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Principles of Marketing

10.5 Stages in the Consumer Adoption Process for New Products

Principles of Marketing10.5 Stages in the Consumer Adoption Process for New Products

Table of contents
  1. Preface
  2. Setting the Stage
    1. 1 Unit Introduction
    2. 1 Marketing and Customer Value
      1. In the Spotlight
      2. 1.1 Marketing and the Marketing Process
      3. 1.2 The Marketing Mix and the 4Ps of Marketing
      4. 1.3 Factors Comprising and Affecting the Marketing Environment
      5. 1.4 Evolution of the Marketing Concept
      6. 1.5 Determining Consumer Needs and Wants
      7. 1.6 Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
      8. 1.7 Ethical Marketing
      9. Chapter Summary
      10. Key Terms
      11. Applied Marketing Knowledge: Discussion Questions
      12. Critical Thinking Exercises
      13. Building Your Personal Brand
      14. What Do Marketers Do?
      15. Marketing Plan Exercise
      16. Closing Company Case
      17. References
    3. 2 Strategic Planning in Marketing
      1. In the Spotlight
      2. 2.1 Developing a Strategic Plan
      3. 2.2 The Role of Marketing in the Strategic Planning Process
      4. 2.3 Purpose and Structure of the Marketing Plan
      5. 2.4 Marketing Plan Progress Using Metrics
      6. 2.5 Ethical Issues in Developing a Marketing Strategy
      7. Chapter Summary
      8. Key Terms
      9. Applied Marketing Knowledge: Discussion Questions
      10. Critical Thinking Exercises
      11. Building Your Personal Brand
      12. What Do Marketers Do?
      13. Marketing Plan Exercise
      14. Closing Company Case
      15. References
  3. Understanding the Marketplace
    1. 2 Unit Introduction
    2. 3 Consumer Markets and Purchasing Behavior
      1. In the Spotlight
      2. 3.1 Understanding Consumer Markets and Buying Behavior
      3. 3.2 Factors That Influence Consumer Buying Behavior
      4. 3.3 The Consumer Purchasing Decision Process
      5. 3.4 Ethical Issues in Consumer Buying Behavior
      6. Chapter Summary
      7. Key Terms
      8. Applied Marketing Knowledge: Discussion Questions
      9. Critical Thinking Exercises
      10. Building Your Personal Brand
      11. What Do Marketers Do?
      12. Closing Company Case
      13. References
    3. 4 Business Markets and Purchasing Behavior
      1. In the Spotlight
      2. 4.1 The Business-to-Business (B2B) Market
      3. 4.2 Buyers and Buying Situations in a B2B Market
      4. 4.3 Major Influences on B2B Buyer Behavior
      5. 4.4 Stages in the B2B Buying Process
      6. 4.5 Ethical Issues in B2B Marketing
      7. Chapter Summary
      8. Key Terms
      9. Applied Marketing Knowledge: Discussion Questions
      10. Critical Thinking Exercises
      11. Building Your Personal Brand
      12. What Do Marketers Do?
      13. Closing Company Case
      14. References
    4. 5 Market Segmentation, Targeting, and Positioning
      1. In the Spotlight
      2. 5.1 Market Segmentation and Consumer Markets
      3. 5.2 Segmentation of B2B Markets
      4. 5.3 Segmentation of International Markets
      5. 5.4 Essential Factors in Effective Market Segmentation
      6. 5.5 Selecting Target Markets
      7. 5.6 Product Positioning
      8. 5.7 Ethical Concerns and Target Marketing
      9. Chapter Summary
      10. Key Terms
      11. Applied Marketing Knowledge: Discussion Questions
      12. Critical Thinking Exercises
      13. Building Your Personal Brand
      14. What Do Marketers Do?
      15. Marketing Plan Exercise
      16. Closing Company Case
      17. References
    5. 6 Marketing Research and Market Intelligence
      1. In the Spotlight
      2. 6.1 Marketing Research and Big Data
      3. 6.2 Sources of Marketing Information
      4. 6.3 Steps in a Successful Marketing Research Plan
      5. 6.4 Ethical Issues in Marketing Research
      6. Chapter Summary
      7. Key Terms
      8. Applied Marketing Knowledge: Discussion Questions
      9. Critical Thinking Exercises
      10. Building Your Personal Brand
      11. What Do Marketers Do?
      12. Marketing Plan Exercise
      13. Closing Company Case
      14. References
    6. 7 Marketing in a Global Environment
      1. In the Spotlight
      2. 7.1 The Global Market and Advantages of International Trade
      3. 7.2 Assessment of Global Markets for Opportunities
      4. 7.3 Entering the Global Arena
