Consumer Behavior

The general study of factors associated with the acquisition, use, and disposal of goods and services is called consumer behavior. Decisions regarding consumption and the social and environmental issues associated with consumption are common aspects of humans' daily lives. Consider the last 48 hours of your life. If you are a typical U.S. citizen, you will have been exposed to at least 3,000 marketing efforts. You may have visited a wide array of physical retail locations in addition to having visited Internet-based retailers and unique auction and exchange sites. You may have posted information about a movie or a book you recently experienced or sought advice from other consumers about a future purchase.

The formal study of consumer behavior began shortly after World War II when ...