CHAPTER 10

BUYING AND DISPOSING

Multiple Choice
1. With respect to the consumer behavior model that has been presented in the text,
antecedent states consist(s) of all of the following EXCEPT:
a. situational factors.
b. product disposal.
c. time pressure.
d. shopping orientation.
Answer: (b) Difficulty: (M) Fact Page: 328, Figure 10.1
2. With respect to the consumer behavior model that has been presented in the text, the
____________________ consists of the shopping experience, point-of-purchase
stimuli, and sales interactions.
a. antecedent states
b. postpurchase processes
c. cognitive processes
d. purchase environment
Answer: (d) Difficulty: (M) Application Page: 328, Figure 10.1
3. Which of the following would NOT be a part of the post-purchase processes section
of the consumer behavior model that has been presented in the text?
a. Product disposal.
b. Consumer satisfaction.
c. Alternative markets.
d. Shopping orientation.
Answer: (d) Difficulty: (M) Fact and Application Page: 328, Figure 10.1
4. A ______________________ is defined by factors beyond characteristics of the
person and of the product that influence the buying and/or using of products and
services.
a. post-purchase process
b. purchase environment
c. consumption situation
d. psychographic situation
Answer: (c) Difficulty: (M) Fact Page: 328

173

5. Trent wants his date to believe that he is a man-about-town. He takes her to an

expensive cafe, orders the best wine, and pays a small musical trio to sing to her.
Normally, Trent prefers beer, fast food, and hard rock music. The above example
illustrates Trents:
a. situational self-image.
b. purchase environment.
c. demand orientation.
d. ethnic identity.
Answer: (a) Difficulty: (M) Fact and Application Page: 329
6. A consumers physical and social environment affects his or her motives for product
usage and how he or she evaluates products. Important cues include: (choose the
most likely important cue)
a. outdoor signs such as billboards.
b. time of day.
c. the amount and type of consumers also present in the situation.
d. product knowledge.
Answer: (c) Difficulty: (H) Fact Page: 330-331
7. All of the following illustrate the physical environment of a Las Vegas
casino EXCEPT: (choose the least likely given the definition of physical
environment)
a. a credit card.
b. decor.
c. smells.
d. temperature.
Answer: (a) Difficulty: (E) Application Page: 330-331
8. In addition to physical cues, groups or social settings significantly affect many of a
consumers purchase decisions. Jason loves to go to Borders Bookstore in the
evening. In addition to looking at books, he is able to meet interesting people in
Borders coffeehouse where local artists perform soft jazz. Since the other consumers
in Borders might impact Jasons purchases, we could call the other patrons:
a. shopping partners.
b. co-consumers.
c. swing consumers.
d. clients.
Answer: (b) Difficulty: (E) Application Page: 331
9. The presence of large numbers of people in a consumer environment _____________
arousal levels affecting the consumers subjective experience.
a. decreases

174

b. neutralizes
c. increases
d. does not affect
Answer: (c) Difficulty: (M) Fact Page: 331
10. Time affects consumer purchases. Another way of stating a factor based on time
would be to call it a ___________ factor.
a. monetary
b. temporal
c. demand
d. queuing
Answer: (b) Difficulty: (E) Fact Page: 332-333
11. Different countries have different time pacing. All of the following would be among
the fastest countries with respect to time pace EXCEPT:
a. Brazil.
b. Switzerland.
c. Germany.
d. Italy.
Answer: (a) Difficulty: (H) Application Page: 332
12. Time (timing) affects consumers receptiveness to marketing messages. Which of the
following forms of time would be the worst time to hit people with ads because they
are absorbed in an activity and little else?
a. Flow time.
b. Occasion time.
c. Leisure time.
d. Time to kill.
Answer: (a) Difficulty: (M) Application Page: 333-334
13. The psychological dimension of time or how it is experienced, is an important factor
in ______________ (i.e., the mathematical study of waiting lines).
a. polychronic activity
b. queuing theory
c. temporal tasking
d. psycho-activities
Answer: (b) Difficulty: (M) Fact Page: 336
14. Two dimensions of emotional states determine if a shopper will react positively or
negatively to a consumption environment. These two dimensions are best described
as being:

175

a.
b.
c.
d.

pleasure and pain.

avoidance and satisfaction.
deal making and arousal.
pleasure and arousal.