      5. 7.4 Marketing in a Global Environment
      6. 7.5 Ethical Issues in the Global Marketplace
      7. Chapter Summary
      8. Key Terms
      9. Applied Marketing Knowledge: Discussion Questions
      10. Critical Thinking Exercises
      11. Building Your Personal Brand
      12. What Do Marketers Do?
      13. Closing Company Case
      14. References
    7. 8 Marketing in a Diverse Marketplace
      1. In the Spotlight
      2. 8.1 Strategic Marketing: Standardization versus Adaptation
      3. 8.2 Diversity and Inclusion Marketing
      4. 8.3 Multicultural Marketing
      5. 8.4 Marketing to Hispanic, Black, and Asian Consumers
      6. 8.5 Marketing to Sociodemographic Groups
      7. 8.6 Ethical Issues in Diversity Marketing
      8. Chapter Summary
      9. Key Terms
      10. Applied Marketing Knowledge: Discussion Questions
      11. Critical Thinking Exercises
      12. Building Your Personal Brand
      13. What Do Marketers Do?
      14. Closing Company Case
      15. References
  4. Product, Promotion, Price, and Place
    1. 3 Unit Introduction
    2. 9 Products: Consumer Offerings
      1. In the Spotlight
      2. 9.1 Products, Services, and Experiences
      3. 9.2 Product Items, Product Lines, and Product Mixes
      4. 9.3 The Product Life Cycle
      5. 9.4 Marketing Strategies at Each Stage of the Product Life Cycle
      6. 9.5 Branding and Brand Development
      7. 9.6 Forms of Brand Development, Brand Loyalty, and Brand Metrics
      8. 9.7 Creating Value through Packaging and Labeling
      9. 9.8 Environmental Concerns Regarding Packaging
      10. 9.9 Ethical Issues in Packaging
      11. Chapter Summary
      12. Key Terms
      13. Applied Marketing Knowledge: Discussion Questions
      14. Critical Thinking Exercises
      15. Building Your Personal Brand
      16. What Do Marketers Do?
      17. Marketing Plan Exercise
      18. Closing Company Case
      19. References
    3. 10 Maintaining a Competitive Edge with New Offerings
      1. In the Spotlight
      2. 10.1 New Products from a Customer’s Perspective
      3. 10.2 Stages of the New Product Development Process
      4. 10.3 The Use of Metrics in Evaluating New Products
      5. 10.4 Factors Contributing to the Success or Failure of New Products
      6. 10.5 Stages in the Consumer Adoption Process for New Products
      7. 10.6 Ethical Considerations in New Product Development
      8. Chapter Summary
      9. Key Terms
      10. Applied Marketing Knowledge: Discussion Questions
      11. Critical Thinking Exercises
      12. Building Your Personal Brand
      13. What Do Marketers Do?
      14. Closing Company Case
      15. References
    4. 11 Services: The Intangible Product
      1. In the Spotlight
      2. 11.1 Classification of Services
      3. 11.2 The Service-Profit Chain Model and the Service Marketing Triangle
      4. 11.3 The Gap Model of Service Quality
      5. 11.4 Ethical Considerations in Providing Services
      6. Chapter Summary
      7. Key Terms
      8. Applied Marketing Knowledge: Discussion Questions
      9. Critical Thinking Exercises
      10. Building Your Personal Brand
      11. What Do Marketers Do?
      12. Closing Company Case
      13. References
    5. 12 Pricing Products and Services
      1. In the Spotlight
      2. 12.1 Pricing and Its Role in the Marketing Mix
      3. 12.2 The Five Critical Cs of Pricing
      4. 12.3 The Five-Step Procedure for Establishing Pricing Policy
      5. 12.4 Pricing Strategies for New Products
      6. 12.5 Pricing Strategies and Tactics for Existing Products
      7. 12.6 Ethical Considerations in Pricing
      8. Chapter Summary
      9. Key Terms
      10. Applied Marketing Knowledge: Discussion Questions
      11. Critical Thinking Exercises
      12. Building Your Personal Brand
      13. What Do Marketers Do?
      14. Marketing Plan Exercise
      15. Closing Company Case
      16. References
    6. 13 Integrated Marketing Communications
      1. In the Spotlight
      2. 13.1 The Promotion Mix and Its Elements
      3. 13.2 The Communication Process
      4. 13.3 Integrated Marketing Communications
      5. 13.4 Steps in the IMC Planning Process
      6. 13.5 Ethical Issues in Marketing Communication
      7. Chapter Summary
      8. Key Terms
      9. Applied Marketing Knowledge: Discussion Questions
      10. Critical Thinking Exercises
      11. Building Your Personal Brand
      12. What Do Marketers Do?
