Comments on: What if it all STARTS with the purchase? http://blog.joelrubinson.net/2010/07/what-if-it-all-starts-with-the-purchase/ Marketing and Research Consulting for a Brave New World Sun, 29 Jan 2012 18:51:37 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: Neil Gains http://blog.joelrubinson.net/2010/07/what-if-it-all-starts-with-the-purchase/comment-page-1/#comment-2026 Neil Gains Wed, 28 Jul 2010 03:01:39 +0000 http://blog.joelrubinson.net/2010/07/what-if-it-all-starts-with-the-purchase/#comment-2026 Thanks for a thought provoking post and comments. I agree that much of our behaviour is driven by context and difficult to predict based on standard market research brand models. I would add one key point though, which is that I believe that this is because much of what we do is outside our consciousness. I don't mean by that that we are irrational (or evencrazy). I mean that our brain is very effective at making decisions for us without our knowledge, based on past experience. Our brain is non-linear and cyclical as Asher says, consisting of feedback loops at many different levels (I have written about this here: http://www.doctordisruption.com/brain-science/the-importance-of-feedback/). For example, I bet that Asher really enjoyed the salsa and dip, as his brain already knew he would! So despite what he was consciously trying to achieve, his in-store behaviour reflects the happiness maximising unconscious brain, rather than his deliberate decisions. If I were to ask Asher to explain his purchase of salsa, I am sure he would give me a reason, but would that really be the reason, or just a socially appropriate narrative (excuse) from his more "rational" brain. A lot of market research data should be checked for evidence of confirmation bias. This is where market research really needs to up it's game! Our models and even our questions are based on very "rational" views of consumers, which we know from neuroscience and behavioural economics are simply not valid). We don't need to worry about being replaced by brain scanners though. We just need to ask smarter questions, and where we can, stop asking questions at all. If you want to understand what consumers really do, watch and listen. Neil (aka Dr Disruption) Thanks for a thought provoking post and comments. I agree that much of our behaviour is driven by context and difficult to predict based on standard market research brand models. I would add one key point though, which is that I believe that this is because much of what we do is outside our consciousness.

I don’t mean by that that we are irrational (or evencrazy). I mean that our brain is very effective at making decisions for us without our knowledge, based on past experience. Our brain is non-linear and cyclical as Asher says, consisting of feedback loops at many different levels (I have written about this here: http://www.doctordisruption.com/brain-science/the-importance-of-feedback/).

For example, I bet that Asher really enjoyed the salsa and dip, as his brain already knew he would! So despite what he was consciously trying to achieve, his in-store behaviour reflects the happiness maximising unconscious brain, rather than his deliberate decisions.

If I were to ask Asher to explain his purchase of salsa, I am sure he would give me a reason, but would that really be the reason, or just a socially appropriate narrative (excuse) from his more “rational” brain. A lot of market research data should be checked for evidence of confirmation bias.

This is where market research really needs to up it’s game! Our models and even our questions are based on very “rational” views of consumers, which we know from neuroscience and behavioural economics are simply not valid). We don’t need to worry about being replaced by brain scanners though. We just need to ask smarter questions, and where we can, stop asking questions at all. If you want to understand what consumers really do, watch and listen.

Neil (aka Dr Disruption)

]]> By: Michael Conklin http://blog.joelrubinson.net/2010/07/what-if-it-all-starts-with-the-purchase/comment-page-1/#comment-2025 Michael Conklin Wed, 28 Jul 2010 02:46:17 +0000 http://blog.joelrubinson.net/2010/07/what-if-it-all-starts-with-the-purchase/#comment-2025 Great post Joel. I think one of the key insights you bring out here is that there is no single path to purchase. No matter what the product, there are consumers going down both ends of the funnel (more or fewer for specific categories to be sure). Marketers need to use all the tools available to them to influence people, whether starting at the top of the funnel or at the bottom. Researchers need to recognize that we need to explore the distribution of paths taken, not find "the one path". Great post Joel. I think one of the key insights you bring out here is that there is no single path to purchase. No matter what the product, there are consumers going down both ends of the funnel (more or fewer for specific categories to be sure). Marketers need to use all the tools available to them to influence people, whether starting at the top of the funnel or at the bottom. Researchers need to recognize that we need to explore the distribution of paths taken, not find “the one path”.

