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Consumer Behaviour: A European Perspective: AND Marketing Communications, Engagement, Strategies and Practice
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- GenresBusinessNonfiction
Paperback
First published October 30, 2001
51 people are currently reading
155 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
July 9, 2024
This is a book I used extensively during my university years for various reports, and its insights have proven so valuable that I still utilise on it today as it continues to serve as a handbook for my work in marketing and business development. It brilliantly integrates sociological and psychological theories and principles into practical applications. The book offers an in-depth exploration of the factors influencing consumer decisions in the European market. Though I have the older version, its principles are still applicable today for anyone involved in marketing and business development, offering valuable insights for enhancing their work.
February 3, 2017
For amateurs and business people, Consumer Behaviour is an amazing field to look into - but not particularly through this book.
The information, the essence of it, and tolerable layout are worth two stars. Chapter 8 was especially good, chapter 6 was really unpleasant and Chapter 10 is proof enough that the author is quite inarticulate. The redundant verbal lard is depressingly salient and relatively gargantuan (Tarantino had it right, "gargantuan" is a lovable word)
That being said, as far as textbooks go, I've read considerably worse, if more clearly written.
The information, the essence of it, and tolerable layout are worth two stars. Chapter 8 was especially good, chapter 6 was really unpleasant and Chapter 10 is proof enough that the author is quite inarticulate. The redundant verbal lard is depressingly salient and relatively gargantuan (Tarantino had it right, "gargantuan" is a lovable word)
That being said, as far as textbooks go, I've read considerably worse, if more clearly written.
November 26, 2017
It is not every day that your textbook can make you laugh out loud!
I've had a few laughing fits while reading this book due to the highly amusing examples of how not to promote your product in another country than your home-market.
Other than that, it's a pleasant book to read, the writing-style is on eye-level with the reader with funny quirks thrown in. The layout is quite nice. Many theories, descriptions etc. are included, all quite useful and all are explained and put into perspective.
This being a textbook and all, I really did enjoy reading it.
I've had a few laughing fits while reading this book due to the highly amusing examples of how not to promote your product in another country than your home-market.
Other than that, it's a pleasant book to read, the writing-style is on eye-level with the reader with funny quirks thrown in. The layout is quite nice. Many theories, descriptions etc. are included, all quite useful and all are explained and put into perspective.
This being a textbook and all, I really did enjoy reading it.
March 8, 2022
In the book review I recommend other literature to back up the text. Some of that literature I’ve read in Danish, but I know that one or more of the books are available in English as well.
I’ve read this book before teaching a consumer behaviour class at bachelor’s level.
Overall, I find the topics of the book very relevant. It is a heavy book on 600 pages, and I would assume that it would cover the topics deeper than it actually does.
Overall, the book covers 5 areas:
A: Consumers in the market place. Chapter 1, 2
B: How the consumers see the world and themselves. Chapter 3, 4, 5
C: Consumers as decision-makers Chapter. 6, 7, 8
D: European Consumers and their social groups. Chapter 9, 10, 11
E: Culture and European consumers. Chapter 12, 13
The parts cover the following topics:
Chapter 1, 2
Scientific theoretical standpoint of marketers and consumers.
Global vs. local consumers
Ethical approaches and consumerism
Consumer perspectives and actions prior, during and after purchase
Shopping environment and visual merchandising
E-commerce
Chapter 3, 4, 5
Human sensory systems
Augmented reality
Gestalt theory
The branded world
Semiotics
The self – ideal and real – and digital
Gender roles, identity, body image and beauty ideals
Motivation theory and conflicts
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
Consumer involvement
Lifestyles and lifestyle marketing
Chapter 6, 7, 8
Behavioural learning theories – conditioning and learning theory
Gamification
Memory
Attitude formation
Materialism
Self-regulation and decision making
Problem recognition, information search (incl. SEO), evaluation, product choice and post purchase evaluation
Habitual purchase vs. affective decision-making
Chapter 9, 10, 11
Social groups and power
Social influence and brand communities
WOM (word of mouth)
Family structure & the modern family
Children as decision-makers
Age & consumer identity – Age cohorts and generations
Income & gender
Social class
Class structure around the world (India, Japan, Middle East, Africa)
Access to money
Status symbols
Chapter 12, 13
Culture and cultural systems
Magic, myths and rituals
Religious consumption
Cultural production (from fine arts and crafts to everyday objects)
Gatekeepers
Product placement
Innovation life cycle
The fashion system
Fashion cycles and adoption – trends
On the positive note:
Every part is divided in 2-3 chapters. Every chapter starts with an example related to the topic. The examples are easily read and makes a good reference to the topic.
On a negative note:
The further content is very broad. I miss chapters that are more specific and focused, and as mentioned above, content that goes deeper.
To back up chapter 3, I would recommend Martin Lindstrom’s buy.ology: Chapter 8 about sensory stimuli (smell, sound, touch, product weight etc.).
To back up chapter 9 on groups and social media, I would recommend other books. To back up the model STEPPS on page 379 – I will suggest the Danish book Spræng Boblen: Sådan bevarer du fornuften i en ufornuftig verden. It deals with information bobles and SOME. Chapter 2 deals with information bobles online, chapter 3 is about social status and identity and uses the model STEPPS, and chapter 4 is about communication and SOME.
For chapter 9 I will also recommend the book World Without Mind: The Existential Thread of Big Tech by Franklyn Foer, about SOME and how the big tech companies with the acronym GAFA (Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon) is monopolizing entire industries.