      13. Marketing Plan Exercise
      14. Closing Company Case
      15. References
    7. 14 The Promotion Mix: Advertising and Public Relations
      1. In the Spotlight
      2. 14.1 Advertising in the Promotion Mix
      3. 14.2 Major Decisions in Developing an Advertising Plan
      4. 14.3 The Use of Metrics to Measure Advertising Campaign Effectiveness
      5. 14.4 Public Relations and Its Role in the Promotion Mix
      6. 14.5 The Advantages and Disadvantages of Public Relations
      7. 14.6 Ethical Concerns in Advertising and Public Relations
      8. Chapter Summary
      9. Key Terms
      10. Applied Marketing Knowledge: Discussion Questions
      11. Critical Thinking Exercises
      12. Building Your Personal Brand
      13. What Do Marketers Do?
      14. Closing Company Case
      15. References
    8. 15 The Promotion Mix: Personal Selling and Sales Promotion
      1. In the Spotlight
      2. 15.1 Personal Selling and Its Role in the Promotion Mix
      3. 15.2 Classifications of Salespeople Involved in Personal Selling
      4. 15.3 Steps in the Personal Selling Process
      5. 15.4 Management of the Sales Force
      6. 15.5 Sales Promotion and Its Role in the Promotion Mix
      7. 15.6 Main Types of Sales Promotion
      8. 15.7 Ethical Issues in Personal Selling and Sales Promotion
      9. Chapter Summary
      10. Key Terms
      11. Applied Marketing Knowledge: Discussion Questions
      12. Critical Thinking Exercises
      13. Building Your Personal Brand
      14. What Do Marketers Do?
      15. Closing Company Case
      16. References
    9. 16 Direct, Online, Social Media, and Mobile Marketing
      1. In the Spotlight
      2. 16.1 Traditional Direct Marketing
      3. 16.2 Social Media and Mobile Marketing
      4. 16.3 Metrics Used to Evaluate the Success of Online Marketing
      5. 16.4 Ethical Issues in Digital Marketing and Social Media
      6. Chapter Summary
      7. Key Terms
      8. Applied Marketing Knowledge: Discussion Questions
      9. Critical Thinking Exercises
      10. Building Your Personal Brand
      11. What Do Marketers Do?
      12. Closing Company Case
      13. References
    10. 17 Distribution: Delivering Customer Value
      1. In the Spotlight
      2. 17.1 The Use and Value of Marketing Channels
      3. 17.2 Types of Marketing Channels
      4. 17.3 Factors Influencing Channel Choice
      5. 17.4 Managing the Distribution Channel
      6. 17.5 The Supply Chain and Its Functions
      7. 17.6 Logistics and Its Functions
      8. 17.7 Ethical Issues in Supply Chain Management
      9. Chapter Summary
      10. Key Terms
      11. Applied Marketing Knowledge: Discussion Questions
      12. Critical Thinking Exercises
      13. Building Your Personal Brand
      14. What Do Marketers Do?
      15. Marketing Plan Exercise
      16. Closing Company Case
      17. References
    11. 18 Retailing and Wholesaling
      1. In the Spotlight
      2. 18.1 Retailing and the Role of Retailers in the Distribution Channel
      3. 18.2 Major Types of Retailers
      4. 18.3 Retailing Strategy Decisions
      5. 18.4 Recent Trends in Retailing
      6. 18.5 Wholesaling
      7. 18.6 Recent Trends in Wholesaling
      8. 18.7 Ethical Issues in Retailing and Wholesaling
      9. Chapter Summary
      10. Key Terms
      11. Applied Marketing Knowledge: Discussion Questions
      12. Critical Thinking Exercises
      13. Building Your Personal Brand
      14. What Do Marketers Do?
      15. Marketing Plan Exercise
      16. Closing Company Case
      17. References
    12. 19 Sustainable Marketing: The New Paradigm
      1. In the Spotlight
      2. 19.1 Sustainable Marketing
      3. 19.2 Traditional Marketing versus Sustainable Marketing
      4. 19.3 The Benefits of Sustainable Marketing
      5. 19.4 Sustainable Marketing Principles
      6. 19.5 Purpose-Driven Marketing
      7. Chapter Summary
      8. Key Terms
      9. Applied Marketing Knowledge: Discussion Questions
      10. Critical Thinking Exercises
      11. Building Your Personal Brand
      12. References
  5. Answer Key
    1. Chapter 1
    2. Chapter 2
    3. Chapter 3
    4. Chapter 4
    5. Chapter 5
    6. Chapter 6
    7. Chapter 7
    8. Chapter 8
    9. Chapter 9
    10. Chapter 10
    11. Chapter 11
    12. Chapter 12
    13. Chapter 13
    14. Chapter 14
    15. Chapter 15
    16. Chapter 16
    17. Chapter 17
    18. Chapter 18
    19. Chapter 19
  6. Index