Answer: (d) Difficulty: (H) Fact Page: 337

15. With respect to the shopping experience, a specific mood is some combination of:
a. pleasure and pain.
b. avoidance and satisfaction.
c. deal making and arousal.
d. pleasure and arousal.
Answer: (d) Difficulty: (H) Fact Page: 337, Figure 10.3
16. When consumers are in __________ moods, consumers process ads with less
elaboration; they pay less attention to specifics of the message and rely more on
heuristic processing.
a. positive
b. negative
c. neutral
d. programmed (habitual)
Answer: (a) Difficulty: (M) Fact and Application Page: 338
17. Mary Jo has been on a roll. She made straight As in school, was elected to
the Student Senate, found a new boy friend, and found out she will be getting a new
car in about two weeks. Based on information found in the text, these positive
occurrences will have an impact on Mary Jo. Therefore, when Mary Jo reads and
processes ads in her favorite magazines, she will process the ads with:
a. more careful scrutiny.
b. less interest.
c. less elaboration.
d. greater concentration on price.
Answer: (c) Difficulty: (H) Application Page: 338
18. Shopping is an activity that can be performed for either utilitarian or _________
reasons. (Choose the primary category listed below)
a. hedonic
b. tangible
c. functional
d. moral
Answer: (a) Difficulty: (E) Fact Page: 338

176

19. When Darlene goes on a shopping trip, she often goes to the make-up counter in her
favorite department store. She will often have the salesperson rub creams on her
hands, try on new scents from the perfume section, and get a free cheek massage.
Which of the following best describes the type of shopping trip Darlene is
experiencing?
a. Hedonic.
b. Functional.
c. Utilitarian.
d. Soci-relational.
Answer: (a) Difficulty: (M) Application Page: 338
20. It is widely known that men and women shop for different reasons. According to
researchers, which of the following best illustrates these differences?
a. Women shop till they drop; men avoid shopping whenever possible.
b. Women shop to love; men shop to win.
c. Women always shop with friends; men are lone wolf shoppers.
d. Women display fantasies while shopping; men are realists.
Answer: (b) Difficulty: (M) Application Page: 338
21. Hedonic shopping motives can include all of the following EXCEPT:
a. social experiences.
b. sharing of common interests.
c. to replace lost functional items.
d. instant status.
Answer: (c) Difficulty: (E) Fact and Application Page: 338-339
22. According to a recent survey of online customers, what was the number one
characteristic (75% stated this reason) that makes an e-commerce site successful
(the customers would shop at the site again)?
a. A wide variety of merchandise.
b. Allowed the consumer to use credit cards as well as personal checks.
c. Good Web site design.
d. Good customer service.
Answer: (d) Difficulty: (M) Fact Page: 339
23. E-commerce has its limitations. All of the following are important limitations or
concerns for the consumer EXCEPT:
a. less price information.
b. lack of security.
c. fraud.
d. potential breakdown of human relationships.

177

Answer: (a) Difficulty: (M) Fact Page: 339-342, Table 10.2

24. All of the following would be classified as benefits for consumers who choose to use
e-commerce for their shopping EXCEPT:
a. the ability to match colors exactly with ones wardrobe.
b. shop 24 hours a day.
c. less traveling.
d. more choices of products.
Answer: (a) Difficulty: (M) Fact and Application Page: 342, Table 10.2
25. Which of the following is a reason that marketers do not accept e-commerce as being
the cure-all to all marketing problems (a limitation of e-commerce)?
a. Fierce price competition.
b. Fast delivery is too expensive.
c. Shopping 24/7 is too expensive.
d. e-Shopping is too oriented to affluent consumers.
Answer: (a) Difficulty: (M) Fact and Application Page: 342, Table 10.2
26. Innovative merchants have turned to retail theming to provide new ways to stimulate
and encourage consumers during their shopping experience. Which of the following
themes would be used if the retailer used a simulated outdoor environment (such as a
fishing pond with real fish) to attract outdoor enthusiasts to the retail store?
a. Marketscape theme.
b. Cyberspace theme.
c. Mindscape theme.
d. Landscape theme.
Answer: (d) Difficulty: (M) Application Page: 342
27. Innovative merchants have turned to retail theming to provide new ways to stimulate
and encourage consumers during their shopping experience. Which of the following
themes would be used if the retailer used man-made places such as a re-creation of an
Egyptian shopping bazaar to attract shoppers to its store?
a. Marketscape theme.
b. Cyberspace theme.
c. Mindscape theme.
d. Landscape theme.
Answer: (a) Difficulty: (M) Application Page: 342
28. A _____________ consists of the following dimensions: location, merchandise
suitability, and the knowledge and congeniality of the sales staff.
a. stores profile
b. stores structure

