3 semester credits

The buyer decision-making process is one of the driving forces behind how, where, and when to market a product, which is why understanding consumer behavior is integral to successful businesses. In this seminar course, students focus on the characteristics of consumers from the perspective of why they purchase products and services as well as their expectations when doing business. More importantly, students study individual behavior and the psychology of choice, the motivation to buy, and how to maintain satisfaction after purchase. Because forces beyond individual control sometimes influence markets, niches, and segments, students also examine consumer behavior from a cultural (and subcultural) perspective. Students engage in course activities and discussions that focus on how to manage the customer experience from attraction to a mutually rewarding relationship. Students accomplish course objectives by examining foundational literature and theories, seminal works, and established models in the field of consumer behavior.