Evaluation of Alternatives

Evaluation of Alternatives: How the consumer processes information to arrive at brand choices (p 147).

The world has seen the evolution of cell phones; the dramatic change in size, style, features, and innovations. Apple has definitely changed the way we use our phones, it practically reinvented the smart phone segment. The ability to access the web, download apps, and fit in our pockets all from the touch of our fingertips is truly amazing. But when it comes to phone shopping, consumers enjoy examining the alternatives and evaluating the positives or negatives about a product. Apple has taken a large part of the smart phone market, but some alternatives and competitors are just hard to ignore before making a certain purchase.

At the beginning of the month, Google released the Nexus One, their smart phone that would compete head to head with the Iphone. Both phones are similar in their attributes, features, hardware, but the Nexus seems to offer more at a better advantage; it makes the Iphone look outdated. Although Google made the Nexus One a big hype, the phone has not revolutionized the standard; the phone’s components are just better than its main rivals. Google, though, tried to create a new, simplified experience in purchasing the phone. Instead of going to a retail store to purchase/activate a phone, they made it possible to have two straightforward options: Buy it with or without a contract online. From my perspective, there is nothing revolutionizing or groundbreaking about this buying method, but Google hoped to capture those consumers who just want to avoid the complications of phone buying. This example is relevant to “evaluation of alternatives” because there are many different consumers in the world, they need choices to choose from, having the ability to compare, and the capability to narrow down decisions based on their satisfaction.

Vincent Nguyen

Section G