How Consumers Decide Reading Answers

Jan 4, 2023

How Consumers Decide Reading Answers contains a write up about the perspectives of consumers while purchasing. Candidates in this IELTS Section will be shown various question types with clear instructions. How Consumers Decide Reading Answers contains a total of 12 paragraphs. Related to the paragraphs are 13 questions. The passage is based on all about the consumers and what factors contributed in determining their choice and how they decide. How Consumers Decide Reading Answers comprises three types of questions: Complete the sentence,True/False and Not Given and choose the correct option.

To answer the questions provided in the IELTS Reading passage,Applicants must attentively read each passage. Candidates must interpret and understand the paragraphs then move to answering. The questions are all related to the information provided in the paragraph. THere might not be information given so that should be mentioned as not given. Complete sentences should not exceed more than two words. To gain proficiency, candidates can practice from IELTS reading practice test.

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Section 1

Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions

How Consumers Decide Reading Answers

Professor John Maule from the University of Leeds describes new research into the way that consumers choose a product.

Understanding consumers
Consumers are creatures of habit: they buy the same products time and time again, and such is their familiarity with big brands and the colors and logos that represent them, that they can register a brand they like with barely any conscious thought process. The packaging of consumer products is, therefore, a crucial vehicle for delivering the brand and the product into our shopping baskets.
Having said this, understanding how consumers make decisions, and the crucial role of packaging in this process has been a neglected area of research so far. This is surprising given that organizations invest huge amounts of money in developing packaging that they believe is effective - especially at the retail level. Our Centre for Decision Research at Leeds University's Business School, in collaboration with Faraday Packaging, is now undertaking work in this area. It has already led to some important findings that challenge the ways in which organizations think about consumer choice.
The research has focused on two fundamental types of thinking. On the one hand, there's 'heuristic processing', which involves very shallow thought and is based on very simple rules: 1) buy what you recognize, 2) choose what you did last time, or 3) choose what a trusted source suggests. This requires comparatively little effort, and involves looking at - and thinking about - only a small amount of the product information and packaging. One can do this with little or no conscious thought.

On the other hand, 'systematic processing' involves much deeper levels of thought. When people choose goods in this way, they engage in quite detailed analytical thinking - taking account of the product information, including its price, its perceived quality and so on. This form of thinking, which is both analytical and conscious, involves much more mental effort.

The role of packaging is likely to be very different for each of these types of decision making. Under heuristic processing, for example, consumers may simply need to be able to distinguish the pack from those of competitors since they are choosing on the basis of what they usually do. Under these circumstances, the simple perceptual features of the pack may be critical - so that we can quickly discriminate what we choose from the other products on offer. Under systematic processing, however, product-related information may be more important, so the pack has to provide this in an easily identifiable form.

Comparing competition
Consumers will want to be able to compare the product with its competitors, so that they can determine which option is better for them. A crucial role of packaging in this situation is to communicate the characteristics of the product, highlighting its advantages over possible competitors.
So, when are people likely to use a particular type of thinking? First, we know that people are cognitive misers; in other words, they are economical with their thinking because it requires some effort from them. Essentially, people only engage in effort-demanding systematic processing when the situation justifies it, for example when they are not tired or distracted and when the purchase is important to them.
Second, people have an upper limit to the amount of information they can absorb. If we present too much, therefore, they will become confused. This, in turn, is likely to lead them to disengage and choose something else.
Third, people often lack the knowledge or experience needed, so will not be able to deal with things they do not already understand, such as the ingredients of food products, for example.
And fourth, people vary in the extent to which they enjoy thinking. Our research has differentiated between people with a high need for thinking - who routinely engage in analytical thinking - and those low in the need for cognition, who prefer to use very simple forms of thinking.

