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Title of Project Goes Here
Full Name of Researcher
Full Name of Consumer
Class Time
Marketing 4362
Spring 2002
Date of Submission
1
Contents
1. Field Notes (only the first page of 7 pages) 2
2. Shopping Log 4
3. Shopping Story 9
4. Shopping Story with WCA Elements 15
5. Key Interactions among WCA Elements 22
6. Means Ends Chains 23
7. Problem Solving Process 26
8. Suggestions for the Marketer 27
9. Conclusions about Project 28
2
Field notes begin here.
3
Shopping Log
We went to the library and accessed the Internet.
Got onto Crutchfield's website and did research relating to home theater systems.
Through reading articles on Crutchfield, Matt was able to determine that he wanted
Dolby Digital and not Pro Logic or Pro Logic II.
Dolby Digital is the best available sound quality for home theater systems and it will
allow for Matt to maximize other electronics such as a DVD/CD player, VCR player, TV,
etc.
Matt already has a TV, DVD/CD player, and a VCR, so his search will concentrate on the
actual receiver and speakers.
He also just wants a receiver that will function with one remote control, controlling the
TV, DVD/CD player, the VCR, and other electronics that he would later purchase.
Through his research Matt realized that he wanted 5 speakers, which includes one center
speaker, front and left speakers, two surround speakers, and also to include a subwoofer
which would be a consideration but not a necessity.
Left the school around 5 pm, just enough time to sit in traffic. Decided to go to Circuit
City, Best Buy, and Fry's Electronics at Greenspoint. I knew that this would be a great
place to have a wonderful shopping experience with my classmate.
Walked into Circuit City and began looking at the various home theater systems.
He began to realize how expensive several of these systems were. For example, the Bose
speakers were $999 and this didn't even include the receiver.
Matt started browsing around at different brands even the ones he had never heard of
before like ONKYO.
4
His next stop was at a SONY Home theatre system. This system consisted of five
speakers, subwoofer, DVD/CD player, and a receiver. The whole unit operates using only
one remote control.
Matt was very shocked to see that the price for the whole unit was only $ 699.99. This
price was cheaper than what he was expecting due to he doesn't want to spend more than
$1,000.
Matt started examining the SONY home theatre system. He was turning the volume up
and down in order to get the quality of the receiver and the speakers.
The next home theatre system Matt looked at was ONKYO; this was $899.99 just for the
receiver. This means he would have to pay extra for a DVD/CD player, speakers, and a
subwoofer. Since Matt had planned to spend not more than $1,000.00 for the complete
unit, the ONKYO was out of his consideration list.
He went back and started allover examining the SONY system that he liked earlier. He
really liked the quality of the music, the bass sound out of the subwoofer, and the color of
the system, which was silver. Matt was more interested because he has had good
experience with SONY products in the past.
Matt asked the sales associate what he thought about the SONY home theatre system; the
sales associate said that it was a pretty good package for that price and quality. He also
recommended other brands like ONKYO and POLK to Matt.
Before talking to the sales associate Matt would have never, consider buying ONKYO,
now he learned that ONKYO was also good brand.
Matt asked the sales associate if there was a difference between the ONKYO system
which had a receiver and the DVD/CD player built in together and a SONY system
5
where the receiver and the DVD/CD player were separate. The sales associate told Matt
there was no any major differences do to the fact that the one unit has plug-ins and can
have additional DVD/CD or VCR players added to it.
The sales associate told Matt that incase he wants to change or upgrade his DVD player
on the combo system he will be able to do so. It also had an extra unit incase he wants to
connect his VCR.
The next thing Matt wanted to know was the Circuit City's warranty policy. Matt was
told that the warranty depended on the price of the item. The ONKYO warranty for five
years was $105.00 and $65.00 for three years. SONY warranty was more expensive. A
five-year warranty was $120.00 and $80.00 for a three- year warranty. The SONY
warranty was more expensive because it had two separate units vs. just the one.
Matt also learned that Circuit City had their own credit card so in case he wants to make a
purchase he will be able to finance through them.
