Consumer Behavior - Ninth Edition Leon G. Schiffman and Leslie Lazar Kanuk From the preface Since the very first edition of this text, we have focused on the examination and application of consumer behavior principles to the development and implementation of marketing strategies. We continue this managerial emphasis in the ninth edition of Consumer Behavior. Our thinking and writing has been greatly influenced by the impact that the "new media" (e.g. the expansive Internet, enhanced cell phones, specialized search engines, E-commerce-oriented web sites, and Tivo-like devices) have had on the marketer's ability to more precisely track and understand consumer behavior, and to use this knowledge to compete more effectively in the marketplace. To enhance our examination of consumer behavior, we focus on the impact of the new media on consumer information seeking, purchasing options, and decision making, recognizing that consumers now have fast and convenient access to information about virtually any product or service that may wish to purchase. In particular, we give substantial attention to consumers' online behavior, and the importance and power of the Internet and other digital technologies in facilitating consumers' communications with their peers and with marketers, as well as their ability to purchase online. In this new edition, we have intensified our emphasis on marketing strategy, using both a theoretical and applications-oriented approach. […] We have supplemented this material with a great many real-world examples. […] […] Some of the major changes are: • A major emphasis on marketing ethics and social responsibility throughout the book. • The replacement of 32 short cases (two per chapter) introduced in the last edition, with entirely new cases […] • An enhanced global outlook that fosters a richer understanding of the dynamics of cultural differences and enhances students' appreciation of the universality of consumer behavior. • A comprehensive model of consumer decision making, built on the simple model presented in the first chapter of the text, highlights the interrelationships between and among the concepts examined throughout the book, and both simplifies and facilitates retention of the material covered. […]