CONSUMER ADOPTION PROCESS : Adoption is an individuals decision to become a regular user of a product.

Sequence of events beginning with consumer awareness of a new product leading to trial usage and culminating in full and regular use of the new product. Over time the adoption process resembles a bell curve formed by innovators, early adopters, the majority of consumers, late adopters, and laggards. An innovation is any good, service, or idea that is perceived by someone as new. The idea may have a long history, but it is an innovation to the person who sees it as new. nnovations ta!e time to spread through the social system. "ogers defines the innovation diffusion process as #the spread of a new idea from its source of invention or creation to its ultimate users or adopters.$ The consumer%adoption process focuses on the mental process through which an individual passes from first hearing about an innovation to final adoption. Adopters of new products have been observed to move through five stages& '. Awareness %The consumer becomes aware of the innovation but lac!s information about it. (. nterest%The consumer is stimulated to see! information about the innovation. ). *valuation %The consumer considers whether to try the innovation. +. Trial%The consumer tries the innovation to improve his or her estimate of its value. ,. Adoption %The consumer decides to ma!e full and regular use of the innovation. The new%product mar!eter should facilitate movement through these stages. A portable electric dishwasher manufacturer might discover that many consumers are stuc! in the interest stage- they do not buy because of their uncertainty and the large investment cost. .ut these same consumers would be willing to use an electric dishwasher on a trial basis for a small monthly fee.The manufacturer should consider offering a trial%use plan with option to buy. PERSONAL INFLUENCE PLAY A KEY ROLE n case of some of the products, depending to which category they belong to , personal influence and selling is very important. /emonstrations, e0perimentation, and even free use is given to influence the change in product or its innovation. 1osmetic items, food items and items in use of household are subject to personal selling. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE INNOVATION AFFECTS THE RATE OF ADOPTION Some products are quic! in innovation, such as fashion items or the ones that bring a direct change in our status etc. Some product ta!e long to adoption. Such as technical products or automobiles etc. The following things are considered ' "elative advantage ( 1ompatibility ) 1omple0ity

+ /ivisibility Other things, which influence adoption, are& social acceptability, scientific acceptability, cost and certainty /iffusion of nnovations is a theory that see!s to e0plain how, why, and at what rate new ideas and technology spread through cultures. *verett "ogers, a professor of communication studies, populari2ed the theory in his boo! /iffusion of nnovations- the boo! was first published in '34(, and is now in its fifth edition 5(66)7.8'9 The boo! says that diffusion is the process by which an innovation is communicated through certain channels over time among the members of a social system. The origins of the diffusion of innovations theory are varied and span multiple disciplines. The boo! espouses the theory that there are four main elements that influence the spread of a new idea& the innovation, communication channels, time, and a social system. This process relies heavily on human capital. The innovation must be widely adopted in order to self%sustain. :ithin the rate of adoption, there is a point at which an innovation reaches critical mass. The categories of adopters are& innovators, early adopters, early majority, late majority, and laggards 5"ogers '34(, p. ',67. /iffusion of nnovations manifests itself in different ways in various cultures and fields and is highly subject to the type of adopters and innovation%decision process. Adopter category I o!ator" nnovators are the first individuals to adopt an innovation. nnovators are willing to ta!e ris!s, youngest in age, have the highest social class, have great financial liquidity, are very social and have closest contact to scientific sources and interaction with other innovators. "is! tolerance has them adopting technologies which may ultimately fail. ;inancial resources help absorb these failures. 5"ogers '34( ,th ed, p. (<(7 Ear#y adopter" This is the second fastest category of individuals who adopt an innovation. These individuals have the highest degree of opinion leadership among the other adopter categories. *arly adopters are typically younger in age, have a higher social status, have more financial liquidity, advanced education, and are more socially forward than late adopters. =ore discrete in adoption choices than innovators. "eali2e judicious choice of adoption will help them maintain central communication position 5"ogers '34( ,th ed, p. (<)7. Ear#y Ma$or%ty ndividuals in this category adopt an innovation after a varying degree of time. This time of adoption is significantly longer than the innovators and early adopters. *arly =ajority tend to be slower in the adoption process, have above average social status, contact with early adopters, and seldom hold positions of opinion leadership in a system 5"ogers '34( ,th ed, p. (<)7 Late Ma$or%ty ndividuals in this category will adopt an innovation after the average member of the society. These individuals approach an innovation with a high degree of s!epticism and after the majority of society has adopted the innovation. >ate =ajority are typically s!eptical about an innovation, have below average social status, very little financial liquidity, in contact with others in late majority and early majority, very little opinion leadership. Laggard" ndividuals in this category are the last to adopt an innovation. ?nli!e some of the previous categories, individuals in this category show little to no opinion leadership. These individuals typically have an aversion to change%agents and tend to be advanced in age. >aggards typically tend to be focused on @traditions@, li!ely to have lowest social status, lowest financial liquidity, be oldest of all other adopters, in contact with only family and close friends.