Matt wrote down the model number for the SONY home theater system that he liked
(STR-K502).
He finished his window-shopping and we drove to the next store.
At Best Buy we went straight to the home theater systems and began to talk to the sales
associate.
Matt was so exited to see that at Best Buy they had exactly the same SONY home theater
system that we saw earlier at Circuit City.
The price for the system was exactly the same in both stores $ 699.99.
Next he was looking at the customized SONY receiver, which was $ 499.99. This
receiver had more S-video in/outs, which would enable direct connection to TVs, cable,
6
and play station that had the S-video connections. These options were only available on a
customized receiver.
If you purchased a particular receiver, you would receive a free set of KLH speakers or if
Matt purchased a receiver he could get $199.99 off for any speakers of his choice.
Up to this moment he was still interested with the SONY home theater system for
$699.99, which could be purchased at both stores for the same price.
He did not have to apply for Best buy's credit card because he already had one.
By using Best Buy's credit card he would get eighteen months interest free financing for
the purchase of a home theater system in the store valued greater than $399.00.
The sales associate advised him to buy new speaker wire that will give him better sound
quality.
Also the sales associate told Matt that he needs a power surge guard so he can get clear
sound without any static from the outlet. This will cost $ 99.00.
The warranty was comparable to Circuit city. Its cost was $99.00 for a four-year
warranty. They did not offer a three or five year warranty, just the four-year warranty.
This warranty covers everything including cleaning. If anything breaks they will try to fix
it or if not, they will completely replace the damaged part.
Flood was one of the items that were not covered by the warranty.
The sales associate told Matt that there was a box that was open; therefore, if Matt was
interested he could purchase that particular home theater system for $50.00 less than the
original price-
Matt was thrilled because he thought he was receiving a good deal.
7
Although the sales associate at Best buy was not on commission, he was more helpful
compared to the one at Circuit City.
We left Best Buy for our next stop, which was Fry's Electronics.
Here Matt again saw the exact same SONY home theater system that he saw earlier at
Best Buy and Circuit City.
It was also the same price in all three stores.
At this store the sales associate also recommended the SONY home theater system.
Fry's service plan or warranty was $ 40.00 for two years, $ 99.99 for three years and
$139.99 for five years. This was more expensive than Circuit City or Best Buy.
This warranty included maintenance and cleaning for example dusting.
The sales associate also recommended the BOSE home theater system because it has
better material quality, sound quality, and the speakers were very small and placed
strategically in the buyers home.
Matt was not very interested because it was very expensive. It cost about $2,500.00 or
just buying the cheapest speakers cost about $600.00
Fry's Electronics does not have their own credit card; therefore, if someone wanted to
finance their purchase they would have to do it with SONY or Mitsubishi directly with
Fry's assistance.
At this point Matt knew what he wanted. He planned to go back the next day to Best Buy
and purchase the SONY home theater system the one for $649.99. He was going to pay
this using his Best Buy's credit card.
8
Shopping Story
A Great Day to Shop
It was a beautiful Tuesday evening when I decided to go to the UH Anderson Library and
do some research on home theater systems. I had been debating about purchasing a home theater
system for about a year now, and I have just now decided to get real serious about looking for a
system. Home theater systems have made some tremendous improvements since the last time I
had looked into buying one. So my first place was to go to the library and learn as much about
home theater systems as I possibly could. From my previous shopping experience with shopping
for a car stereo, I knew that www.crutchfield.com would be an excellent starting point for my
search and I was so excited by what I was able to learn in such a short period of time.
I was ready and determined to find the right home theater system that would suit my
needs. From the articles on Crutchfield’s website, I obtained new knowledge that would help
influence my purchasing decision. Several of the key components that would be a must for a
good home theater system included a Dolby Digital processor. This was the latest in audio
technology and was better than Pro Logic and Pro Logic II. Electronics that was already in my
possession included a TV, VCR, and DVD/CD player. So my search for a home theater system
would concentrate on a receiver and speakers. The receiver had to have a connection for the
current electronics I owned and places for future purchases. The article informed me that a good
system should include 5 speakers and a subwoofer, which was a center speaker, a front and left
speaker, two rear speakers, and a subwoofer. I would definitely purchase the speakers, and the
subwoofer would be a bonus item and not a necessity. There were also home theater systems
that would allow the user to just have one remote control. That was important to me, because I
currently had a different remote for each of my electronics, and it was cumbersome to switch and
9
even find each remote. With this knowledge, a home theater system in my home was becoming
a reality.
