Pilgrim’s Progress? How the Consumer Makes Complex Decisions

Nick Watkins and Miriam Comber

Choosing the right mortgage can take months and that has implications for consumer research. This paper asks a series of questions such as does it matter if consumers are questioned at the beginning, middle or end of the decision process? It concludes that there is an underlying structure to the decision process based on how far the consumer is through the process and whether the consumer is a first time or repeat purchaser.

Pilgrim's Progress? How the Consumer Makes Complex Decisions

Nick Watkins and Dr Miriam ComberGfK-NOP Financial Division

BACKGROUND TO THE PAPER

Whilst many of the decisions that consumers have to make are relatively quick and easy, and the purchaser can benefit from frequent previous experience, this is not always the case. Some decisions will involve more than one member of the household, they may be considered over a fairly long period of time, they may be addressed only infrequently and they may involve a whole host of factors, some of which the consumer struggles to understand.

Financial services...

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