Info Processing

Question 1

What are the two information search methods?

Answer 1

Internal and external

Question 2

What is an internal information search? What can effect it?

Answer 2

Searching stored information in your head that you know from memory, those with a wider knowledge will be able to explore more internal information (Hoyer 2013)
Time pressures and distractions can effect internal search

Question 3

What is an external information search?

Answer 3

Information search that is conduct using secondary resources (Hoyer 2013)

Question 4

What sources are available for an external information search?

Answer 4

(Hoyer 2013)
Social media / media - Twitter, corporate websites, ads
Interpersonal - wom, reviews by text, phone etc..
Independent - books, government websites, external non-branded sites
Experiential - trials, in person / online

Question 5

Why do consumers seek information?

Answer 5

Consumers seek info to solve an issue / fulfil a need / want
- Consumers will engage with an internal / external search
Soloman 2016

Question 6

What are the 5 memory systems?

Answer 6

Soloman 2016

1. Sensory = retain for around a second, can be a smell, noise or visual
2. Attention = info transferred to short term memory
3. Short term = 20 seconds of brief storage
4. Elaborative rehearsal = info transferred to long term memory
5. Long term = Relatively permanent storage

Question 7

What are the implications of info-processing for marketers?

Answer 7

• Understand how consumers process information helps markets strategically design messages
• Use repetition to keep messages in a consumers mind e.g Go Compare opera man
• Draw on negative aspects of competitors e.g Aldi vs Tesco, Tesco products shown as expensive despite same offering (comparative advertising)
• Internal bias search, choose one product attribute to focus on + use humour / attract visuals
• Brand consistency across all sources + create relevant messages for each segment

Question 8

What are the types of external search?

Answer 8

(Hoyer 2013)

• Repurchase search = aids a specific acquisition decision
• Ongoing search = occurs regularly even when not searching for a product

Question 9

What are the types of information available when conducting internal searches?

Answer 9

(Hoyer 2013)

1. Brands = 2-8 brands can be stored, due to brand familiarity, usage, preference
2. Attributes = summarised / simplified, due to accessibility, availability
3. Evaluations = overall attitude, easier to recall than attributes
4. Experiences = vivid experiences, usually positive / negative, due to repetition

Question 10

What are the internal search biases?

Answer 10

(Hoyer 2013)

1. Confirmation bias = Selective perception, recall information that enforces your own beliefs
2. Inhibition = recalling X, makes you recall Y
3. Mood = recall information, feelings, experiences to match mood

Question 11

What are the types of information available when conducting an external search?

Answer 11

(Hoyer 2013)

1. Brand information = is it frequently accessed?
2. Price information = infers attributes, e.g price communicates value vs quality
3. Attributes = consumers access information relevant to their goals

Question 12

What effects external search?

Answer 12

(Hoyer 2013)
Consumer knowledge = consumers with moderate knowledge search the most
Cognitive abilities = higher cognitive abilities allow complex info processing
Demographic = higher education student will search frequently
Information Availability = lots of available info = more searches
Info format = easy to read
Time availability = time pressure reduces search from several sources
No of items = more decisions, less variability in search patterns