It was time to map out a plan. Stores under consideration were Circuit City, Best Buy,
and Fry’s Electronics. Luckily for me, all three stores are located very close to each other in the
Greenspoint area of Houston. The first store for consideration was Circuit City. I never give
them much thought, but I figured this would be a great opportunity to see what they had to offer.
They also normally run the same type of deals as Best Buy. I always shop at Best Buy because
they have very competitive prices and they also have a store credit card. I normally finance large
purchases and this can easily be done with Best Buy. They are continually running special
financing plans like 6 months with no finance charges. The last store I wanted to go to was Fry’s
Electronics. They are the new store in town and everyone has talked about them. Even my
professor in Applied Buying Behavior had mentioned visiting Fry’s Electronics on a friend’s
recommendation. I had just visited the store a few weeks before and they had just about
everything a person could want in electronics. They even offered BOSE systems and even gave
demonstrations. So I knew that they would have a large selection of home theater systems. It
was also important that the home theater system didn’t cost more than $1,000. I believed that
this would be a good amount to spend on a home theater system and would be well within my
budget.
The first stop was Circuit City, because it was the first store off of Beltway 8 and I was
tired of sitting in traffic. I was becoming excited about looking for a home theater system. I
walked into the store and came across several home theater systems. Most of them had their own
setup or location and were spaced throughout the stereo section. The first system that I looked at
was an ONKYO receiver and BOSE speakers. The receiver and speakers were each priced at
10
$999 and I knew that this was out of my price range and didn’t give it much more consideration.
The next system I came across was a SONY home theater system. This system was silver and
included a receiver, DVD/CD player, 5 speakers, and a subwoofer. This total package was
$699.99. I decided to turn it on. I cranked up the volume and it sounded pretty good. The
functionality seemed fairly simple and appeared to include everything I was looking for, but it
also included a 5-disk DVD/CD player. I already had a DVD/CD player, and I was not very
interested in purchasing another one. So I decided to keep looking. I looked at several other
brands like PANASONIC, KENWOOD, POLK, ONKYO, and others . After looking at several
systems, I came upon an ONKYO receiver/DVD/CD player home theater system. The receiver
and DVD/CD player was all one unit. It too came with 5 speakers and a subwoofer. I turned it
on and cranked up the volume and it too sounded pretty good . This system was priced at
$899.99.
I began to draw several conclusions based on my current evaluations of several of the
home theater systems. Almost all of the complete systems were Dolby Digital, came with the 5
speakers, subwoofer, a multi-functioning remote, a DVD/CD player either as one unit or two
separate units, and they were priced below the $1,000 maximum. So, almost all of my
expectations were standard options on the home theater systems. My plans to buy a DVD/CD
player also changed. I already had a DVD/CD player but knew that it was a very cheap model
and that it was becoming very realistic for me to purchase a much better DVD/CD player and it
would be included in the home theater system.
Up to this point, I had not consulted with a sales person and no one had even asked if I
needed any assistance. So I had to go find a person that could assist me in searching for the best
unit. I first asked the sales associate of what he thought about the SONY home theater system.
