It has to be noted that the degree of influence of an information source depends on the buyer's characteristics and product category.
Although commercial sources have more information, information received from independent ,public or personal sources are considered more credible by consumers .e.g. consumer reports is consulted by over 40% of all car shoppers. Thereby making it the largest source of information.
The four sources of information have a role to play in the decision making process. Usually commercial sources act as the provider of information and personal sources function is to justify or evaluate.
The integration of internet in to day to day lives of consumers has impacted ,how they search for information. The availability and access to information regarding products and services has greatly increased.
In this stage of the consumer decision making process, consumers gather information products of competing brands and compare. Knowledge about the sources of information and their relative influence are used by markets in developing their marketing campaigns.