Product Non-Use Essay

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Product Non-use: Product non-use occurs when a consumer actively acquires a product that is not used or used only sparingly relative to its potential use. For many products and services, the decisions to purchase and to consume are made simultaneously. A person who orders a meal in a restaurant is also deciding to eat the meal at that time. However, a decision to purchase food at a supermarket requires a second decision to prepare and consume the food. The second decision occurs at a different point in time and in a different environment from the first. Thus, non-use can occur because the situation or the purchaser changes between the purchase and the potential usage occasion. For example, a point of purchase display featuring a new food item shown as part of an appealing entrée might cause a consumer to imagine an appropriate usage situation and to purchase the product. However, without the stimulus of the display, the consumer may not remember the intended use or may just never get around to it. Non-use situation such as the following are common: Wok—“I wanted to try and cook stirfry, but I didn’t take time out to use it.” Skirt—“My ingenious idea was that I’d lose a few pounds and fit into the size 4 rather than gain few and fit into the size 6. Obviously, I never lost the weight, so the skirt was snug.” Gym membership—“Couldn’t get in the groove to lift.” In such cases the consumer has wasted money and the marketer is unlikely to get repeat sales or positive referrals. Many such purchases are difficult for the marketer to correct after the purchase. In other cases, consumers would have used the product if reminded or motivated at the proper time. In the last example above, good records would indicate that this member was not using the gym. A personal letter, e-mail, or telephone invitation to come in might be enough to get this person started. Campbell
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