11
He said that it was a good system and it was reasonably priced. I then asked him what home
theater systems did he like and why? He indicated that he liked the POLK and ONKYO systems
and they were two of the best systems they had to offer. Unfortunately the POLK system was
not operating, but he was willing to demonstrate the ONKYO systems. He showed me the
ONKYO system that was priced at $899.99 that I looked at earlier. This system and the SONY
system appeared to offer the same functions with a few distinctions. The receiver and DVD/CD
player for SONY were separate units and the DVD/CD player would hold 5 disks. The
ONKYO offered a receiver and DVD/CD player all in one unit and the DVD/CD player would
only hold one disk. The ONKYO was priced $200 higher. So my next logical question was,
why ? The sales associate indicated that the ONKYO system was a better system and the sound
quality was better. After listening to both of the systems, I could not tell that much of a
difference. I also asked his opinion on whether it would be better to have the receiver separate
from the DVD/CD player or as one component. My concern was with upgrading my DVD/CD
player or being able to add a DVD/CD or other electronics in the future. The sales associate
informed me that the one-component receivers had additional outlets to plug in new equipment
and it was not important to have the receiver separate from the DVD/CD player. I thought both
systems were sleek and sharp in their appearance and would like to have either system. Due to
the discussion with the sales associate, I had also decided that ONKYO was a good quality
system and it would be a serious consideration in my home theater system purchase.
Know my concerns shifted from the system to warranty and financing. They
offered a 3 and 5 year warranty and the cost of the warranty depended upon the price and type of
equipment being purchased. The ONKYO was $105 and 65 for the 5 and 3-year warranty,
respectively. The SONY warranty was $120 and 80, respectively. The SONY warranty was
12
more costly than the ONKYO unit by about $25. But the SONY unit was $200 less than the
ONKYO unit, so it was hard to understand why the SONY’s warranty cost more. They also had
their own credit card, and I would be able to finance the purchase through them. The sales
associate was not too sure about any special financing plans. I was leaving Circuit City with the
SONY system being the ideal unit and planned to use it as a guide for the other two stores.
The next stop on my journey was Best Buy. I went straight to the home theater system
department, and the sales associate immediately greeted me. After getting an idea of what I was
looking for, he was able to point me in the right direction. My face lit up when he brought me to
the exact SONY system they had at Circuit City and for the same price of $699.99. And this
week they were also offering a financing plan of 18 months without finance charges on any
home theater systems priced $399 and up. The best thing yet, I already had a Best Buy credit
card. I asked him, what would be the next step up from this system. He showed me a SONY
receiver for $499.99 and it came with 5 speakers and a subwoofer (KLH speakers at a value of
$199.99). He realized that I was not too enthusiastic about the speakers and indicated that I
could also take the $200 and apply it to any SONY speakers, which were sold separately. They
had two sets of speakers I could choose from at Best Buy. One priced at $299.99 and the other at
$399.99. The only difference was the subwoofer. The subwoofer for $299.99 had 75 watts of
power and the other had 100 watts of power. The ones that came with the complete system were
the same as above except that the subwoofer only had 50 watts of power. So I had to
contemplate the differences between what subwoofer I wanted in my purchase. The only
difference in the two receivers was that the receiver for $499.99 had S-video in/outs. I could buy
this system and the SONY speakers for about $600 vs. $700, but I wouldn’t get the DVD/CD
player and I could always purchase an adapter for the S-video in/outs if necessary. The warranty
13
for the complete system would by a 4 year plan for $99.99. I would have to purchase a separate
plan on the speakers and receiver if purchased separately, but it would still come to about $100.
The sales associate also indicated that I would need to purchase new speaker cable and a surge
protector. This would cost me an additional $160ME, but would be worth the better sound quality
and protection of my system. Before leaving, the sales associate also indicated that he had an
open unit that had everything and would give me $50 off. So I could purchase the complete
system for $649.99. That made me very happy, and I had pretty well decided that this would be
the unit I would purchase, but I should see what Fry’s has to offer before making my final
decision.
I walked into Fry’s Electronics and was amazed by its size. I went over to the home
theater systems and looked around. They pretty well had the same systems that the other two
stores had. I located a sales person and asked what systems he recommended. He too
recommended the same SONY system that I really liked in the other stores. He showed me
several other models and discussed the differences. I asked what system would be the upgrade to
this SONY system and he indicated the BOSE home theater systems. Their starting prices were
$2,500 and I knew that this was way out of my price range. They too had warranty plans but
their 5-year plan was $139.00. To my surprise, they didn’t offer direct financing and didn’t have
their own credit card. By this time I had made up my mind that the SONY home theater system,
which includes the Receiver, DVD/CD player, and speakers, was the ideal system for me. I
decided to go back to Best Buy and purchase the system the next day and finance it with my Best
Buy credit card.