Effectiveness varies
This work has an important impact on packaging in that what makes packaging effective is likely to vary according to the type of processing strategy that consumers use when choosing between products. You need to understand how consumers are selecting your products if you are to develop packaging that is relevant. Furthermore, testing the effectiveness of your packaging can be ineffective if the methods you are employing concern one form of thinking (e.g. a focus group involving analytical thinking) but your consumers are purchasing in the other mode (i.e. the heuristic, shallow form of thinking).
For the packaging industry, it is important that retailers identify their key goals. Sustaining a consumer's commitment to a product may involve packaging that is distinctive at the heuristic level (if the consumers can recognize the product they will buy it) but without encouraging consumers to engage in systematic processing (prompting deeper level thinking that would include making comparisons with other products).
Conversely, getting consumers to change brands may involve developing packaging that includes information that does stimulate systematic processing and thus encourages consumers to challenge their usual choice of product. Our work is investigating these issues, and the implications they have for developing effective packaging.

Section 2

Solution and Explanation

Questions 1-6

Do the following statements agree with the information given in the Reading Passage?

Write answers in your answer sheet write:

TRUE if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this

Little research has been done on the link between packaging and consumers choosing a product.

Answer: True
Supporting Statement: Having said that, study hasn't been done enough to understand how customers make decisions or the critical function that packaging plays in this process.
Keywords: has not been done, packaging
Keyword Location: Paragraph 2
Explanation: It is clearly mentioned in paragraph 2, that the research between packaging and consumers have been neglected so far. There has not been enough research as to how packaging determined the consumer’s choice. So, the statement given is true as per the explanation.

A person who buys what another person recommends is using heuristic thinking.

Answer: True
Supporting Statement: On the one hand, there is "heuristic processing," which is based on extremely basic laws and requires very little thought: Buy what you are familiar with, go with what you already chose, or go with what a reliable source
recommends.
Keywords: heuristic processing, reliable source
Keyword Location: Paragraph 3
Explanation: In paragraph 3, the information about heuristic processing has been given. The consumer’s choice depends and is influenced by heuristic processing. Heuristic processing states that consumers should purchase what he/she is already familiar with, go with what already is chosen and trust a reliable source’s advice. So, the statement is True.

Heuristic processing requires more energy than systematic processing.

Answer: False
Supporting Statement: This requires comparatively little effort, and involves looking at - and thinking about - only a small amount of the product information and packaging.
Keywords: little effort, information and packaging
Keyword Location: Paragraph 3
Explanation: It has been mentioned in paragraph 3, that the heuristic processing requires less effort because it involves only a small amount of product information and packaging. So, the statement is contradictory to the actual information. The statement is False.

The concept of heuristic processing was thought up by Dr Maule's team.

Answer: Not Given
Explanation: No relevant information has been found in the paragraphs related to the statement in the question. So, the answer is not Given.

A consumer who considers how much a product costs, is using systematic processing.

Answer: True
Supporting Statement: "systematic processing" calls for far higher mental capacities. When individuals choose products in this way, they exercise pretty thorough analytical thought, taking into account the details of the object, such as its price, perceived quality, and so forth.
Keywords: systematic processing, price
Keyword Location: Paragraph 4
Explanation: It has been clearly mentioned in paragraph 4, that the systematic processing includes the consumer considering the price of the product as well as its quality. So, the statement in the question is True as per the explanation provided.

For heuristic processing, packaging must be similar to other products.

Answer: False
Supporting Statement: Sustaining a consumer's commitment to a product may involve packaging that is distinctive at the heuristic level
Keywords: distinctive, packaging
Keyword Location: Paragraph 11
Explanation: As per paragraph 11, in heuristic processing the packaging is distinctive in relation with the product. The consumer decides based on the price and quality of product rather than the packaging. So, the statement is False.

Questions 7-8

Choose the correct answer A, B, C or D and write the answers in your answer sheet.

When trying to determine how effective packaging is, testing can be made 'ineffective' if

you rely upon a very narrow focus group.
your consumers use only heuristic thinking.
The chosen consumers use only shallow thinking.
Your tests do not match the consumers' thinking type.