178

c. stores organization
d. stores ambiance
Answer: (a) Difficulty: (M) Fact Page: 343
29. Julie Morgan loves to go in Springers Old Country Gifts. It always smells like a
field of spring flowers. The lighting gives all the products a warm glow and the
mood music is just perfect for casual browsing. After her visit to the store, Julie is
always in a better mood. Springers Old Country Gifts has attracted Julie with its:
a. store position.
b. atmospherics.
c. subliminal cues.
d. in-store displays.
Answer: (b) Difficulty: (E) Application Page: 343
30. ________________ is(are) the conscious designing of space and its various
dimensions to evoke certain effects in buyers.
a. Design
b. Presentation
c. Atmospherics
d. Attitude
Answer: (c) Difficulty: (E) Fact Page: 343
31. All of the following are aspects of a stores atmospherics EXCEPT:
(pick the least likely)
a. cohort support.
b. colors.
c. scents.
d. sounds.
Answer: (a) Difficulty: (E) Fact Page: 343
32. In-store shopping has become extremely important in todays highly competitive
retail environment. It has been estimated that about ____________ of supermarket
purchases are decided in the aisles.
a. one-quarter
b. one-half
c. two-thirds
d. three-fourths
Answer: (c) Difficulty: (M) Fact Page: 345
33. Samuel is on his weekly trip through the grocery store. In the spice aisle he
remembers that he is out of cinnamon when he sees a can on the shelf.

179

Cinnamon is not on his grocery list. Samuel has just experienced which of the
following buying situations?
a. Unplanned buying.
b. Impulse buying.
c. Demand-enhanced buying.
d. Planned buying.
Answer: (a) Difficulty: (M) Application Page: 345-346
34. The Smith twins (Susan and Sarah) are on a trip to the convenience store. By the cash
register Susan sees the candy display that is featuring Sugar Babies. Susan grabs
her sister with delight. I love these, she says, Ive got to have some. So there
goes the budget and most of her allowance as she buys five bags. This urge that
Susan cannot resist is an example of which of the following forms of buying?
a. Unplanned buying.
b. Impulse buying.
c. Demand enhanced buying.
d. Planned buying.
Answer: (b) Difficulty: (M) Application Page: 346
35. Supermarkets have begun to install wider aisles in certain portions of the stores to
encourage browsing. Which of the following products would you expect to find on
these wider aisles? Choose the BEST from among the choices.
a. Low markup items that are bought frequently.
b. Products with the highest profit margins.
c. Products that are considered to be staple products.
d. Bulky items such as dog food or laundry soap.
Answer: (b) Difficulty: (M) Fact and Application Page: 346
36. All of the following are examples of point-of-purchase stimuli EXCEPT:
a. an in-store display.
b. a magazine advertisement.
c. a coupon-dispensing machine.
d. someone giving out samples of a new cookie in a grocery store aisle.
Answer: (b) Difficulty: (E) Fact and Application Page: 347
37. Consider this situation: a consumer goes into a jewelry store and sees a Timex watch
sitting in the bottom of a water-filled aquarium. As the fish swim around the ticking
watch, the consumer wonders How do they do that? This is an example of
which of the following forms of promotion/communication?
a. An advertisement.
b. A personal sales message.
c. A point-of-purchase display.

180

d. A public relations announcement.