14
Shopping Story with WCA Elements
A Great Day to Shop
It was a beautiful Tuesday evening E when I decided to go to the UH Anderson Library
and do some research on home theater systems B. I had been debating about purchasing a home
theater system for about a year now, and I have just now decided to get real serious about
looking for a system C. Home theater systems have made some tremendous improvements since
the last time I had looked into buying one. So my first place was to go to the library and learn as
much about home theater systems as I possibly could B. From my previous shopping experience
with shopping for a car stereo, I knew that www.crutchfield.com would be an excellent starting
point for my search C and I was so excited by what I was able to learn in such a short period of
time A.
I was ready and determined to find the right home theater system that would suit my
needs. From the articles on Crutchfield’s website ME, I obtained new knowledge that would help
influence my purchasing decision C. Several of the key components that would be a must for a
good home theater system included a Dolby Digital processor. This was the latest in audio
technology and was better than Pro Logic and Pro Logic II. Electronics that was already in my
possession included a TV, VCR, and DVD/CD player E. So my search for a home theater system
would concentrate on a receiver and speakers. The receiver had to have a connection for the
current electronics I owned and places for future purchases. The article informed me that a good
system should include 5 speakers and a subwoofer, which was a center speaker, a front and left
speaker, two rear speakers, and a subwoofer ME. I would definitely purchase the speakers, and
the subwoofer would be a bonus item and not a necessity C. There were also home theater
systems that would allow the user to just have one remote control. That was important to me A,
15
because I currently had a different remote for each of my electronics E, and it was cumbersome
to switch and even find each remote A. With this knowledge, a home theater system in my home
was becoming a reality.
It was time to map out a plan. Stores under consideration were Circuit City, Best Buy,
and Fry’s Electronics ME. Luckily for me, all three stores are located very close to each other in
the Greenspoint area of Houston E. The first store for consideration was Circuit City. I never
give them much thought, but I figured this would be a great opportunity to see what they had to
offer C. They also normally run the same type of deals as Best Buy ME. I always shop at Best
Buy B because they have very competitive prices and they also have a store credit card ME. I
normally finance large purchases and this can easily be done with Best Buy. They are
continually running special financing plans like 6 months with no finance charges ME. The last
store I wanted to go to was Fry’s Electronics C. They are the new store in town and everyone has
talked about them. Even my professor in Applied Buying Behavior had mentioned visiting
Fry’s Electronics on a friend’s recommendation E. I had just visited the store a few weeks before
and they had just about everything a person could want in electronics. They even offered BOSE
systems and even gave demonstrations ME. So I knew that they would have a large selection of
home theater systems C. It was also important that the home theater system didn’t cost more than
$1,000. I believed that this would be a good amount to spend on a home theater system and
would be well within my budget C.
The first stop was Circuit City, because it was the first store off of Beltway 8 and I was
tired of sitting in traffic E. I was becoming excited about looking for a home theater system A. I
walked into the store and came across several home theater systems. Most of them had their own
setup or location and were spaced throughout the stereo section ME. The first system that I
16
looked at was an ONKYO receiver and BOSE speakers. The receiver and speakers were each
priced at $999 ME and I knew that this was out of my price range and didn’t give it much more
consideration C. The next system I came across was a SONY home theater system. This system
was silver and included a receiver, DVD/CD player, 5 speakers, and a subwoofer. This total
package was $699.99 ME. I decided to turn it on. I cranked up the volume B and it sounded pretty
good C. The functionality seemed fairly simple and appeared to include everything I was looking
for, but it also included a 5-disk DVD/CD player ME. I already had a DVD/CD player E, and I
was not very interested in purchasing another one C. So I decided to keep looking C. I looked at
several other brands like PANASONIC, KENWOOD, POLK, ONKYO, and others ME. After
looking at several systems, I came upon an ONKYO receiver/DVD/CD player home theater
system. The receiver and DVD/CD player was all one unit. It too came with 5 speakers and a
subwoofer ME. I turned it on and cranked up the volume B and it too sounded pretty good C. This
system was priced at $899.99 ME.
