Ch. 6 - Consumer Decision Making

Nowadays customer research gives valuable data relating to customers in order to make a decision regarding the product they will buy. Yamaha YZR R1 target market is mostly a male population, motorcyclists from all over the world involved in track and road riding. Consumers are empowered to make the right decision when it comes to purchase a new bike, spending a considerable amount of time researching and expecting from the manufacturers to give them the best technology. When they choose the bike of their dreams, the customers finally looks for the best financial option available,  demanding fast service. However, Yamaha Motor knows that their target market is the same as their main competitors such as Honda, Suzuki, Kawasaki and Ducati: Yamaha have to create a special need to their future customers in order to gain their attention because their competitors won't just sit and look at them.

With the knowledge that consumers will spend lots of time researching information's regarding the bike, Yamaha had the R1 being tested and reviewed by the main motorcycles magazines and websites, including technical details about the bike that has being tested several times on track and first impressions by test Rider. Also, Yamaha Motor Company can count on an important racing heritage that has an effective effect on the Customer, having the YZR R1 being developed by 9 times MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi and 4 times AMA Superbike Champion Josh Hayes, involved as well in promoting the bike through track test and interviews where they speak about the potential of the new R1. The making of Technical Commercials on the web contributes to strengthen Customers decision.  The release of these data have a tremendous impact on Customer's opinion that through this external information research has all the necessary resources to evaluate and purchase the bike. The final step in this process is to find the most adequate financial proposal by visiting the retailer that will give the customer the best advantage as service and price.