Prof.

Abhipsa Mishra

CONSUMER MOTIVATION

Motivation as a Psychological
Force
Motivation is produced by a state of
tension, by having a need which is
unfulfilled. Consumers want to fulfill these
needs and reduce the state of tension.
Eg. Need for food
Needs are the essence of the marketing
concept. Marketers do not create needs but
can make consumers aware of needs
Eg. Need for a pair of jeans
Consumer Motivation I Prof. Abhipsa
Mishra

Goals
The sought-after results of motivated
behavior
Generic goals are general categories of
goals that consumers see as a way to fulfill
their needs
Product-specific goals are specifically
branded products or services that
consumers select as their goals
Consumer Motivation I Prof. Abhipsa
Mishra

Holiday Travel Plan

How would you plan your next
coming holiday? Or think of any plan
that you had before.
What factors influence your decision
making?

Consumer Motivation I Prof. Abhipsa 4

Mishra

The Selection of Goals

The goals selected by an individual
depend on their:

Personal experiences
Physical capacity
Prevailing cultural norms and values
Goals accessibility in the physical and
social environment

Consumer Motivation I Prof. Abhipsa

Mishra

Discussion Questions
What are three generic goals you have set
for yourself in the past year?
What are three product-specific goals you
have set in the past year?
In what situations are these two related?
How were these goals selected? Was it
personal experiences, physical capacity, or
prevailing cultural norms and values?
Consumer Motivation I Prof. Abhipsa
Mishra

Rational vs. Emotional

Motives

Consumer Motivation I Prof. Abhipsa

Mishra

Arousal of Motives
Physiological arousal (they get hungry)

Consumer Motivation I Prof. Abhipsa

Mishra

Arousal of Motives
Physiological arousal (they get hungry)

Consumer Motivation I Prof. Abhipsa

Mishra

Arousal of Motives
Physiological arousal (they get hungry)

Consumer Motivation I Prof. Abhipsa

Mishra

Arousal of Motives
Physiological arousal (they get hungry)

Consumer Motivation I Prof. Abhipsa

Mishra

Consumer Motivation
Represents the drive to satisfy both
physiological and psychological
needs through product purchase and
consumption
Gives insights into why people buy
certain products
Stems from consumer needs:
industries have been Consumer
built Motivation
around
I Prof. Abhipsa
Mishra

Types of Needs
Innate Needs

Consumer Motivation I Prof. Abhipsa

Mishra

Types of Needs
Safety and Health Needs
Threats to our safety and health motivate
purchases for personal security and
protection

Need for Love and Companionship

Services and products help individuals find
and attract others
Products are often used as symbols of love
and caring

Consumer Motivation I Prof. Abhipsa

Mishra

Types of Needs
Need for Financial
Resources
Social Image Needs
Conspicuous consumption:
purchases motivated to some
extent by the desire to show
other people how successful
they are
Companies reinforce the notion
that products enable users to
communicate their social image

Need for Pleasure

Products, services, and
consumption activities provide
fun and excitement
Consumer Motivation I Prof. Abhipsa
Mishra

Types of Needs
Need for Financial
Resources
Social Image Needs
Conspicuous consumption:
purchases motivated to some
extent by the desire to show
other people how successful
they are
Companies reinforce the notion
that products enable users to
communicate their social image

Need for Pleasure

Products, services, and
consumption activities provide
fun and excitement
Consumer Motivation I Prof. Abhipsa
Mishra

Types of Needs
Need to Possess
Consumers often acquire
products simply because of their
need to own such products
e.g., collectors
Plays a role in impulse buying:
where consumers unexpectedly
experience a sudden and
powerful urge to buy something
immediately

Need to Give
Give something back to others or
reward ourselves. Self-gifts let us
motivate, reward, and console
ourselves
Consumer Motivation I Prof. Abhipsa
Mishra

Types of Needs
Need to Possess
Consumers often acquire
products simply because of their
need to own such products
e.g., collectors
Plays a role in impulse buying:
where consumers unexpectedly
experience a sudden and
powerful urge to buy something
immediately

Need to Give
Give something back to others or
reward ourselves. Self-gifts let us
motivate, reward, and console
ourselves

Types of Needs
Need for Information
Plays an important role in
persuasion if an ad appears
when consumers need
information, they are more likely
to pay attention than when they
dont need the information
One reason we read or watch TV
Fuels Internet usage

Need for Variety

Marketers may introduce
different versions of original
brand
Variety may become focus of
product positioning
Consumer Motivation I Prof. Abhipsa
Mishra

Dynamics of
Motivation

The Dynamics of
Motivation
Needs are never fully satisfied
New needs emerge as old needs are
satisfied
People who achieve their goals set
new and higher goals for themselves

Consumer Motivation I Prof. Abhipsa

Mishra

Substitute Goals
Are used when a consumer cannot
attain a specific goal he/she
anticipates will satisfy a need
The substitute goal will dispel tension
Substitute goals may actually replace
the primary goal over time

Consumer Motivation I Prof. Abhipsa

Mishra

Frustration
Failure to achieve a goal may
result in frustration.
Some adapt; others adopt defense
mechanisms to protect their ego.