I began to draw several conclusions based on my current evaluations of several of the
home theater systems C. Almost all of the complete systems were Dolby Digital, came with the 5
speakers, subwoofer, a multi-functioning remote, a DVD/CD player either as one unit or two
separate units, and they were priced below the $1,000 maximum ME. So almost all of my
expectations were standard options on the home theater systems. My plans to buy a DVD/CD
player also changed. I already had a DVD/CD player but knew that it was a very cheap model
and that it was becoming very realistic for me to purchase a much better DVD/CD player and it
would be included in the home theater system C.
Up to this point, I had not consulted with a sales person and no one had even asked if I
needed any assistance ME. So I had to go find a person that could assist me in searching for the
17
best unit B. I first asked the sales associate of what he thought about the SONY home theater
system B. He said that it was a good system and it was reasonably priced ME. I then asked him
what home theater systems did he like and why B? He indicated that he liked the POLK and
ONKYO systems and they were two of the best systems they had to offer. Unfortunately the
POLK system was not operating, but he was willing to demonstrate the ONKYO systems ME. He
showed me the ONKYO system that was priced at $899.99 that I looked at earlier. This system
and the SONY system appeared to offer the same functions with a few distinctions. The receiver
and DVD/CD player for SONY were separate units and the DVD/CD player would hold 5 disks.
The ONKYO offered a receiver and DVD/CD player all in one unit and the DVD/CD player
would only hold one disk. The ONKYO was priced $200 higher ME. So my next logical
question was, why C? The sales associate indicated that the ONKYO system was a better system
and the sound quality was better ME. After listening to both of the systems B, I could not tell that
much of a difference C. I also asked his opinion on whether it would be better to have the
receiver separate from the DVD/CD player or as one component B. My concern was with
upgrading my DVD/CD player or being able to add a DVD/CD or other electronics in the future
C
. The sales associate informed me that the one-component receivers had additional outlets to
plug in new equipment and it was not important to have the receiver separate from the DVD/CD
player ME. I thought both systems were sleek and sharp in their appearance and would like to
have either system C. Due to the discussion with the sales associate ME, I had also decided that
ONKYO was a good quality system and it would be a serious consideration in my home theater
system purchase C.
Know my concerns shifted from the system to warranty and financing C. They
offered a 3 and 5 year warranty and the cost of the warranty depended upon the price and type of
18
equipment being purchased. The ONKYO was $105 and 65 for the 5 and 3-year warranty,
respectively. The SONY warranty was $120 and 80, respectively ME. The SONY warranty was
more costly than the ONKYO unit by about $25. But the SONY unit was $200 less than the
ONKYO unit ME, so it was hard to understand why the SONY’s warranty cost more C. They also
had their own credit card, and I would be able to finance the purchase through them. The sales
associate was not too sure about any special financing plans ME. I was leaving Circuit City with
the SONY system being the ideal unit and planned to use it as a guide for the other two stores C.