To back up chapter 12, I would recommend two chapters from Martin Lindstrom’s buy.ology: Chapter 5: Do you believe in magic, and chapter 6, A little prayer – Faith, religion and brands. (In English or Danish)
To back up chapter 13, about gate keepers, I would recommend: World Without Mind: The Existential Thread of Big Tech by Franklyn Foer, part 2.
Also to back up chapter 13 about product placement, I would recommend Martin Lindstrom’s buy.ology. Throughout the book he is investigating if product placement works. (The answer is NO).
-
Throughout the book I miss graphic models that are better visualized as well as better described in the text. More than once I could not decode what was on the picture, and there was no que in the text (figure 5.1 p. 166 – what is that pictured to the left in the Avoidance-Avoidance conflict?). As well as a clear difference between models and plain graphs showing statistics etc.
Part A, Consumers in the market place is the first part of the book. It is a little over whelming to read, as there is no single focus points but the content is all over. That makes it difficult to teach. It would work better in the book as a finalizing part, summing up all that is taken into consideration in the book and some parts fit right into other chapters of the book.
Also part D and E do not separate from the other content of the book. Both involving European consumers as well as global views – whereas I believe the book title is a bit misleading.
All in all it is a good read, but not without further readings to back it up.
Layout and graphic could be optimized a lot to actually help and guide the reader in the process.
I’ve read this book before teaching a consumer behaviour class at bachelor’s level.
Overall, I find the topics of the book very relevant. It is a heavy book on 600 pages, and I would assume that it would cover the topics deeper than it actually does.
Overall, the book covers 5 areas:
A: Consumers in the market place. Chapter 1, 2
B: How the consumers see the world and themselves. Chapter 3, 4, 5
C: Consumers as decision-makers Chapter. 6, 7, 8
D: European Consumers and their social groups. Chapter 9, 10, 11
E: Culture and European consumers. Chapter 12, 13
The parts cover the following topics:
Chapter 1, 2
Scientific theoretical standpoint of marketers and consumers.
Global vs. local consumers
Ethical approaches and consumerism
Consumer perspectives and actions prior, during and after purchase
Shopping environment and visual merchandising
E-commerce
Chapter 3, 4, 5
Human sensory systems
Augmented reality
Gestalt theory
The branded world
Semiotics
The self – ideal and real – and digital
Gender roles, identity, body image and beauty ideals
Motivation theory and conflicts
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
Consumer involvement
Lifestyles and lifestyle marketing
Chapter 6, 7, 8
Behavioural learning theories – conditioning and learning theory
Gamification
Memory
Attitude formation
Materialism
Self-regulation and decision making
Problem recognition, information search (incl. SEO), evaluation, product choice and post purchase evaluation
Habitual purchase vs. affective decision-making
Chapter 9, 10, 11
Social groups and power
Social influence and brand communities
WOM (word of mouth)
Family structure & the modern family
Children as decision-makers
Age & consumer identity – Age cohorts and generations
Income & gender
Social class
Class structure around the world (India, Japan, Middle East, Africa)
Access to money
Status symbols
Chapter 12, 13
Culture and cultural systems
Magic, myths and rituals
Religious consumption
Cultural production (from fine arts and crafts to everyday objects)
Gatekeepers
Product placement
Innovation life cycle
The fashion system
Fashion cycles and adoption – trends
On the positive note:
Every part is divided in 2-3 chapters. Every chapter starts with an example related to the topic. The examples are easily read and makes a good reference to the topic.
On a negative note:
The further content is very broad. I miss chapters that are more specific and focused, and as mentioned above, content that goes deeper.
To back up chapter 3, I would recommend Martin Lindstrom’s buy.ology: Chapter 8 about sensory stimuli (smell, sound, touch, product weight etc.).
To back up chapter 9 on groups and social media, I would recommend other books. To back up the model STEPPS on page 379 – I will suggest the Danish book Spræng Boblen: Sådan bevarer du fornuften i en ufornuftig verden. It deals with information bobles and SOME. Chapter 2 deals with information bobles online, chapter 3 is about social status and identity and uses the model STEPPS, and chapter 4 is about communication and SOME.
For chapter 9 I will also recommend the book World Without Mind: The Existential Thread of Big Tech by Franklyn Foer, about SOME and how the big tech companies with the acronym GAFA (Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon) is monopolizing entire industries.
To back up chapter 12, I would recommend two chapters from Martin Lindstrom’s buy.ology: Chapter 5: Do you believe in magic, and chapter 6, A little prayer – Faith, religion and brands. (In English or Danish)
To back up chapter 13, about gate keepers, I would recommend: World Without Mind: The Existential Thread of Big Tech by Franklyn Foer, part 2.
Also to back up chapter 13 about product placement, I would recommend Martin Lindstrom’s buy.ology. Throughout the book he is investigating if product placement works. (The answer is NO).
-
Throughout the book I miss graphic models that are better visualized as well as better described in the text. More than once I could not decode what was on the picture, and there was no que in the text (figure 5.1 p. 166 – what is that pictured to the left in the Avoidance-Avoidance conflict?). As well as a clear difference between models and plain graphs showing statistics etc.
Part A, Consumers in the market place is the first part of the book. It is a little over whelming to read, as there is no single focus points but the content is all over. That makes it difficult to teach. It would work better in the book as a finalizing part, summing up all that is taken into consideration in the book and some parts fit right into other chapters of the book.
Also part D and E do not separate from the other content of the book. Both involving European consumers as well as global views – whereas I believe the book title is a bit misleading.
All in all it is a good read, but not without further readings to back it up.
Layout and graphic could be optimized a lot to actually help and guide the reader in the process.
January 6, 2022
Tedious
April 10, 2020
Couldn't complete reading it, but a good & informative.
October 16, 2014
Great introduction to a study field I knew nothing about.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews