Angela Simpson is considering the purchase of a home entertainment center. The product attributes she plans to consider and the weights assigned to each attribute are listed in the table below. Product Attributes Portability 0.2 0.4 Sound projection Warranty 0.4 Angela rated the brands as follows. Sound Portability Projection Warranty Brand A 7 8 Brand B 9 Brand C 9 Using the consumer buying matrix, conduct a quantitative product evaluation rating for each brand. What other factors is Tammy likely to consider when making her purchase? (Do not round intermediate calculations. Round your answers to 1 decimal place.) Product Evaluation Rating Brand A Brand B Brand C 55 5 20 000 6 786 CONSUMER BUYING MATRIX Buying alternatives may be evaluated based on personal values and goals, available time and money, and specific needs with regard to product size, quality, quantity, and features. Presented here is a buying matrix that can be used to evaluate alternatives. Item Notebook Computer Information Sources/Comments Consumer magazine/ brand C slow compared to others tested: Friend/brand B performs well Alternatives B Step 2 Brand A Price $1,100 Attribute Weight Rating (1-10) Features .3 6 Performance .4 9 Step 1 Design .1 8 Warranty .2 9 Step 4 Totals 1.0 Step 3 In this example, a consumer is using the following steps to evaluate the purchase of one of three brands of notebook computers. Step 1. Identify attributes such as features, performance, design, and warranty; assign a weight based on the importance of each attribute. Step 2. Select the brands to be evaluated. Step 3. Rate (from 1 to 10) each brand based on the attributes identified in step 1. Multiply the rating number by the weight. For example, in this example, brand A received a rating of 6 for "features," giving a weighted score of 1.8 (6 x .3). Step 4. Total and assess the results. Besides the numeric evaluation, consider factors such as price, store reputation, and your needs. As you research a consumer purchase, identify the attributes that are important to you. Helpful sources are friends who own the product, salespeople, media sources such as Consumer Reports, and websites. The specific attributes will vary depending on the product or service. When selecting a provider of services, instead of products, you will likely consider employee training, experience, and reputation. Weighted Score 1.8 3.6 .8 1.8 8.0 Brand Price $950 Rating Weighted (1-10) Score 8 2.4 7 2.8 8 .8 6 1.2 7.2 C Brand Price $875 Rating (1-10) 10 5 7 4 Weighted Score 3 2 .7 .8 6.5
