Consumer purchase decisions often require reliance on various
information sources. Although prior research on information seeking has
focused on the number of information sources used, the
types of sources used and their impact on satisfaction have not
been examined as thoroughly. The authors address this issue in the context
of product-focused print media—magazines in particular—by
exploring information source usage for the automobile purchase process.
The impact of source usage on satisfaction with the purchase decision and
with the product is examined as well. Implications for advertisers and
brand managers are discussed in terms of media planning issues.