Eryn Eledge
BUS 306-01
26 September 2013
Chapter 5 Case: Porsche
1. The buy decision process begins with the need recognition. A Porsche customer’s need
recognition is triggered by the external stimuli that tells a customer that they need a car that
is a challenge to drive and will create the image that a Porsche is famous for. Next, the
consumer engages in an information search. Information searches for Porsche customers are
mainly driven by commercial and experiential sources. The reasoning behind these sources
comes from a Porsche customer’s desire to create a certain image about themselves while
also buying a car that acts as a challenge for them to maneuver. Commercials have a lot of
impact of people when buying cars and this fact does not waver for Porsche customers.
Following the information search is the evaluation of alternatives. Porsche, unlike many
other car companies, has defined themselves in the industry as not having many competitors
who are equal to them in quality so the customer’s need to compare alternatives is relatively
low. On the basis of average income of a typical Porsche owner, the purchase decision is a
simple process. Porsche customers are known for being loyal to the name and do not see
price as an issue so the unexpected situational factors to not affect the decision to buy a
Porsche greatly. Finally, the post purchase behavior of the typical Porsche customer is
usually characterized with satisfaction. Cognitive dissonance does not seem to affect Porsche
customer based on their loyalty to the brand and pride in the product that they buy. After
making an expensive purchase, such as a Porsche vehicle, some may feel regret, but the
typical Porsche customer cannot wait to brag about their new car and new image.
2. The decision process for the traditional Porsche customer differs slightly from that of the
decision process of a Cayenne or Panamera owner. The need recognition for the two groups
differ because the Cayenne and Panamera owners are in need of a more accommodating
vehicle than the traditional customers. The information search and evaluation of alternatives
stages are prolonged and need to be handled with more depth for the Cayenne and Panamera
customers because there are more available alternatives than that of the typical Porsche
sportscar. On the other hand, the purchase decisions and post purchase behaviors for both
groups are similar in the idea that a person who can afford a Porsche car, no matter the
model, is a person who is loyal to the brand and does not feel intimidated by spending the
money.
3. Porsche’s ability to sell so many lower-priced vehicles in the 1970s and 1980s can be
explained by economic situation and attitudes of the consumers. A lower-priced Porsche
appealed to a larger group of customers and adapted to different economic situations.
Similarly, the lower-priced Porsche changed the attitude of the people who were normally
unable to afford the cars. The attitudes of the typical Porsche customers changed negatively
with the lower priced models were introduced, but the attitudes of a larger group of people
who preferred the lower priced vehicles was changed positively.
4. Those who can afford them typically embody positive attitudes about Porsche. The typical
Porsche customer has strong brand loyalty and believes that their car is a reflection of their
own personality and status. That being said, the Porsche customers usually have positive
attitudes when looking at the brand. On the other hand, the people who cannot afford a
Porsche tend to have negative attitudes toward them out of envy. There are also people who
have the money to afford a Porsche but do not feel the need to have a car that is a challenge
to drive that may have a negative attitude about the company.
5. The self-concept of a product is said to reflect the identity of the person who owns it. With
this in mind, the self-concept is a large factor for Porsche owners. The case states that the car
“stands for the things owners like to see in themselves and in their lives.” People who own
and drive Porsches are held to a certain image and “these individuals see themselves not as a
part of the regular world, but as exceptions to it.” Porsche owners feel that buying a Porsche
reflects their status and image as a person of high esteem.