Answer: (c) Difficulty: (E) Application Page: 347
38. One of the most important in-store factors is the salesperson. This influence can be
understood in terms of ______________, which stresses that each participant gives
something to the other and hopes to receive something in return.
a. exchange theory
b. risk-aversion theory
c. Gestalt theory
d. abundant supply theory
Answer: (a) Difficulty: (E) Fact Page: 347
39. ______________ stresses that every interaction involves an exchange of value. Each
participant gives something to the other and hopes to receive something in return.
a. Value theory
b. Exchange theory
c. Utility theory
d. Demand theory
Answer: (b) Difficulty: (E) Fact Page: 347
40. ___________________ is determined by the overall feelings or attitude a person has
about a product after it has been purchased.
a. Value theory
b. Consumer satisfaction/dissatisfaction
c. Resource exchange
d. Utility transmission
Answer: (b) Difficulty: (M) Fact Page: 348
41. What do consumers most frequently look for in products?
a. Color and style.
b. Price and warranty.
c. Quality and warranty.
d. Quality and value.
Answer: (d) Difficulty: (M) Fact Page: 348
42. According to contemporary thinking, marketers appear to use the word quality as
a catchall term to primarily mean:
a. good.
b. superior.
c. excellent.
d. unparalleled.

181

Answer: (a) Difficulty: (M) Fact Page: 349

43. According to the __________________, consumers form beliefs about product
performance based on prior experience with the product and/or communications about
the product that imply a certain level of quality.
a. expectancy value model
b. expectancy disconfirmation model
c. product disposal model
d. value initiation model
Answer: (b) Difficulty: (H) Fact Page: 350
44. Marketers must carefully study what makes consumers dissatisfied. According to
studies, the number one cause of consumer dissatisfaction is:
a. poor products and services.
b. high prices.
c. expectations exceeding the companys ability to deliver.
d. poor personnel.
Answer: (c) Difficulty: (M) Fact Page: 350
45. If Xerox inflates the time it will take for a service rep to visit, then has the rep arrive
a day earlier, the customer will be suitably impressed. This is a technique called:
a. overinflating.
b. undermanaging.
c. bad estimation.
d. underpromising.
Answer: (d) Difficulty: (M) Application Page: 350
46. Jimmy Ames is very unhappy with a recent purchase made at Outdoor World. The
rod-and-reel that he purchased seems faulty. The reel constantly gets tangled when
casting. Jimmy brings in the rod-and-reel, sees the store manager, asks for a refund,
and turns in the faulty merchandise. Jimmy Ames has just acted on dissatisfaction in
which of the following ways?
a. Voice response.
b. Private response.
c. Third-party response.
d. Cognitive response.
Answer: (a) Difficulty: (E) Application Page: 351
47. If a consumer is unhappy with a purchase and files a complaint with the Better
Business Bureau and sees a lawyer about a filing a lawsuit, the consumer is acting
on the dissatisfaction in which of the following ways?

182

a.
b.
c.
d.

Voice response.
Private response.
Third-party response.
Cognitive response.

Answer: (c) Difficulty: (M) Fact and Application Page: 351

48. Simtec believes in supplying the highest quality in engineering equipment and
controls. To make sure that its products fit the needs of its consumers, it goes into the
field to examine consumer needs and to see exactly how consumers use equipment to
solve problems. With respect to practice in TQM, Simtec is following a practice
called:
a. going to the mat.
b. going to the root of the problem.
c. going to the gemba.
d. going to the experts.
Answer: (c) Difficulty: (H) Application Page: 351
49. The Smiths decide to have a garage sale before they move to a new home. The
garage sale is an example of what is called: (Pick the most accurate formal
description)
a. the profit motive.
b. lateral cycling.
c. renewing.
d. casting away.
Answer: (b) Difficulty: (E) Fact and Application Page: 355
50. All of the following are reasons cited for the increase in used-product sellers
EXCEPT: (Pick the least likely reason)
a. concern about the environment.
b. demands for quality.
c. cost and fashion consciousness.
d. federal legislation.
Answer: (d) Difficulty: (M) Fact Page: 356
True/False
51. A typical antecedent state is product disposal.
Answer: (False) Difficulty: (M) Fact Page: 328, Figure 10.1
52. An example of an antecedent state is mood.