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this section, you will be able to:

  • 1 Describe the stages in the adoption process for new products.
  • 2 Identify and define new product adopter categories.

Stages in the Adoption Process

Consumers go through five stages in the process of adopting a new product (see Figure 10.8).

The stages in the consumer adoption process are product awareness, product interest, product evaluation, product trial, and product adoption.
Figure 10.8 Stages in the Consumer Adoption Process (attribution: Copyright Rice University, OpenStax, under CC BY 4.0 license)

Let’s look at each of these stages in the consumer adoption process (often referred to as the “hierarchy of effects model”) in some detail.

  • Stage 1: Product Awareness. The first stage in the consumer adoption process is simply creating awareness that the product is available, so the company develops a successful marketing strategy to make customers cognizant of the new product. This strategy might include creating a strong presence for the product in social media, for example. The goal here is to reach as many customers as possible at a relatively low cost. Let’s assume for a minute that you’re watching a football game on Saturday afternoon, and you see a television commercial for a mouthwash that whitens your teeth while you rinse. You’re now aware of the product, thanks to that commercial!
  • Stage 2: Product Interest. In this stage, consumers are aware of the product, and it has piqued their interest. The company should guide consumers by providing easily accessible information on the product, such as a website, blog posts, tutorials, or instructional videos. Let’s go back to our mouthwash example. You’re intrigued with the concept that a mouthwash can whiten your teeth, so you call your brother who’s a dentist to ask if he’s familiar with the product and what he has to say about it. That’s product interest.
  • Stage 3: Product Evaluation. Before they buy it, consumers will typically examine, compare, and evaluate the product. They haven’t purchased it yet, and they often look to social media channels, such as online reviews and recommendations, to see how other consumers feel about the product or service. Think about it: How many times have you viewed customer reviews on Amazon prior to purchasing a product? In our example of the mouthwash, you might do an Internet search to read reviews of the product before you actually purchase it. That’s product evaluation.
  • Stage 4: Product Trial. This is the stage in the consumer adoption process where the consumer actually tries the product out. It might be a free sample in a retail store or a “100 percent money-back guarantee” trial purchase of an online product. This is also the stage in which marketers are hoping that the product will deliver on consumer expectations.
  • Stage 5: Product Adoption. When consumers enter this phase, they’re ready to buy, whether it’s online or in a retail store. As a marketer, hopefully you’ve made the acquisition and payment process as seamless as possible so that your customers can easily obtain your product.

It should be noted that there are five characteristics of innovation, and each affects the rate of adoption differently. This is also known as the process of diffusion of innovation—the process through which new products are adopted (or not) by customers. Let’s take a look:

  • Relative Advantage: How much is the new product “better than” what it replaces? This is, of course, based entirely on a consumer’s perception, but as a general rule, the easier it is to recognize the advantages of using the product, the more quickly it will be adopted.
  • Compatibility: This is the level at which the innovation fits into a specific society due to economic, lifestyle, and cultural reasons. For example, PCs were very compatible with middle-class lifestyles, so the product was quickly adopted. On the other hand, the diffusion of birth control in parts of the world is not compatible with social mores due to religious beliefs and cultural values.
  • Complexity: How difficult is the new product for the adopter to understand and use? If the difficulty level is too high, it is less likely that adoption/diffusion will take place. Think about your own experiences: Have you ever returned a product because it was too complicated to use?
  • Divisibility: Divisibility is the ability to give the product a “test run” before putting down your hard-earned cash. For example, in no small part due to the COVID-19 pandemic, some online car sellers like Carvana and Shift, as well as some car dealerships, have adopted touchless test drives. The car is brought to the shopper’s home, it’s wiped down with disinfectant, and the consumer takes the car for a test drive alone while the delivery person waits.43
  • Communicability: You may know your product is great, but you need to be able to effectively communicate to your audience. Communicability is the ability to effectively communicate the benefits and results of using the product, and when those benefits and results are both observable and describable to others. Let’s imagine for a moment that you’ve purchased an expensive Peloton bike to get in shape after the new year. Would you continue to use it if you didn’t see the desired results? Perhaps even more importantly in terms of communicability, would you be willing to share your results with others if those results weren’t favorable?

