Chapter 11: Situational

Influences
Consumer Behavior - A Framework
John C. Mowen
Michael S. Minor

Key Concepts

Consumer Situations
Types of situational
influences
Influence of physical
surroundings
Store location
effects
Store atmosphere

Task definition
Categories of giftgiving situations
Influence of time
Time differences
across cultures
Types of
antecedent states

The Environment and the Exchange

Process
Cultural
Environment

Economic
Environment

Subcultural
Environment

Regulatory
Environment
Group/ family
Processes

Situational Influencers
Individual
Processes

Buying
Unit

Exchange
Process

Marketer

Consumer Situations . . .

consist of temporary environmental

factors that form the context within
which a consumer activity occurs at a
particular place and time.
include factors that:

Involve the time and place in which a

consumer activity takes place
Explain why the action takes place
Influence consumer behavior

Table 11-1: Belks

Situational Elements

Physical surroundings
Social surroundings
Time
Task definition
Antecedent states

Physical Surroundings . . .
. . .are the
concrete physical
and spatial
aspects of the
environment that
encompass a
consumer activity.

Effects of Music on
Shoppers

In a supermarket
store study sales
increased daily by
38% when slower
music was played.
A restaurant
study found when
slow music was
played, liquor
sales increased.

Effects of Music continued

Playing peppy music

while on hold or
waiting in line doesnt
make time pass more
quickly.
Louder music
increases pace of
events perception but
raises estimates of
time durations.

The Effects of Crowding

on Consumers

Density - how closely packed people

are (i.e., the physical arrangements
of people in a space).
Crowding - the unpleasant feelings
that people experience when they
perceive that densities are too high
and that their control of the situation
has been reduced to unacceptable
levels.

High - and Low-density...

High-density situations may be beneficial

More perceived control in bar study, less in

bank study.
In fun situations, density enhances pleasure.

There is usually an optimal level of

density.
Other elements (time, convenience) as
important for shopping behavior.

Consumer Crowd Behavior

In some circumstances consumers

behave like hysterical crowds

Large groups may cause high physiological

arousal among each of the members
The high arousal results in the tendency of
each member of the crowd to act on a
dominant idea or tendency
Each person in a crowd becomes
inconspicuous and individual responsibility is
lost.

Store Location . . .
. . . influences consumers from several

perspectives.
Consumers have cognitive maps of a
citys geography that may not match
the actual locations of retail stores.
Image transference exists: The image
of anchor stores affects that of smaller
stores in the same shopping center.

Store Layout . . .
. . . is the physical organization of a
store that creates specific traffic
patterns, assists retailers in the
presentation of merchandise, and
helps create a particular
atmosphere.

Atmospherics . . .
. . . refers to how managers
manipulate the design of the
building, interior space, layout of
aisles, texture of carpets and walls,
scents, colors, shapes, and sounds
experienced by customers to
achieve a certain effect.

Atmospherics and
Shopping Behavior
Atmosphere

Emotional
Response

Influences
Layout
Sounds
Smells
Texture...

Behavior

Influences
Pleasure/
displeasure
Arousal/
Boredom

Time in
Store
Affiliation
Buying

Olfactory Cues...

Shoppers perceive
higher quality
goods in scented
stores.
Odors should be
consistent with
store offerings.
These cues are
expensive to
maintain.

Effects of Spatial
Arrangements

Space
modifies/shapes
behavior
Retail store space
affects consumers
Retail stores affect
attitudes, images
Stores can create
desired consumer
reactions

Social Surroundings . . .
. . . deals with the
effects of other
people on a
consumer in a
consumption
situation.

The Task Definition . . .

. . . the situational reasons for buying
or consuming a product or service at
a particular time and place.

Usage situations form the context in

which a product is used and influence
the product characteristics sought by
a consumer.

Occasion-Based
Marketing Opportunities

Sometimes a product
is locked into one
usage situation,
limiting market
potential.
Consumers may come
to consider the
product inappropriate
for all other
situations.

Gift-Giving Motivations
Low

High

Voluntary

Altruism

Reciprocity
creation

Obligatory

Ritual
obligation

Love,
friendship

Gift
Type

Degree of Self-Interest

Gift Behavior and

Gender...

Women start shopping earlier for

Christmas (October vs. November)
Spend more time shopping/gift (2.4
vs. 2.1 hours)
Are more successful (fewer of their
gifts are exchanged)
But men spend 50% more/gift.

Self-Gifts...

Premeditated,
indulgent
Rewarding an
accomplishment,
therapy for
disappointment
Baseball
glove/Front-end
loader

Time...

Individual differences in
conception
Time as a product
Time as a situational variable

Time: Individual
Differences...
People Can Use Time in Four Different Ways:

Work
Necessities
Housework
Leisure

Obligatory

Discretionary

Individual Time
Differences Are Influenced
by Culture...
Linear
Separable. There is a past, present,
future. The future is expected to be better:
the idea of progress. Activities are a
means to an end.
Circular Traditional. The future is like the
present. Do today only what has to be
done today. Time and money arent related.
Procedural Traditional. Task Orientation.
Meetings take as long as necessary.

Time as a Product

Many Purchases Are Made to Buy Time

The time-buying consumer is a

consumer who engages in buying time
through these products
Time-saving qualities are a key
promotional idea
Time can act as a product attribute

Perception Management,
Time, and Lines

In 1998, 70 Northern California

MacDonalds restaurants tried multiple
lines vs. one line.
The single, serpentine line is most
popular

Multiple lines actually move people faster

But jumping from line to line creates stress.

Time as a Situational
Variable

How much time a

consumer has
available to do a task
influences the buying
strategy used to
select and purchase
the product.
With limited time,
there is less
information search.

Antecedent States . . .
. . . are the temporary physiological and
mood states that a consumer brings to
a consumption situation.
Physiological State: Hunger.
Mood State: Happy feelings.

Antecedent States . . .
. . . Can lead to problem recognition.
. . . Can change the feeling
component
of hierarchy of effects (Ch. 8)
. . . Mood states influence behavior, e.g.
shopping to alleviate loneliness.

Usage Situation, Person,

and Product Interactions

The Buying Act Results From

Interactions That Occur Among:

Consumption situations
Characteristics of the buying unit/person
The product or service being offered

Managerial Implications

Positioning. Situational variables offer

multiple opportunities for positioning.
Research. May indicate which situations
present opportunities for new products.
Marketing Mix. Firms may be able to present
time-saving attributes as a tradeoff for a
higher price.
Segmentation. An increase in the female work
force presents opportunities to market to the
segment of males doing more of their own
shopping.

Situation-by-Product Interaction
High

Ginger Ale

Low

Gatorade
Tennis
Match

Party
Mixer