The field of consumer behavior covers a lot of ground: It is the
study of the processes involved when individuals or groups select,
purchase, use, or dispose of products, services, ideas, or experiences to satisfy needs and desires.Consumers take many forms,
ranging from an 8-year-old child begging her mother for a Webkinz stuffed animal to
an executive in a large corporation deciding on a multi million-dollar computer system.
The items we consume can include anything from canned peas to a massage, democracy, Reggaeton music, or a celebrity like Lady Gaga. The needs and desires we satisfy
range from hunger and thirst to love, status, and even spiritual fulfillment. Also, as we’ll
see throughout this book, people can get passionate about a broad range of products.
Whether it’s vintage Air Jordans, that perfect yoga mat, or the latest laptop, there’s no
shortage of brand fans who will do whatever it takes to find and buy what they crave