Admittedly, now with a greater need for writing, he nds himself considering more alternatives and paying attention to their selling points, signaling his greater involvement in this product category. Evaluating his alternatives was an easy task, where he visited his favorite book store in his neighborhood, stocking a wide variety of brands and having adequate writing area for him to test the pens as much as he needed.! 1) One of the attributes highlighted by Jo was the overall build of the G2. Jos perception of the product was by touch and sight. He described the Pilots toughened construction, an attribute he recalled, when citing reasons for buying.! 2) Jo inferred, from both testing and observing the Pilot along two leading alternatives, that the G2 was comparably the most durable. ! 3) Jo acknowledges that along with the two substitutes, the G2 is rellable. He is also aware that its rells are most readily available over the other two island-wide from his research. He explains that he only considers pens with rellable ink as they have a smaller environment footprint.! 4) He holds both the quality and use of rells as important consequences arising from the above two attributes. He made the G2 his purchase choice simply because it performed the best out of the three in consideration, which were judged by its ability to provide these consequences. Assuming it still performs the best when it is time to repurchase, he will still choose the G2.! 5) When questioned why he placed such an emphasis on the consequences, he states his preference for a reliable and environmentally responsible product, two personal values which he identies strongly with. It may be subtle to him, but purchasing the G2 serves as a reection

G1 Consumer Behavior Interview Assignment! Goh Hao Xuan Bernard! bernard.goh.2011 !

of his values. He feels satised not only because his functional needs are met, but that his desire to be responsible to the environment is part of his process to self-actualization, partially manifested by this purchase decision.! Jos brand associations, see exhibit ! ! For all 3 choices, it is interesting to see similar functional associations to each, such as

stationary, ballpoint and rellable. These could explain the criteria Jo uses to lter his list of alternatives. A handful of similar associations were drawn between Uni-Ball and Pilot, two products with largely homogeneous attributes.. Jos association of high construction standards with Japanese origins, though arguably a mere generalization, helps in supplementing his personal search for reliability. The associations drawn for Parker Ballpoint depict a product with aesthetic advantages over the two(ne craftsmanship, metallic), but this was not an association that resonated with Jos personal values and caused the product to lose priority in his decision process.! ! There are several implications to the ndings above. Jo only considered pens which were

rellable and had rells which were easily available because he was conscious about the environment effects of disposing pens. Competing rms in general will have to satisfy this prerequisite before their product is even considered for purchase by consumers like Jo. ! ! Jo chose the G2 over its close competitor, the Uniball Vision, because its markedly more

durable build identied with his need for reliability in his product, so that it is likely to function in many writing situations. This attribute-consequence pair, which he places great emphasis on, is a likely reection of his personal integrity. Companies may wish to consider a publicity campaign, that encourages those who write on a regular basis to perceive their products as highly dependable partners in their writing endeavors that deliver in any situation they wish to write.! ! Mapping Jos brand associations helped me identify common and differential themes

among his considerations, while employing the laddering technique with the Means-End Chain theory was essential in picking out Jos attributes, consequences and personal values from the interview, pinpointing the order of need satised from buying the pen.!

G1 Consumer Behavior Interview Assignment! Goh Hao Xuan Bernard! bernard.goh.2011 !

Subject: Johannes Yang, 23, NTU Undergraduate! Object of interest: Pilot Pen, Blue, G2 Model Price: S$2.50! Substitutes: Uni-Ball Vision Roller Pen, Parker Ballpoint!

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G1 Consumer Behavior Interview Assignment! Goh Hao Xuan Bernard! bernard.goh.2011 !

Pilot: ! Stationary -> Pens, Pencils-> G Series, mechanical pencils! Japanese -> High Standards-> Tough -> Reliable! Expensive -> Premium! Rells -> fuss-free -> environment friendly -> plastic cartridge-> Readily available! Uniball:! Stationary -> Roller Pen, Mechanical pencils -> disposable! Japanese -> higher standards -> decent construction -> Tough! Rells -> plastic cartridges-> better for environment -> available in stores! Parker! Stationary -> Fountain, Ballpoint pens -> good workmanship! Display cases -> premium looking -> higher price tag! Rells-> Ink for fountain -> cartridges for ballpoint-> favorable.!

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Besides the laddering technique employed to ask the subject about the purchase, I deferred to the Means-End Chain theory, which helped me understand the links between customers values and their purchasing behavior. I organized my ndings by highlighting each of three elements of the hierarchy proposed by the model: Attributes, Consequences and Core Values. !

! I would then proceed by asking about the importance he placed behind its strong exterior.! ! ! ! !

I will group my ndings based on two differentiated attributes which led to a plausible explanation of the the consumers core values, which proposed by the Means-End Chain theory, play the most dominant role in directing individuals choices. This would not only uncover underlying reasons for the purchase of this particular product.! This would help me organize my ndings from the questions, which were exploratory in nature, so I could better understand the interaction between consumer perceptions the consumers product knowledge.! Q: Why was the pens sturdy construction important to you?! A: It gave me the impression that it was more durable and substantial that other pens.! Q: Why was it so important that the pen be more durable and substantial than most pens?! A: I like my pens to be reliable, so I can write with ease in any place without having to worry it will break.