Consumer Motivation I Prof. Abhipsa

Mishra

Defense Mechanisms- Table 4.2

(excerpt)
Construct
Items
Aggression

In response to frustration, individuals may resort to

aggressive behavior
in attempting to protect their self-esteem. The tennis pro
who slams his tennis racket to the ground when
disappointed with
his game or the baseball player who physically intimidates
an umpire
for his call are examples of such conduct. So are consumer
boycotts of companies or stores.

Rationalizat
ion

People sometimes resolve frustration by inventing plausible

reasons
for being unable to attain their goals (e.g., not having
enough
time to practice) or deciding that the goal is not really
worth pursuing
(e.g., how important is it to achieve a high bowling score?).

Regression

An individual may react to a frustrating situation with

childish or
immature behavior. A shopper attending a bargain sale, for
example,

Types of Motivational Conflict

Approach-approach: deciding between two
or more desirable options

Avoidance-avoidance: deciding between

two or more undesirable options

Approach-avoidance: behavior has both

positive and negative consequences

Consumer Motivation I Prof. Abhipsa

Mishra

A Trio of Needs
Power (Ego needs)

Consumer Motivation I Prof. Abhipsa

Mishra

Motivational Conflict and Need

Priorities
Resolving motivational conflicts requires prioritizing needs
Maslows hierarchy

Some needs take precedence over other needs

physiological needs take top priority
Differences in the importance attached to various needs
affects how consumers evaluate products
Because of consumers different motivational
priorities, companies use benefit segmentation: dividing
consumers into different market segments based on
benefits they seek from purchase and consumption

Consumer Motivation I Prof. Abhipsa

Mishra

To Which of Maslows
Needs Does This Ad Appeal?

Consumer Motivation I Prof. Abhipsa

Mishra

Both Physiological and Social

Needs

Consumer Motivation I Prof. Abhipsa

Mishra

To Which of Maslows
Needs Does This Ad Appeal?

Consumer Motivation I Prof. Abhipsa

Mishra

Egoistic Needs

Consumer Motivation I Prof. Abhipsa

Mishra

Egoistic Needs

Consumer Motivation I Prof. Abhipsa

Mishra

To Which of Maslows
Needs Does This Ad Appeal?

Consumer Motivation I Prof. Abhipsa

Mishra

Self-Actualization

Consumer Motivation I Prof. Abhipsa

Mishra

Motivational Intensity
Motivational intensity: how strongly
consumers are motivated to satisfy a
particular need
Depends on needs importance
Involvement: degree to which an object
or behavior is personally relevant
Motivational intensity and involvement
determine amount of effort
consumers
Consumer Motivation I Prof. Abhipsa
Mishra

The Challenge of Understanding

Consumer Motivation
Reasons underlying consumer motivation are not always
obvious
Research is necessary to discover real motivations behind
behaviors
People dont always want to disclose real reasons for their
actions
People dont always know why they do what they do
unconscious motivation
Motivations change over time
Consumer Motivation I Prof. Abhipsa
Mishra

Motivating Consumers
Motivating with Money

Price cuts, specials, rebates, and coupons

motivate purchase
Resulting sales may increase, but profits
may not
Attracts consumers less likely to repeat
Price reductions may increase price
sensitivity
Consumer Motivation I Prof. Abhipsa
Mishra

Motivating Consumers
Provide Other Incentives

Premiums, free
products,
contests, and
sweepstakes are
designed to
motivate
consumers to
purchase
Consumer Motivation I Prof. Abhipsa
Mishra

Motivating Consumers
Provide Other Incentives

Premiums, free products, contests,

and sweepstakes are designed to
motivate consumers to purchase
There are limitations and
shortcomings for this strategy in
addition to the products offered as a
premium being valued less (valuediscounting hypothesis)
Consumer Motivation I Prof. Abhipsa
Mishra

Motivating Consumers
Implement a Loyalty Program

Motivate repeat buying by providing

rewards to customers based on how
much business they do with the
company
Tracks consumer purchases and
provides estimates of Customer
Lifetime Value

Consumer Motivation I Prof. Abhipsa

Mishra

Motivating Consumers
Enhance Perceived Risk
Perceived risk: consumers
apprehensions about the
consequences of their
behavior (buying and
consuming the product)
Greater perceived risk
increases search
Educating consumers about
risks may motivate them to
make more informed choices
that reduce exposure to risk
Consumer Motivation I Prof. Abhipsa
Mishra

Motivating Consumers
Provoke Consumers Curiosity
For new products,
educating potential
customers is crucial
Curiosity often leads
to an enhanced
need for information
May advertise a
benefit that is not
normally associated
with the product
Consumer Motivation I Prof. Abhipsa
Mishra