Consumer Search Patterns: Empirical Evidence, Competing Theories and Managerial Implications

Abstract

Consumer search behaviour is a central process in the functioning of markets because it determines how customers find and evaluate information about competing suppliers and therefore determines to a large extent buying behaviour. A review of the empirical evidence of search behaviour based on the theoretical constructs of consideration set and time is used as the basis for evaluating competing theories from Information Systems, economics, decision-making theory and marketing that seek to explain and predict consumer search patterns. A multi-disciplinary bricolage search model is proposed that incorporates elements from previous theories but differs from established theory by acknowledging that search may best be described as rummaging to build an information mosaic and therefore appears more random than was previously thought. A bricolage model may help explain a range of different search behaviours, for example iterative and sometimes seemingly chaotic search patterns, narrow search behaviour, haphazard search behaviour, heuristic approaches and relatively small amounts of attention paid on evaluating different options. The theoretical and managerial implications of the ideas are outlined, which indicate areas for further research.