    It was first thought that diffusion was a one-step process: from mass media (i.e., advertising) to the individual. Marketers now recognize that it is a two-step process, and the second step is personal influence—that is, communication between individuals in which individuals can affect the purchasing decision of others because of their authority, knowledge, or position. For example, Kylie Jenner is a powerful social media influencer with over 250 million followers on Instagram.44

New Product Adopter Categories

Consumers adopt new products at their own speed. Some want to have the “latest and the greatest” as soon as it is available. If you doubt that, just look at the lines around any Apple store on the day of a new product release. Others tend to wait a while before buying. Scholar and professor of sociology at The Ohio State University Everett Rogers is credited with introducing the diffusion of innovation theory in 1962, in which he explained how a product or idea gains momentum and spreads through a population or society. In his theory, he identified five adopter categories (see Figure 10.9).45

The representation of categories of adopters of new products forms a bell curve. The curve represents the average time for adopters. Starting on the left of the curve are the innovators, who make up 2.5 percent of adopters. Next are the early adopters, representing 13.5 percent of adopters. Next are the early majority, representing 34 percent of adopters. Next are the late majority, representing 34 percent of adopters. Finally there are the laggards, representing 16 percent of adopters.
Figure 10.9 Categories of Adopters of New Products (attribution: Copyright Rice University, OpenStax, under CC BY 4.0 license)

Let’s look at each of these categories in a little more depth.

  • Innovators: Innovators are the risk-takers in the market. As a general rule, they have higher-than-average income and are typically well-educated. They enjoy the “rush” of taking risk but are also willing to accept the consequences of failure. It’s the innovators who buy new products as soon as they hit the market.
  • Early Adopters: Early adopters are actually the best target market for new innovations. These people tend to be well-educated “opinion leaders” with neighbors and friends, and their product advice is generally accepted more readily than product advice provided by innovators.
  • Early Majority: The early majority typically look to the innovators and early adopters to determine if the new product meets expectations because they don’t want to take the risk of being the first to adopt the new product, but they do accept innovation before the “average person.” This group of consumers is typically above average in terms of education and income but also tend to be “followers” in their social group.
  • Late Majority: Consumers in the late majority category are typically slow to catch on to the popularity of new services, products, ideas, or solutions. About 34 percent of the population will buy a new product only after about half of the population does. They’re not interested in the “bells and whistles” (i.e., functionality and benefits) of the “latest model” and want simple, cost-effective products that focus on specific uses. As a general rule, their income and education are limited, and they’re typically unwilling to take a chance with a new product unless the majority of consumers has already adopted the innovation.46
  • Laggards: Laggards are more in tune with the past than the future, and they’re leery of new ideas. By the time they adopt a product, there’s probably already a new version or innovation taking its place.

Knowledge Check

It’s time to check your knowledge on the concepts presented in this section. Refer to the Answer Key at the end of the book for feedback.

1.
Garrett is the type of consumer who has to have the absolute “latest and greatest” technology products on the market. He is often the very first of his group of friends to acquire the newest smartphone or other gadget. Garrett would be considered a(n) ________.
  1. early adopter
  2. laggard
  3. late majority
  4. innovator
2.
What is the first stage in the consumer adoption process?
  1. Product awareness
  2. Product evaluation
  3. Product trial
  4. Product interest
3.
The extent to which the beneficial results of using a new product are observable or describable to others is referred to as ________.
  1. divisibility
  2. product awareness
  3. marketing synergy
  4. communicability
4.
Bob refuses to get “on board” with smartphones. He insists on having a landline in his apartment. In terms of the new product adopter categories, Bob would be considered a(n) ________.
  1. early adopter
  2. innovator
  3. laggard
  4. late adopter
5.
Which group of consumers tends to be unwilling to take a chance on a new product or innovation until the majority of consumers has already adopted the product?
  1. Innovators
  2. Early majority
  3. Laggards
  4. Late majority
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