]]> By: Asher Hunter http://blog.joelrubinson.net/2010/07/what-if-it-all-starts-with-the-purchase/comment-page-1/#comment-2024 Asher Hunter Tue, 27 Jul 2010 19:38:36 +0000 http://blog.joelrubinson.net/2010/07/what-if-it-all-starts-with-the-purchase/#comment-2024 Great post Joel! There's lots of evidence to support your points and countless personal anecodates to illustrate the theory. Just the other day I was buying ingredients for dinner (pasta) and ended up walking out with salsa and dip (I'd never heard of the brand before and in fact can't even recall it now). Establishing demand and building brand equity is not a lost art though. I like to look at it as establishing a headstart in a race - e.g. the stronger the brand equity the bigger the headstart, but you still need to run out the race (shopper marketing). Art's points is a good one as well. Any model aiming to explain decision making should be non linear and cyclical in nature. Thanks, Asher Great post Joel!

There’s lots of evidence to support your points and countless personal anecodates to illustrate the
theory. Just the other day I was buying ingredients for dinner (pasta) and ended up walking out with salsa and dip (I’d never heard of the brand before and in fact can’t even recall it now).

Establishing demand and building brand equity is not a lost art though. I like to look at it as establishing a headstart in a race – e.g. the stronger the brand equity the bigger the headstart, but you still need to run out the race (shopper marketing).

Art’s points is a good one as well. Any model aiming to explain decision making should be non linear and cyclical in nature.

Thanks,
Asher

]]> By: Art Christiani http://blog.joelrubinson.net/2010/07/what-if-it-all-starts-with-the-purchase/comment-page-1/#comment-2023 Art Christiani Tue, 27 Jul 2010 16:45:06 +0000 http://blog.joelrubinson.net/2010/07/what-if-it-all-starts-with-the-purchase/#comment-2023 Joel and Annie, All excellent points you make and the power of 'in-store' advertising is driven partly by your findings. I want to add that we need to conduct research on the trial and purchase drivers vs. usage; and try to identify what was the 'genesis' of the initial brand introduction into our lives. (Mom for some feminine care products; girl friends for make up; etc.) We also need to understand how preferences form and then how long they change over time. Rather than the traditional purchase funnel which proposes a start and finish, it is much more what you discuss which is circular in nature and it can start at any point. (Sometimes driven by life stage, etc.) As marketers we like to think we control the consumer and their introduction to our brands and products, but as you clearly state it is not that simple and linear. I am a big believer in the interrelationships between behaviors and attitudes, and that behavior can begin 'in-store'. Think wine tastings at Trader Joe's, or Trader's constant food testing demonstrations - all trying to drive trial in-store. Keep up the great work and contribution. Always a Big Fan of yours! Art Joel and Annie,
All excellent points you make and the power of ‘in-store’ advertising is driven partly by your findings.
I want to add that we need to conduct research on the trial and purchase drivers vs. usage; and try to identify what was the ‘genesis’ of the initial brand introduction into our lives. (Mom for some feminine care products; girl friends for make up; etc.) We also need to understand how preferences form and then how long they change over time.
Rather than the traditional purchase funnel which proposes a start and finish, it is much more what you discuss which is circular in nature and it can start at any point. (Sometimes driven by life stage, etc.) As marketers we like to think we control the consumer and their introduction to our brands and products, but as you clearly state it is not that simple and linear.
I am a big believer in the interrelationships between behaviors and attitudes, and that behavior can begin ‘in-store’. Think wine tastings at Trader Joe’s, or Trader’s constant food testing demonstrations – all trying to drive trial in-store.
Keep up the great work and contribution.
Always a Big Fan of yours!
Art

]]> By: Annie Pettit http://blog.joelrubinson.net/2010/07/what-if-it-all-starts-with-the-purchase/comment-page-1/#comment-2020 Annie Pettit Tue, 27 Jul 2010 15:00:56 +0000 http://blog.joelrubinson.net/2010/07/what-if-it-all-starts-with-the-purchase/#comment-2020 Love it! I'm completely on board with this. It's hard to take off the researcher hat but if you do, you will see so many cases of this. Researchers need to stop thinking like researchers and marketers, and remember what they are like when they enter a store. Love it! I’m completely on board with this. It’s hard to take off the researcher hat but if you do, you will see so many cases of this. Researchers need to stop thinking like researchers and marketers, and remember what they are like when they enter a store.

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