A customer who prefers to purchase based on social influences is likely responding to which cue?

The correct answer is based on the understanding that social influences play a significant role in consumer behavior. When a customer is influenced by social factors, they are likely responding to opinions, recommendations, or trends that are derived from their social environment, including friends, family, or social media. This dynamic illustrates the concept of social cues, which include the perceived approval or disapproval of peers, celebrity endorsements, and group behaviors that can affect individual purchasing decisions.

Social cues shape a customer’s perception of products and brands, creating a sense of belonging or validation when they align their choices with those of others in their social circle. This can also encompass aspects like popularity, trends, and community feedback, all of which significantly impact the buying process.

While physical cues pertain to tangible elements of a product, emotional cues relate to feelings associated with products, and cognitive cues involve rational thinking and information processing, none of these encompass the social dynamics that influence purchasing behavior as effectively as social cues do. Thus, the emphasis on social influences directly correlates with the response being categorized as a social cue.