The role of consumer-level variables on consumer consideration set size and composition

The purpose of this study was to improve upon prior consideration set research in two ways. First, whereas past research has focused mostly on external factors that operate during the purchasing situation such as advertising or promotions, the current study examined the role of consumer-level variables such as demographic, personality, consumer behavior, and brand evaluation variables that may affect consideration set size and composition. Second, the current study analyzed consideration sets based on the qualitative composition of brands in consumers' sets in addition to the size of their sets, a technique that has not be utilized in previous research. Results showed that, overall, the consumer-level variables were, in some cases, significantly associated with consideration set size and were significantly predictive of consideration set composition, particularly the demographic variable of sex and the consumer behavior variables of price consciousness. More importantly, this study found a difference in the results of the analyses based on the quantitative make-up of consideration sets compared to the results of the analyses based on the qualitative composition of brands. Specifically, if the compilation of brands in respondents' consideration sets was taken into account in the analyses, the results showed more predictive and explanatory power of consideration set composition than if consideration set size was used instead. Thus, statistical analysis techniques that allow for the actual compilation of brands in consumers' consideration sets to be represented better characterize the differences among sets than do analyses that take into account only set size.