KARAN SINGH MBA 2-C ROLL NO.

6318

Consumer involvement can be defined as heightened state of awareness that motivates consumers to seek out, attend to, and think about product information prior to purchase.

The consumers self image is tied to the product e.g. aggressive youth craving for power identify themselves with the Enfield Bullet. Khadi is preferred by politicians and budding politicians. Similarly, we find politician preferring a multi-utility vehicle like Scorpio or Tata Safari. Product has a symbolic meaning tied to consumer values e.g. ownership of a BMW car, a cross pen, Rolex watches have s symbolic value of the affluent class. Product is expensive .e.g. Jewellery, real estate etc. It has some important functional value e.g. fuel efficiency of a vehicle, cricket gear for a cricketer. Product has an emotional appeal e.g. buying of a gift article, buying of articles for religious purpose. Product is continually of interest to the consumer .e.g. fashion-conscious customer has continuous appeal in clothing and apparel.

Personal Factors: Self-concept, needs, and values are the three personal factors that influence the extent of consumer involvement in a product or service. Product Factors: The consumer involvement grows as the level of perceived risk in the purchase of a good or service increases. It is likely that consumers will feel more involved in the purchase of their house than in the purchase of tooth paste, it is a much riskier purchase. Situational Factors: The situation in which the product is brought or used can generate emotional involvement. The reason for purchase or purchase occasion affects involvement. For example, buying a pair of socks for yourself is far less involved than buying a gift for a close friend.

Situational Involvement Situational involvement is temporary and refers to emotional feelings of a consumer, experiences in a particular situation when one thinks of a specific product. It is one that occurs only in specific situations and is temporary. For e.g. a person buying suit for marriage. Formal dressing for the marriage is a necessary and hence a person not very fashion-conscious about clothes gets involved temporary for his marriage in a piece of suit. Enduring Involvement It indicates an ongoing interest in the product category. Enduring involvement is persistent over time and refers to feelings experienced toward a product category across different situations. For example, holiday- makers renting a resort for their trip are highly involved in their choice, but their involvement is temporary.

Involvement with the product makes consumers process product-related information more readily. This information is processed thoroughly, hence, it is retained for a longtime. Because of this the consumers become emotionally high and tend to engage in extended problem solving and word- ofmouth communications. Processing of Information Depth of Comprehension Depth of Comprehension Extent of Cognitive Elaboration Level of Emotional Arousal Information Transmission

1. Low Involvement Learning Model , 2.Learn-Feel-Do Hierarchy model, 3.Level of Message Processing Model, 4.Product versus Brand Involvement Model

1. Low Involvement Learning Model

Low Involvement products are those which are at low risk, perhaps by virtue of being inexpensive, and repeatedly used by consumers. Marketers try to sell the products without changing the attitudes of consumers. New product beliefs replace old brand perceptions. Marketers achieve low involvement learning through proper positioning. For example, writing pen with the uninterrupted flow, and tooth paste with mouth wash positioning attracts new consumers.

2. Learn-Feel-Do Hierarchy Model

Buying decisions vary according to the way there are taken. Some decisions are taken with lot of thinking, others are taken with great feelings. Some are made through force of habit and others are made consciously. The learn-feel-do hierarchy is simple matrix that attributes consumer choice to information (learn), attitude (feel), and behaviour (do) issues. The matrix has four quadrants, each specifying a major marketing communication goal to be informative, to be effective, to be habit forming, or promote selfsatisfaction.

1. Informative 1. Affective ( Thinker ) (feeler) Model:Learn-FeelModel : Feel-Learn-Do Do

3. Habit Formation 4.Self- Satisfaction ( Reactor ) ( Doer )

Model:Do-LearnFeel

Model: DO feel learn

High Involvement / High Thinking Purchases in first quadrant require more information, both because of the importance of the product to the consumer and thinking issues related to the purchases. Major purchases such as cars, houses and other expensive and infrequently buying items come under this category. The strategy model is learn-feel-do. Marketers have to furnish full information to get consumer acceptance of the product.
High Involvement / High Feeling The purchase decisions in second quadrant involve less of information than feeling. Typical purchases tied to selfesteem- jewelry, apparel, cosmetics and accessories come under this category. The strategy model is feel-learn-do. To encourage purchases marketers must approach customers with emotion and appeal.

Low Involvement / Low Feeling The purchases in this quadrant are motivated primarily by the need to satisfy personal tastes, many of which are influenced by selfimage. Products like news paper, soft drinks, Liquor etc., fall under this category. Group influences often lead to the purchase of these items. The strategy model is do-feel-learn. It helps marketers to promote products through reference groups and other social factors.
Low Involvement / Low Thinking It involves less in thinking and more of habitual buying. Products like stationery, groceries, food etc., fall under this category. Over a period of time any product can fall in this segment. The role of information is to differentiate any point of difference from competitors. Brand loyalty may result simply from the habit. The strategy model is do-learn-feel. It suggests that marketers induce trial through various sales promotion techniques.

3. Level of Message Processing Model

Consumer attention to advertisements or any other marketing communication depends on four levels of consumer involvement: Pre-attention, focal attention, comprehension and elaboration. Each calls for different level of message processing. Pre-attention demands only limited message processing - the consumer only identifies the product.

4. Product versus Brand Involvement Model

Sometimes consumer is involved with the product category but may not be necessarily involved with the particular brand or vice versa. For example, house wives know more about kitchen ware but may not know the details of various brands. According to the consumer involvement in either product or particular brand, consumer types can be divided into four categories as described below.

Brand Loyals: These consumers are highly involved with both the product category and with particular brand. For example, cigarette smokers and paper readers fall in this category. Information Seekers: These buyers are involved more with product category but may not have preferred brand. They are likely to see information to decide a particular brand. For examples, air-conditioners and washing machine buyers fall under this category. Routine Brand Buyers: These consumers are not highly involved with the product category but may be involved with the particular brand with in that category. They have low emotional attachment with the product category and tied mainly with their brand. For example users of particular brand of soap for years, regular visitors to particular restaurant fall in this category. Brand Switching: Consumers in this category have no emotional attachment either with product category or any brand with in it. They typically respond to price. For example stationery items, fashion products come under this category.