CONSUMER KNOWLEDGE
During the information search stage of their decision making process, the consumer stated that they constantly looked at blogs and magazines in order to find out what the latest trends are and how they can pair different items together to get a unique look. In this stage it was noted that the consumer’s awareness set was approximately ten different brands. However, the size of her inept, inert and consideration sets were reduced to one or two brands in each set. The nature of the consumer’s evaluative criteria stated that she needed an outfit that was comfortable, stylish and properly fitted to her small stature. The results that were gathered in the information stage stated that the community around the consumer and her past experiences heavily influences her and that she can be easily persuaded in order to buy a product if it fits in with her evaluative criteria.
1. The consumer’s knowledge of the brand’s existence
In order for the brand or product to be included in the consideration set, the consumer must be aware that it exists. The consumer must be able to recall the brand or product from their memory when trying to make their purchasing decision, however this inert brand would likely be their final choice during the consumer decision making process. The inert brand that the consumer identified was Seed. They stated that they have purchased a few products from that brand and have mainly had an indifferent reaction to most of their purchases. They believe that this brand is in the inert set, as they usually do not consider it when making a purchase regarding a nightclub outfit.
Strategy:
Marketers could expand the inert brand’s online presence; creating a Facebook page for the brand can do this. Facebook has over 1 billion users and it is an effective way to promote specific aspects of the brand, for example, sales and new arrivals. Having accounts across social media can also increase the chance of the brand being noticed by consumers through suggested pages. Additionally, having a Facebook page will make Seed easily accessible to almost everyone of their current and future customers. The company can advertise their social media online status throughout their stores and can create an incentive that if a person likes their page and proves it at checkout they can receive a small discount.
2. Knowledge of attributes and associations
The attributes and associations that a consumer has about a brand is linked to their memory of the brand and other external information. The consumer was able to write down a list of the inert brand’s attributes and associations during the brand image audit task. The key associations that came to mind when they think of the brand Seed were; casual, comfortable, expensive and not ethical in production. These associations were in order from the strongest to the weakest.
Strategy:
A recommendation that Seed could implement to improve in this area is to advertise the variety of their products. After glancing at the Seed products from a distance a first time, it is easy to think that all of their products are very similar in their designs. The marketers for Seed could design a new layout for each of the stores. The current layout has many products put together and this is hard for the consumer to follow what they need to purchase. A new layout will allow consumers to find it easier to shop for what they need without being disinterested by digging through products to get to their ideal outfit.
3. Consumption and usage knowledge
Consumption and usage knowledge is important for the consumer to be aware of; as they will only buy a product that they know how to use and consume properly and effectively. Seed has many different products that may look like it would be easy to find an entire outfit, but within the store, there are many different looks, thus an individual’s purchasing decision becomes difficult. The consumer stated in the survey that they have had trouble in the past finding a matching set of clothes from Seed, therefore this has contributed to their thinking of the brand as inert.
Strategy:
A strategy that Seed can apply is that they can offer online video tutorials on how to pair items for a great outfit. Many of today’s society look to the Internet for online tutorials on almost everything. Creating an outfit can be challenging for some women and they need guidance. On their store website, Seed can produce and post short videos of models creating different outfits with the new arrival products.
4. Persuasion knowledge
The way that consumers respond to persuasion techniques from others is their persuasion knowledge. These consumers understand how the brands are trying to promote and advertise themselves in order to encourage them to purchase. However, many consumers have experienced in the past, a range of tactics that may have worked or failed in getting them to purchase a particular product. Knowledge of these tactics means that they can become less effective and the consumer will be less prone to buying from the brand. Currently on their website, Seed is promoting a discount of 30% off already reduced styles plus free standard shipping on orders over $50. This tactic pulls consumers in to browse through their products, however while looking through the sale page, the consumer noticed that while the products were discounted, the prices were still extremely high and not in the consumers price range.
Strategy:
Another strategy that Seed can implement is a permanent discount policy. Discounts pull a consumer’s eye towards the brand, as they believe they will be spending less to receive more. For example, the brand can advertise that if a consumer spends over a specified amount in a single in-store purchase, they will receive a card with a discount to use for their next purchase. The card must be not redeemable for cash as it encourages the consumer to continue purchasing their products.