183

Answer: (True) Difficulty: (E) Fact Page: 328, Figure 10.1

53. A cognitive situation is defined by factors beyond characteristics of the person and of
the product that influence the buying and/or using of products and services.
Answer: (False) Difficulty: (M) Fact Page: 328
54. Situational effects are behavioral in nature and exclude other variables such as
perception.
Answer: (False) Difficulty: (M) Fact Page: 328
55. Charlotte seems to change her situational self-image when she turns from being a
quiet, conservative librarian into an avid Green Bay Packer fan where she drinks beer,
throws popcorn, and paints her face yellow and dark green.
Answer: (True) Difficulty: (E) Application Page: 329
56. A consumers physical and social environment has little to do with the motives that
are constructed for product usage.
Answer: (False) Difficulty: (E) Fact Page: 330
57. The presence of a large number of people in a consumer environment increases
arousal levels; a consumers subjective experience of a setting tends to be more
intense.
Answer: (True) Difficulty: (M) Fact and Application Page: 331
58. A temporal factor is one that reflects your sense of temperature.
Answer: (False) Difficulty: (M) Fact Page: 332
59. Countries have different paces with respect to time. One of the slowest countries
with respect to time pace is Italy.
Answer: (False) Difficulty: (M) Fact Page: 332
60. Fixing microwave meals is an example of what is called time poverty on the part of
the modern housewife/career executive.
Answer: (True) Difficulty: (M) Fact and Application Page: 332
61. Of all the times to try and hit a consumer with an advertising message, deadline time
is the worst time to present the message.

184

Answer: (True) Difficulty: (M) Fact and Application Page: 333-334

62. The mathematical study of waiting lines is called queuing theory.
Answer: (True) Difficulty: (M) Fact Page: 336
63. A persons mood or psychological condition active at the time of purchase can have
a big impact on what is bought and how the product might be evaluated. This called
a demand state.
Answer: (False) Difficulty: (M) Fact and Application Page: 337
64. Two dimensions, pleasure and pain, will determine if a shopper will react positively
or negatively to a consumption environment.
Answer: (False) Difficulty: (M) Fact Page: 337
65. If shopping is done for hedonic reasons, the experience and the results are usually
functional and tangible.
Answer: (False) Difficulty: (M) Fact Page: 338
66. A typical utilitarian shopping reason is sharing of common interests.
Answer: (False) Difficulty: (M) Application Page: 338
67. A typical hedonic shopping reason is to have instant status.
Answer: (True) Difficulty: (M) Application Page: 338
68. Bart prides himself on his knowledge of the furniture marketplace. He relishes
haggling and bargaining. He views this process almost as a sport. Bart (in the
example posed) is shopping primarily from a hedonic perspective.
Answer: (True) Difficulty: (M) Application Page: 339
69. One of the benefits that a consumer will experience by utilizing e-commerce to find
products and services will be that they will be able to get greater price information.
Answer: (True) Difficulty: (M) Application Page: 342, Table 10.2
70. With respect to retail theming, a good example of a mindscape theme is one
where consumers can enter into a world of fantasy (such as one where the person
becomes a virtual hunter, race car driver, or fashion model) as they shop.

