How change affects consumers

and their behavior

New products — or even just changes to a current product you’re selling —

force consumers to change the way they do things, whether the change be an

actual external behavior modification or an internal adjustment in attitude,

intention, or motivation. (These internal changes are at times more difficult

than a simple change of procedure.) Changes on the seller’s part often rep-

resent more than just changes in cost; they also include gains and losses for

the consumer. If a new product has any chance at success, it must offer gains

to the consumers; these gains include new benefits to be obtained or existing

costs that can be avoided.

However, the problem with most new products is that while they may offer

gains to the consumer, they also come with losses, which represent opportu-

nity costs of switching. The losses are often viewed by customers as existing

benefits that they must give up or new costs that must be incurred.

 These gains and losses represent a significant psychological switching cost for

the consumer, and the majority of consumers are opposed to undertaking that

type of switch. (Refer to the later section “Addressing issues consumers face

during the adoption process” for more information on handling opposition.)