Why People Buy [Hardcover]

John O'Shaughnessy (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0195040864 | ISBN-13: 978-0195040869 | Publication Date: June 4, 1987

Although consumers have a strong vision of "the good life," they wrestle with the problem of how best to express that vision in material terms through what they want to buy. How do consumers choose the brands they buy? What circumstances lead consumers to make their purchases--habit, weighing the pros versus the cons, pure liking or simple whim? Why People Buy provides an original approach to understanding and studying the consumer--it details a way of identifying the goals, wants, beliefs and choices currently motivating consumers. O'Shaughnessy discusses many situations from the point of view of the marketing manager seeking to attract new users, retain customers, increase business or convert from rivals. He argues that the consumer's choice criteria never involve more than six categories of reason, which he explains at length.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"An excellent update on consumer behavior. A solid conceptual base yet avoids statistical proofs based on unreplicated studies."--Julien Yudelson, Rochester Institute of Technology

"An excellent look at consumer behavior from a point of view accessible to all managers. It addresses the question of why people buy in terms and language that everyone can understand and in terms which clearly point to potential levers for marketing action."--T.J. Olney, Western Washington University

"Useful to professors who, like myself, would like to incorporate a consumer behavior section (which goes beyond the perfunctory chapter in the marketing textbook) into the principles course."--Mark G. Anderson, Point Loma Nazarene College

"A trove of insights into the consumer mind-set (or lack thereof).... Demonstrates convincingly how and why the consumer remains such a baffling entity."--Adweek

"Provides marketing strategists with fresh...approaches to fathoming and capitalizing on consumer behavior."--Kirkus Reviews

"I found John O'Shaughnessy's book very informative, erudite and easy reading. It should appeal to the general public as well as to the academic professor of marketing."--Frederick Herzberg, University of Utah

"An excellent textbook for marketers, business students, and consumer educators."--Los Angeles Times

"This is a concise and comprehensive text that constitutes a fresh and highly original approach to marketing. I would highly recommend it as a text for use in MBA courses in marketing and consumer behavior as well as an excellent basis for executive training and development."--Tomasz Mroczkowski, Kogod College of Business Administration, American University --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

About the Author

John O'Shaughnessy is at Graduate School of Business, Columbia University. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 208 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (June 4, 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195040864
• ISBN-13: 978-0195040869
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.9 pounds
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,889,667 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)