Consideration set

Also called: evoked set

The term consideration set refers to the number of brands a person includes directly in the decision process when making a purchase. Instead of considering the total range of products and brands to meet a need, a person makes a selection of options in advance without further inquiring about them. This selection is called the evoked or consideration set.

This behavior in a consumer's decision-making is especially evident when there is an abundance of choices. In that case, the person in question chooses among the known favorites and ignores the entire other offerings. This other offer is not considered regardless of its pricing or quality. This is a behavior in the consumer decision making process that established brands in particular skillfully exploit to gain consumer trust.

Consideration set relative to total set and awareness set

The consideration set/ evoked set is part of the total set and the awareness set. The total set is the full range (of brands) for which the target group can choose. The term awareness set refers to the brands of which the target group is aware, i.e., the brands a person knows and links to a need. The consideration set/ evoked set consist of brands that the aware person believes are eligible for choice.