This book focuses on a new type of inclusive consumer decision-making
process model (CDM) related to new leading-edge consumers. There have
been two main types of CDMs for consumer behavior: one is the
stimulus-response model and the other is the information-processing
model. The stimulus-response model is applicable when consumers buy
low-involvement products, and the information-processing model applies
for high-involvement products. Thus consumers' decision making depends
on the involvement level for the products.
With the advent of the widespread use of the Internet, however, the
situation has changed. Consumers whose information sensitivity is high
(i.e., among leading-edge consumers) now use the Internet to search for
information even for low-involvement products. The consumers'
decision-making process depends therefore on their information
sensitivity, not on the involvement level of the products. Also, these
leading-edge consumers become in effect another type of media as they
broaden their experience through the Internet.
Under these circumstances, research about leading-edge consumers and the
introduction of a new CDM is highly significant. This book gathers data
about leading-edge consumers, analyzes these data, then proposes a new
type of CDM called "circulation marketing". Following this model, not
only the previous types of CDM, but also the new kind of CDM, including
share behavior of leading-edge consumers, is explained.
