This leading text covers many facets of consumer behavior and is an interesting-multicultural and multidisciplinary-exploration of why people indulge in buying things, how having things affects their lives, how possessions influence their state of being, and finally, how products, services, and consumption activities contribute to the social world that they all experience. The latest academic thinking is incorporated to examine the various models of consumer behavior that explain the interrelationships between consumers and their social realities and how this understanding helps in formulating effective marketing strategies. Numerous real-world examples and an emphasis on online consumer behavior impart contem-porary relevance to the book. Features such as chapter summaries, case studies, discussion questions, various boxed items, and an exhaustive glossary make this text extremely accessible to students of management courses.