Answer: D
Supporting Statement: testing the effectiveness of your packaging can be ineffective if the methods you are employing concern one form of thinking but your consumers are purchasing in the other mode
Keywords: ineffective, methods employed
Keyword Location: Paragraph 10
Explanation: As per the paragraph 10, the effectiveness of packaging will be ineffective if we divert to the consumer’s thinking. We employ a particular method but the consumer is buying in another mode. So, the answer is D, as per the paragraph10.

If a retailer wants consumers to change brands their packaging needs to be

informative.
distinctive.
familiar.
colorful.

Answer: A
Supporting Statement: The packaging of consumer products is, therefore, a crucial vehicle for delivering the brand and the product into our shopping baskets.
Keywords: packaging, brand
Keyword Location: Paragraph 1
Explanation: So, as per the paragraph 1, the packaging of the brand needs to be changed. If the retailer wants to change the consumer’s brand it packaging needs to be informative. So, the correct answer is A.

Questions 9-13

Complete the summary below.

Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer.

Write your answers in boxes 9-13 on your answer sheet

Comparing competition

For consumers who want to compare products, it is important that your packaging stresses the 9 __________ of your product. We know that people only use systematic processing if the 10 __________. makes it necessary or desirable. We also know that too much 11 __________ could make consumers choose another product. Furthermore, consumers may not fully understand details such as the 12__________ of a product. While some people like using systematic processing, others like to think in a 13 __________ way.

Question 9)

Answer: Advantage/characteristics
Supporting Statement: A crucial role of packaging in this situation is to communicate the characteristics of the product, highlighting its advantages over possible competitors.
Keywords: characteristics, packaging
Keyword Location: Paragraph 6
Explanation: As per paragraph 6, the consumer must get all the characteristics and details about the product through packaging. The consumer should not be in any kind of doubt regarding the product. So, the answer is Advantages/characteristics.

Question 10)

Answer: Situation
Supporting Statement: Essentially, people only engage in effort-demanding systematic processing when the situation justifies it, for example when they are not tired or distracted and when the purchase is important to them.
Keywords: systematic processing, justifies
Keyword Location: Paragraph 7
Explanation: In paragraph 7, it has been stated that consumers generally engage in systematic processing, Which makes them choose better and use mental effort. Systematic processing involves more mental effort as compared to heuristic processing. So, the answer is the situation.

Question 11)

Answer: Information
Supporting Statement: Second, people have an upper limit to the amount of information they can absorb. If we present too much, therefore, they will become confused. This, in turn, is likely to lead them to disengage and choose something else.
Keywords: information, disengage
Keyword Location: Paragraph 8
Explanation: As per paragraph 8, there is a limit for the consumer of information they can absorb in. If the packaging of the product provided too much information this will make them annoyed. This might in turn make them choose another product instead of that product. So, the correct answer is information.

Question 12)

Answer: Ingredients
Supporting Statement: Third, people often lack the knowledge or experience needed, so will not be able to deal with things they do not already understand, such as the ingredients of food products,
Keywords: lack knowledge, ingredients
Keyword Location: Paragraph 8
Explanation: As per paragraph 8, the consumer might sometime lack tye knowledge to understand the product's description and about the ingredients it holds. So, the information mist be easy to understand rather than make consumers confused about the purchase. So, the correct answer is ingredients as per the explanations.

Question 13)

Answer: Simple
Supporting Statement: people vary in the extent to which they enjoy thinking. Our research has differentiated between people with a high need for thinking - who routinely engage in analytical thinking - and those low in the need for cognition, who
prefer to use very simple forms of thinking.
Keywords: simple, cognition.
Keyword Location: paragraph 9
Explanation: As per the paragraph 9, ten consumers might not always indulge in analytical thinking. They can sometimes use simple methods to decide their purchase. So, the correct answer is simple.

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