Author Description

Ever since the adoption of the marketing concept, companies have focused upon ensuring 'form', 'place', 'time', 'information' and 'possession' utility to attract and retain customers. Such orientation has provided customers with many options to choose from, which requires them to go through decision-making process before they make purchase. Traditionally, the consumers were believed to take purchase decisions rationally but research revealed that it's not always the case. It was observed that for different products and situations, decision-making process' steps were not always followed accurately. The advent and acceptance of internet added a new dimension to the prevailing research, which led to the formulation of different decision-making process for online settings. With ever evolving product categories, the research continues to add new dimensions to the decision-making process. Online dating, comparatively a new phenomenon is being researched as stigma surrounding it has evaporated due to technology implementation and increased marketing efforts. With numerous companies operating, identification of decision-making process would provide numerous implications.