10.4 sources of information, on average, before making a purchase. Voracious information-seeking has become deeply ingrained in many consumers, and we can envision no scenario in which they will see traditional marketing as a better provider of product information.
The sources of O change rapidly. New review sites and game-changing technologies can suddenly appear. For instance, consumers who use smartphone apps such as ShopSavvy to compare prices can minimize the weight of M on their decisions even on Black Friday. The idea that a new website or app can undercut years of careful messaging may be deeply frustrating to marketers—but it is a reality they must face. As the influence mix evolves, success will come to companies that can closely track the sources of information their customers turn to and find the combination of marketing channels and tools best suited to the ways those consumers decide.