The next stop on my journey was Best Buy. I went straight to the home theater system
department B, and the sales associate immediately greeted me ME. After getting an idea of what I
was looking for, he was able to point me in the right direction. My face lit up A when he brought
me to the exact SONY system they had at Circuit City and for the same price of $699.99. And
this week they were also offering a financing plan of 18 months without finance charges on any
home theater systems priced $399 and up ME. The best thing yet, I already had a Best Buy credit
card ME. I asked him, what would be the next step up from this system B. He showed me a
SONY receiver for $499.99 and it came with 5 speakers and a subwoofer (KLH speakers at a
value of $199.99) ME. He realized that I was not too enthusiastic about the speakers A and
indicated that I could also take the $200 and apply it to any SONY speakers, which were sold
separately ME. They had two sets of speakers I could choose from at Best Buy. One priced at
$299.99 and the other at $399.99. The only difference was the subwoofer. The subwoofer for
$299.99 had 75 watts of power and the other had 100 watts of power. The ones that came with
the complete system were the same as above except that the subwoofer only had 50 watts of
power ME. So I had to contemplate the differences between what subwoofer I wanted in my
purchase C. The only difference in the two receivers was that the receiver for $499.99 had S-
19
video in/outs. I could buy this system and the SONY speakers for about $600 vs. $700, but I
wouldn’t get the DVD/CD player and I could always purchase an adapter for the S-video in/outs
if necessary ME. The warranty for the complete system would by a 4 year plan for $99.99. I
would have to purchase a separate plan on the speakers and receiver if purchased separately, but
it would still come to about $100. The sales associate also indicated that I would need to
purchase new speaker cable and a surge protector ME. This would cost me an additional $160ME,
but would be worth the better sound quality and protection of my system C. Before leaving, the
sales associate also indicated that he had an open unit that had everything and would give me
$50 off. So I could purchase the complete system for $649.99 ME. That made me very happy A,
and I had pretty well decided that this would be the unit I would purchase, but I should see what
Fry’s has to offer before making my final decision C.
I walked into Fry’s Electronics ME and was amazed by its size A. I went over to the home
theater systems and looked around B. They pretty well had the same systems that the other two
stores had ME. I located a sales person and asked what systems he recommended B. He too
recommended the same SONY system that I really liked in the other stores. He showed me
several other models and discussed the differences ME. I asked what system would be the
upgrade to this SONY system B and he indicated the BOSE home theater systems. Their starting
prices were $2,500 ME and I knew that this was way out of my price range C. They too had
warranty plans but their 5-year plan was $139.00 ME. To my surprise A, they didn’t offer direct
financing and didn’t have their own credit card ME. By this time I had made up my mind that the
SONY home theater system, which includes the Receiver, DVD/CD player, and speakers was the
ideal system for me C. I decided to go back to Best Buy C and purchase the system the next day
and finance it with my Best Buy credit card B.
20
Jack set out to purchase a home theater system that specifically included a receiver and
speakers. He had been looking for a home theater system for about a year and just know decided
to get serious about it. He already had a TV, DVD/CD player, and a VCR. He wanted a system
that would complement these electronics. He sought to have surround sound when watching
movies, TV, or just simply listening to CDs. Jack was able to exceed his goal in service,
product, and financially. He was able to purchase a good quality system at a price that was
below his maximum range of $1,000. Jack exceeded his goal of just buying a receiver and
speakers. He was able to get all of his minimum requirements and he was also able to upgrade
his DVD/CD player. Jack will know be able to enjoy high quality music with his friends.
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Key Interactions among WCA Elements
Interaction Classification
It was a beautiful Tuesday evening when I decided to go to the UH E→ B
Anderson Library and do some research on home theater systems.
I knew that www.crutchfield.com would be an excellent starting point for C→A
my search and I was so excited by what I was able to learn in such a short
period of time.
From the articles on Crutchfield’s website, I obtained new knowledge that ME → C
would help influence my purchasing decision.
The article informed me that a good system should include 5 speakers and ME → C
a subwoofer... I would definitely purchase the speakers, and the subwoofer
would be a bonus item and not a necessity.
That was important to me, because I currently had a different remote for E→A
each of my electronics, and it was cumbersome to switch and even find
each remote.
I always shop at Best Buy because they have very competitive prices and ME → B
they also have a store credit card.
The receiver and speakers were each priced at $999 and I knew that this ME → C
was out of my price range and didn’t give it much more consideration.
I decided to turn it on. I cranked up the volume and it sounded pretty good. B→C
I began to draw several conclusions based on my current evaluations of ME → C
several of the home theater systems. Almost all of the complete systems
were Dolby Digital, came with the 5 speakers, subwoofer, a multi-
functioning remote, a DVD/CD player either as one unit or two separate
units, and they were priced below the $1,000 maximum.
After listening to both of the systems, I could not tell that much of a B→C
difference.
