In Chapter 4 we looked at a number of models from a marketer’s point of view. Now let’s
examine them from the consumer’s perspective. The traditional view of consumer decision making, which is similar to the more classic AIDA-based models of message impact, is based on a
linear, information-processing approach. It suggests that most people follow a decision process
with fairly predictable steps: (1) need recognition, (2) information search, (3) evaluation of alternatives, (4) purchase decision, and (5) post-purchase evaluation.