185

Answer: (True) Difficulty: (M) Fact and Application Page: 342

71. A stores personality is revealed through its appeals to the mass media.
Answer: (False) Difficulty: (E) Fact Page: 343
72. Atmospherics are described by colors, scents, and sounds in a store environment.
Answer: (True) Difficulty: (E) Fact Page: 343
73. Unplanned buying occurs when a person experiences a sudden urge that he or she
cannot resist.
Answer: (False) Difficulty: (M) Fact Page: 345-346
74. A vending machine is a good illustration of a point-of-purchase display.
Answer: (False) Difficulty: (M) Fact Page: 347
75. According to a recent study, the American consumers definition of value has
become a description of what is best in class.
Answer: (False) Difficulty: (M) Fact Page: 350
Essay Questions
76. List and briefly identify each of the five antecedent states identified in the chapter.
Answer:
The chapter identifies five (5) antecedent states: situational factors, usage contexts, time
pressure, mood, and shopping orientation.
A brief description of each is:
(a) Situational factors--these are factors beyond characteristics of the person and of the
product that influence the buying and/or using of products and services.
(b) Usage contexts--will the buyer be using the product or service for themselves or
others? Is there any special occasion that might come into play?
(c) Time pressure--time can be thought of as economic and psychological time.
(d) Mood--the two primary moods are pleasure and arousal. Moods can be affected by
store design, the weather, or other factors specific to the consumer.
(e) Shopping orientation--reasons for shopping (though there can be many) include
social experiences, sharing of common interests, interpersonal attraction, instant status,
and for the thrill of the chase. Consumers can be put into categories, such as the
economical shopper, the personalized shopper, the ethical shopper, the apathetic shopper,
and the recreational shopper.

186

Difficulty: (M) Fact and Application Page: 328, Figure 10.1

77. Comment on the various temporal factors that might affect a consumer and his or her
buying process.
Answer:
Time is one of consumers most precious resources. Consumers have two broad areas
that are of concern. First is economic time. Time can be considered an economic
variable; it is a resource that must be divided among activities. Consumers try to
maximize satisfaction by allocating time to the appropriate combination of tasks. An
individuals priorities determine his or her timestyle. Many consumers today have time
poverty.
The psychological dimension of time is an important factor in queuing theory (the
mathematical study of waiting lines). A consumers experience of waiting can radically
alter his or her perceptions of service quality.
Difficulty: (M) Fact Page: 332-336
78. Time is viewed differently around the world. List and briefly describe three views of
time that might be seen in different cultures. Lastly, give two illustrations of countries
that have a) fast timestyles and b) slow timestyles according to information presented in
the text.
Answer:
Three views of time are:
a). Linear separable time--events proceed in an orderly sequence and different times are
well defined (Theres a time and a place for everything.) There is a clear sense of past,
present, and future.
b). Procedural time--the clock is ignored completely--people simply decide to do
something when the time is right. An extension of this is event time. Something
happens when something else happens (such as when the cows come back from grazing).
c). Circular or cyclic time--people are governed by natural cycles, such as the seasons.
This perspective is found in many Hispanic cultures. To these consumers, the notion of
future does not make much sense because that time will be much like the present.
Fastest timestyle countries include: Switzerland, Ireland, Germany, Japan, and Italy.
Slowest timestyle countries include: Mexico, Indonesia, Brazil, El Salvador, and Syria.
Difficulty: (H) Fact and Application Page: 332, 335
79. A consumers mood can have a big impact on purchase decisions. What two
dimensions of a consumers moods determine if a shopper will react positively or
negatively to a consumption environment? What factors can affect a consumers moods

187

in the shopping environment that are (a) under the control of the marketer and (b) not
under the control of the marketer?
Answer:
The two dimensions are pleasure and arousal.
Factors that can affect a consumers moods that are under the control of the marketer are
store design, music, television programming, and other factors specific to the consumer.
Factors that are not under the control of the marketer are the weather, current events, or
personal occurrences in the consumers life.
Difficulty: (M) Fact and Application Page: 337
80. Shopping is an activity that can be performed for either utilitarian or hedonic motives.
Describe hedonic shopping motives.
Answer:
People often shop even though they do not necessarily intend to buy anything. Shopping
is a way to acquire needed products and services, but social motives are also important.
Hedonic shopping motives can include:
Social experiences - Shopping centers such as department stores or shopping
malls can function as community gathering places. Many people, especially in
suburban or rural areas, may have no other place to go to spend their leisure time.
Sharing common interests - Stores with specialized goods bring together people
with shared interests and facilitate communication between them.
Interpersonal attraction - Malls provide natural "meeting places" with a variety of
stimuli -- a hangout for teenagers. The mall represents relative safety,
comfort, and convenience for groups such as the elderly.
Instant status - Sales personnel provide customers with a sense of importance by
waiting on them.
Shopping as sport, the "thrill of the chase" - Many shoppers view knowing the
marketplace as a kind of game or sport, enjoying listening to sales pitches
and haggling over price.
Difficulty: (M) Fact and Application Page: 338-339
81. Competition for shoppers is getting rougher. Retailers now must offer something
extra to lure shoppers, whether that something is excitement or just plain bargains. What
are some of the store influences on consumers?
Answer:
Today there are so many non-store alternatives, consumers tend not to be as store loyal as
they once were. Retailers prize store-loyal customers.
New alternatives include:

