Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 35.1
The consumer decision journey today (adapted from Court
et al.
2009)
.
They developed their model from a study of the purchase decisions of nearly 20,000
consumers across fi ve industries and three continents. Their research revealed that rather than
systematically narrowing their choices until they had decided what to buy, consumers add and
subtract brands from a group under consideration during an extended evaluation stage. After
purchase, they often enter into an open-ended relationship with the brand, sharing their
experience with it online through social media.
The four stages of the consumer decision journey are:
1 consider;
2 evaluate;
3 buy; and
4
enjoy, advocate and bond.
New media make the 'evaluate' and 'advocate' stages increasingly relevant. Consumers' outreach
to marketers and other sources of information is much more likely to shape their ensuing
choices than marketers' efforts to persuade them. An addition to the original model is the 'Zero
Moment of Truth' (ZMOT). Online marketers have coined this term to describe the new
reality where marketers have to compete for shoppers' attention online long before a purchase
decision is made (Lecinski 2011).
After purchase, a deeper connection begins as the consumer interacts with the product and
with new online touch points. A good example of that 'enjoy, advocate and bond' stage would
be the evolution of the skiing experience. In decades past, a skier atVail Colorado would purchase
a ski ticket at the hill, enjoy his or her days' skiing and then have no further contact with the
