An investigation of consumers’ decision processes and styles

Abstract

A vast number of new products are launched on to the market every year, 80-90% of which are destined to fail. The aim of the current study was to identify the group of people i.e. market initiators who would be the first to buy a new product. The new product in the current study was polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) fed fish, a healthy food. Previous research has found attitude to determine purchase of food products (Shepherd and Farleigh 1986). Other research has found involvement and cognitive style to interact to predict the purchase of new foods (Foxall and Haskins 1986, 1987, Foxall and Bhate 1993). The current study entailed using a measure of attitude to fish, involvement in healthy eating and cognitive style to ascertain the characteristics of market initiators of PUFA fish purchasers. Attitude to fish significantly influenced PUFA fish, premium price PUFA fish, PUFA salmon, PUFA eel and PUFA sturgeon purchase. Involvement in healthy eating significantly influenced PUFA fish and premium price PUFA fish purchase. Cognitive style as expected did not influence the purchase of PUFA fish or premium price PUFA fish. Cognitive style and involvement did not interact to influence the purchase of any PUFA fish. The information obtained was used to develop a marketing plan.