Case One: The Dental Care Aisle of Confusion Consumer Behavior March 7, 2010 Case One: The Dental Care Aisle of Confusion Stimulus generalization transfer a response learned to one stimulus to a similar stimulus. The benefit of stimulus generalization outweighs the disadvantage in strategic marketing. In the market today buyers consider perceptions, needs, product loyalty, age and income when purchasing a product. Stimulus generalization allows the market to offer new products with new benefits into an existing brand name product.
Consumers now have several options to choose from, but some consumers are confused because there are so many different products. Some consumers like to stick to the same brand, some like to try something new and some will experiment from time to time. The advantage is being able to make new products such as: mouthwash, different flavored toothpaste, whiting strip and many more. Some of the disadvantages it that there are so many brands and choices to choose from consumers are not sure what to buy.
It is great that there are so many options, but consumer are not sure what products are the best and then they have to purchase the product to find out the results. Most people will stick to the products they are use to because they know they are going to satisfied with their decision. Consumers can become very confused about Crest and Colgate because there are so many different products to choose from. Some people would say that it is good to have many flavors to choose from, but Crest and Colgate are confusing consumers.
Some examples of Colgate toothpastes are: Colgate Tarter Control, Colgate Sparkling White, Colgate Platinum Whitening, Colgate Total Plus Whitening, Colgate Sensitive Plus Whitening and Colgate Control Plus Whitening. When a consumer goes in the store to purchase toothpaste with all these options mostly likely they will become confused or stick with their current brand. Consumers are faced with the same confusing when trying to decide on Crest products. Crest offers Crest Extra White Plus, Crest Extra White Plus with Tarter Control, Crest cavity Protection Toothpaste, Crest cavity Protection with Gel, Crest 3D White Advanced Vivid Toothpaste nd 3D Vivid Toothpaste. Marketers for Crest and Colgate can decrease consumer confusing by putting all these benefits into one toothpaste. There are too many choices for consumers to choose from. Marketers can cut it down to three choices or combine all the products into one. Having one great Crest product and one Colgate product would be great. These marketers are trying to give consumers decisions to what he, or she is looking for, but everyone wants white and healthy teeth.
