Abstract
Understanding how digital consumers may be segmented is a crucial and also challenging consumer behavior issue which defines the success of e-marketing strategies. This research is an attempt towards developing a segmentation of digital consumers. It establishes the combined effect of decision-making style and knowledge of product on the purchase decision. Based on the 2*2 design (maximizer/satisficers and low/high level of knowledge), four segments of consumers are introduced. Experiments are designed to capture the purchase process and verbal protocols, using video recording techniques. Purchase processes for 55 participants are modeled and measured by the number of cycles, number of alternatives, number of attributes and time. Results illustrate the influence of segment membership on the decision-making behavior of consumers. In addition, qualitative analysis of verbal protocols indicates variations in the decision making strategy of four segments and motives resulting in such diversity. This knowledge can be used to better devise targeting strategies and facilitate purchase processes for each segment of consumers. Marketers can enhance the experience of each segment by customizing their interactions during the decision making process.
You have full access to this open access chapter, Download conference paper PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Keywords
Understanding how digital consumers may be segmented is a crucial and also challenging consumer behavior issue which defines the success of e-marketing strategies. This research is an attempt towards developing a segmentation of digital consumers. It establishes the combined effect of decision-making style and knowledge of product on the purchase decision. Based on the 2*2 design (maximizer/satisficers and low/high level of knowledge), four segments of consumers are introduced. Experiments are designed to capture the purchase process and verbal protocols, using video recording techniques. Purchase processes for 55 participants are modeled and measured by the number of cycles, number of alternatives, number of attributes and time. Results illustrate the influence of segment membership on the decision-making behavior of consumers. In addition, qualitative analysis of verbal protocols indicates variations in the decision making strategy of four segments and motives resulting in such diversity. This knowledge can be used to better devise targeting strategies and facilitate purchase processes for each segment of consumers. Marketers can enhance the experience of each segment by customizing their interactions during the decision making process.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2016 Academy of Marketing Science
About this paper
Cite this paper
Karimi, S., Papamichail, K.N., Holland, C.P. (2016). A Segmentation of Digital Consumers and Its Impact on Purchase Decision-Making Behavior. In: Obal, M., Krey, N., Bushardt, C. (eds) Let’s Get Engaged! Crossing the Threshold of Marketing’s Engagement Era. Developments in Marketing Science: Proceedings of the Academy of Marketing Science. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-11815-4_80
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-11815-4_80
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-11814-7
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-11815-4
eBook Packages: Business and ManagementBusiness and Management (R0)