188

Retailing as theater - Malls have tried to gain the loyalty of shoppers by creating a
positive, vibrant, and interesting image. This has led innovative marketers
to
blur the line between shopping and theater. Malls especially hype the
multistimuli, multi-entertainment outlet offerings by combining retail stores
with
arcades, movie theaters, food courts, and the like.
Store image - The store's distinctive "personality" helps consumers select that
outlet. The store's profile includes dimensions such as its location,
merchandise suitability, knowledge and congeniality of sales staff.
Atmospherics - Increasingly special emphasis is placed upon combining complementary
sensory stimuli of colors, scents, and sounds to support visual presentation
of
products.
Difficulty: (H) Fact Page: 341-344
82. What is the difference between unplanned buying and impulse buying?
Answer:
Unplanned buying may occur when a person is unfamiliar with a stores layout or perhaps
when under some time pressure; or a person may be reminded to buy something by
seeing it on a store shelf. About one-third of unplanned buying has been attributed to the
recognition of new needs while within the store.
In contrast, impulse buying occurs when the person experiences a sudden urge that he or
she cannot resist. The tendency to buy spontaneously is most likely to result in a
purchase when the consumer believes acting on impulse is appropriate.
Difficulty: (M) Fact Page: 345-346
83. Describe the expectancy disconfirmation model and give an example of its
application.
Answer:
Satisfaction or dissatisfaction is more than a reaction to the actual performance quality of
a product or service. It is influenced by prior expectations regarding the level of quality.
According to the expectancy disconfirmation model, consumers form beliefs about
product performance based on prior experience with the product and/or communications
about the product that imply a certain level of quality. When something performs the
way we thought it would, we may not think about it. If, on the other hand, it fails to live
up to expectations, negative effects may result. Furthermore, if performance happens to
exceed our expectations, we are satisfied and pleased.
For example, lets say a consumer bought a ceiling fan at Sears, was told that it was of
good quality, brought it home, installed it, and turned it on. The fan did not cool the
room to expectations. Several reasons for this could have been: (1) it was improperly
installed, (2) the fan was too small for the room, (3) the fan was, in fact, of poor quality,
or (4) it was a very hot summer and all cooling was struggling to match a consumers

189

expectation for being cool. Any of these could have made the customer angry,
however, only one (#3) could be said to be the fault of the store or the manufacturer. The
job of the store is to make sure that the customer did not have unrealistic expectations
prior to purchase.
Difficulty: (H) Fact and Application Page: 348
84. Product disposal is an issue in a world that is continually making more and more
products. Using information that you have learned in the text about product disposal
options, draw a diagram that charts the options for disposing of an out-of-date or
unwanted Personal Computer (PC). Be sure to consider all the various options available.
Explain the connections shown in your model and describe the various options you have
created.
Answer:
The instructor can refer to Figure 10.8 to get a good idea or overview of the product
disposal process. Students should be able to adapt from this model to the issue at hand
(disposing of a PC). The students should be allowed a certain degree of creativity and not
be held strictly accountable to the model presented in Figure 10.8. Material found in the
chapter entitled, Disposal Options, may also be beneficial to read before assigning this
question. The instructor might also find it useful to modify this question to emphasize
other disposal issues, such as recycling, lateral cycling, or outlets for disposal (such as
garage sales or flea markets). Refurbished computers might also be an interesting side
street to explore. Some instructors might be interested in considering the online trading
market for a disposal option. This question works best with creative students and if time
is sufficient during the examination period. This question also works as a take-home
assignment as long as students are instructed to deviate from Figure 10.8 and not just
recopy it.
Difficulty: (M) Fact and Application Page: 353-354, Figure 10.8

190