Business Glossary

one or more individuals involved in a buying decision who share the same objectives and risks in making the purchase. The members of a household are a decision-making unit with regard to which television show to watch. Women are most often the decision-making unit for cosmetics and men for shaving cream. Marketers need to know who participates in a decision and the relative influence of each in order to create advertising that influences that decision. Auto manufacturers have only recently begun to target their advertising toward women, and some have initiated special sales training geared toward selling to women. Packaged food and household cleaning products manufacturers are now targeting some of their advertising to teenagers, who are increasingly participating in household responsibilities such as cooking and cleaning and consequently influence related purchases.