Due to the discussion with the sales associate, I had also decided that ME → C
ONKYO was a good quality system and it would be a serious consideration
in my home theater system purchase.
My face lit up when he brought me to the exact SONY system they had at ME → A
Circuit City and for the same price of $699.99.
So I could purchase the complete system for $649.99. That made me very ME → A
happy...
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Means-End Chain First Attribute
Brand Name (SONY) Concrete Attribute
Reliability and dependability Functional Consequence
Feel confident about performance Psychosocial Consequence
w/friends
Social recognition Terminal Value
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Means End Chain Second Attribute
Consistent price of $699.99 Concrete attribute
among stores
Buying the product at a fair value Psychosocial consequence
Responsible Instrumental value
Sense of accomplishment Terminal value
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Means End Chain Third Attribute
Dolby Digital processor Concrete attribute
Better sound and picture quality Functional consequence
Will make my friends and myself Psychosocial consequence
feel and believe that we are in a
movie theater watching a movie
Enjoyment of music Terminal value
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Problem-Solving Process
Problem Recognition Wanted a home theater system
Visited Crutchfield.com for general
Search for relevant information information on home theater systems,
then went to Best Buy, Circuit City, and
Fry’s Electronics to look at them.
ONKYO receiver for $899.99 which had
a sleek design and receiver and a single
DVD/CD player all in one unit. The
Evaluation of Alternatives SONY system was priced $200 less, the
receiver and 5-disk DVD/CD player were
separate. They both came with 5
surround speakers and a subwoofer.
They were both very attractive systems.
The SONY STR-K502 home theater
system because it came with a 5-disk
Choice decision DVD/CD player which was separate
from the receiver, and it was priced $200
less.
Purchased the home theater system at
Purchase Best Buy using my credit card that came
with a 12 month same as cash (interest
free) offer. Also received an additional
$50 off being an open box item.
I had a party with just my friends and we
Post-purchase Use and Re- had a good time as we cranked up the
Evaluation volume and the police was called and
requested we turned down the volume.
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Suggestions for Marketer
During our shopping experience we learned that shopping for something that you don’t have
enough knowledge about a product the experience can be a stressful one. We were shopping for
a home theater system and did not have much knowledge about the products. As consumers we
had to search for relevant information in order to learn more about the home theater system.
Because there are some consumers like us who have less or no knowledge about the products,
marketers should try to provide information to consumers in the stores that will allow the
consumers to understand what they should be looking for. We had to go to the Internet to find
this information. There was no information about what should be apart of a good sound system
in the stores we visited. For example, in two of the stores, Fry’s Electronics and Circuit City, we
did not receive a lot of help from the sales associates, which caused us to be less enthusiastic
about shopping at these two stores. We were also very hesitant to believe the sales associate
with very limited information about the products and their abilities. In the Best Buy store we
received a lot of help and that made us comfortable and more willing to make a purchase. The
sales associate was very informative about the systems and their limitations. Another obstacle
that might hinder the consumer to make a purchase is financing. In the store like Fry’s
Electronics they did not have a store credit card. Therefore the consumer had to come up with
cash or place it on a credit card with high financing charges or you had to buy a certain brand
that would finance the purchase like Mitsubishi products. This would hinder a purchase of
expensive electronics like a BOSE system that can cause several thousands of dollars. Stores
like Best Buy and Circuit City are on the right track by offering store credit cards with same as
cash offers. If the marketers addressed these obstacles, they should see increased sales.
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Conclusion
Our shopping experience was not an easy task, but we had fun throughout the whole
process. Before the project, we had a very limited knowledge about home theater systems. At
the end of the project we had learned a great deal about them. During the process we learned
that different things can and will contribute to the final decision. In our case the wheel of
consumer analysis played a major role. We were able to take a regular purchasing routine and
give it structure that allowed us to analyze the purchasing decision. Without our knowledge, the
marketing environment played a major role in our final decision. This included the store, price,
sales associate, and past experiences. Also our thoughts and feelings about SONY, Best Buy,
and financing heavily influenced the final decision.
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