Sources of knowledge
There are many ways that marketers are able to assess what consumers know about a particular brand or product category. They use various approaches in order to assist with their research:
• Brand recall from memory
When a consumer is able to recall a number of products from their memory and past experiences. The consumer was asked to recall a brand regarding the category of a nightclub outfit, it was noted that Seed was not mentioned.
• Brand recognition
Contrary to the first approach, consumers would be given a list of product names and then asked to identify which of them are familiar to them (Blackwell, 2006). When the researcher wrote down a list of brands that can be thought of as having products within the specific category, the consumer was familiar with approximately 80% of the brands, Seed being one of them.
• Types of brand image elements
This is where consumers write down a list of what comes to mind when they think of a particular brand. When asked to write down a list for the inert brand, the researcher began to understand what elements had a negative effect on the consumer’s purchasing knowledge.
• Comparison of image elements to competitors
In addition to listing the associations for the inert brand, the consumer was asked to do the same for the considered brand. The researcher was able to understand what elements the consumer considers in order to purchase a product and how they perceive each brand from their previous experiences and knowledge.
Lack of knowledge and undesirable knowledge
Knowledge gaps are explained as the absence of information in an individual’s memory (Blackwell, 2006). This lack of consumer knowledge can cause a brand to be forgotten during the decision making process. During the brand recall approach regarding the category of nightclub outfits, the consumer did not mention the inert brand Seed. After probing, it was clear that they thought Seed only sells laidback, bohemian clothing. This is not true as Seeds promotes that their products have a ‘modern edge’ and after searching through the website, it is clear that they have more variety than the consumer believed.
Strategy:
One recommendation that can be utilised by Seed is to communicate with customers through an online newsletter. Many consumers do not have time to go through stores and browse to find the perfect outfit but if they were sent updates about what the brand can offer, they would have the store in their mind. This newsletter can be sent through email about new arrivals or even discounts on a specific style.
Another type of knowledge is undesirable knowledge; which can be recognised as a barrier to a successful purchase. The consumer previously stated during the brand image audit that one of the elements when they think of Seed is their lack of ethics. The consumer has in the past researched which companies make the effort to not use sweatshops for their production; unfortunately Seed received an F grade meaning that the company behind the brand has not responded to enquiries about their production lines (Baptist World Aid Australia, 2016). This type of information contributed to the consumer’s indifference about the brand.
Strategy:
A strategy that Seed should undertake is to respond to enquires about production lines and state how they produce all their products. Many consumers take into account the policies and actions of a company and if the consumers disagree, the majority of them will boycott the brand. The CEO of the company behind Seed can address the issues through a press release.
GROUP AND PERSONAL INFLUENCE
Where did it occur in the CDP?
The consumer made it clear during the information stage that the community around her easily influences her purchasing decisions. The consumer constantly reads fashion magazines, blogs in order to help her stay in style. It was noted that the consumer follows numerous fashion icon accounts on social media and is extremely interested in that area. Additionally, the consumer has stated that the site Behind the Barcode influences her as this gives her an indication of which stores are ethical in their production lines as she is strongly against sweatshops and unfair labour. The consumer’s personal and group influences were also made clear to the researcher during the store choice and purchase stage as they had explained their reasons for why they choice a specific store or product.
The first type of group that the consumer acknowledged was her friends and family, this is known as a primary group. In this group there are less structured interactions shown, as well as both parties having similar beliefs and behaviours. The type of reference group influence was an informational influence, meaning that she relies on her community to help her make informed decisions about her purchases. The mode of transmission from this group is word of mouth, through dyadic exchanges, where the group influences the consumer’s actions and thoughts through interactions. The influence was on the category of the product, as the consumer needed assistance with their decision. This influence allows the sender to have a moment of control regarding their impact on another person. Additionally, the receiver now feels an increased confidence in their purchase decision.
Strategy:
A strategy that could be implemented is that Seed could promote an incentive to encourage word of mouth. As stated previously, many women trust those closest to them and if they are encourage by a friend to shop at Seed they would be willing to consider the brand. Seed can promote customers to refer a friend to the store and if the friend purchases a product, the other customer will receive a discount for their next purchase.
The second type of group that was noted by the consumer is an aspirational group, made up of fashion icons and journalists. This group helps the consumer feel like they belong to a high society group of people and influences their choices when shopping for nightclub clothing. The group has a normative influence on the consumer as she alters her looks to fit in with the new season.