A Segmentation of Digital Consumers and Its Impact on Purchase Decision-Making Behavior

Understanding how digital consumers may be segmented is a crucial and also challenging consumer behavior issue which defines the success of e-marketing strategies. This research is an attempt towards developing a segmentation of digital consumers. It establishes the combined effect of decision-making style and knowledge of product on the purchase decision. Based on the 2*2 design (maximizer/satisficers and low/high level of knowledge), four segments of consumers are introduced. Experiments are designed to capture the purchase process and verbal protocols, using video recording techniques. Purchase processes for 55 participants are modeled and measured by the number of cycles, number of alternatives, number of attributes and time. Results illustrate the influence of segment membership on the decision-making behavior of consumers. In addition, qualitative analysis of verbal protocols indicates variations in the decision making strategy of four segments and motives resulting in such diversity. This knowledge can be used to better devise targeting strategies and facilitate purchase processes for each segment of consumers. Marketers can enhance the experience of each segment by customizing their interactions during the decision making process.