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    • Consumer Behavior

    Consumer Behavior Courses Online

    Explore consumer behavior principles for understanding purchasing decisions. Learn about psychological, social, and cultural factors influencing consumer behavior.

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    Explore the Consumer Behavior Course Catalog

    • I

      IE Business School

      Branding and Customer Experience

      Skills you'll gain: Customer experience strategy (CX), Branding, Brand Management, Brand Strategy, Consumer Behaviour, Customer Insights, User Experience, Cross-Channel Marketing, Business Ethics, Cross-Functional Collaboration, Employee Engagement

      4.7
      Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
      ·
      521 reviews

      Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • I

      IBM

      Introduction to DevOps

      Skills you'll gain: DevOps, Agile Methodology, Cloud-Native Computing, CI/CD, Test Driven Development (TDD), Scrum (Software Development), Behavior-Driven Development, Performance Metric, Accountability, Team Oriented, Culture Transformation, Microservices, Cross-Functional Collaboration

      4.8
      Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
      ·
      3.7K reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • Status: Free
      Free
      Y

      Yale University

      Introduction to Psychology

      Skills you'll gain: Psychology, Mental and Behavioral Health Specialties, Child Development, Mental Health, Human Learning, Social Sciences, Behavioral Health, Neurology, Biology, Scientific Methods

      4.9
      Rating, 4.9 out of 5 stars
      ·
      31K reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • I

      IE Business School

      Branding: The Creative Journey

      Skills you'll gain: Brand Strategy, Customer experience strategy (CX), Branding, Storytelling, Production Planning, Logo Design, Brand Management, Content Marketing, Target Audience, Advertising Campaigns, Content Creation, Advertising, Marketing Design, Creative Design, Marketing Communications, Brand Awareness, Proposal Development, Value Propositions, Content Strategy, Consumer Behaviour

      4.6
      Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
      ·
      1.6K reviews

      Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

    • Status: Free
      Free
      U

      Università Bocconi

      Food & Beverage Management

      Skills you'll gain: Food and Beverage, Hospitality Management, Restaurant Management, Product Quality (QA/QC), Global Marketing, Market Dynamics, Business Strategy, Consumer Behaviour, Value Propositions, Competitive Analysis, Innovation, Brand Management, Growth Strategies

      4.8
      Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
      ·
      4.9K reviews

      Mixed · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • Status: Free
      Free
      S

      Stanford University

      Game Theory

      Skills you'll gain: Game Theory, Strategic Decision-Making, Mathematical Modeling, Graph Theory, Bayesian Statistics, Behavioral Economics, Probability, Economics, Markov Model, Algorithms

      4.6
      Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
      ·
      4.8K reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • Status: Free
      Free
      Y

      Yale University

      Introduction to Negotiation: A Strategic Playbook for Becoming a Principled and Persuasive Negotiator

      Skills you'll gain: Negotiation, Contract Negotiation, Conflict Management, Mediation, Leadership, Communication, Persuasive Communication, Influencing, Relationship Building, Game Theory, Strategic Decision-Making

      4.8
      Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
      ·
      5.1K reviews

      Mixed · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • U

      University of Pennsylvania

      Fintech: Foundations & Applications of Financial Technology

      Skills you'll gain: FinTech, Portfolio Management, Consumer Lending, Return On Investment, Blockchain, Cryptography, Credit/Debit Card Processing, Digital Assets, Financial Services, Payment Processing, Investments, Lending and Underwriting, Investment Management, Technology Strategies, Emerging Technologies, Risk Analysis, Fundraising and Crowdsourcing, Financial Market, Market Analysis, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML)

      4.6
      Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
      ·
      3.7K reviews

      Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

    • A

      American Psychological Association

      Psychology of Anxiety, Mood, Substance Use, and Addictive Behaviors

      Skills you'll gain: Mental and Behavioral Health Specialties, Mental Health Diseases and Disorders, Clinical Psychology, Mental and Behavioral Health, Mental Health Therapies, Psychiatry, Psychological Evaluations, Mental Health, Behavioral Health, Psychotherapy, Cultural Diversity, Epidemiology, Psychiatric And Mental Health Nursing, Pharmacology, Neurology, Demography, Psychology, Pharmacotherapy

      4.8
      Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
      ·
      150 reviews

      Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

    • Status: New
      New
      V

      Vanderbilt University

      AI Agents and Agentic AI in Python: Powered by Generative AI

      Skills you'll gain: Prompt Engineering, ChatGPT, Generative AI Agents, Agentic systems, Generative AI, Productivity, OpenAI, Artificial Intelligence, AI Personalization, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML), Large Language Modeling, Creative Thinking, Ingenuity, Brainstorming, Business Intelligence, Python Programming, Value Propositions, Action Oriented, Workflow Management, Software Design

      4.8
      Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
      ·
      5.7K reviews

      Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

    • W

      Wesleyan University

      Abnormal Psychology

      Skills you'll gain: Motivational Interviewing, Psychological Evaluations, Mental Health Diseases and Disorders, Mental Health Therapies, Behavioral Health, Mental and Behavioral Health, Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, Clinical Psychology, Behavior Management, Mental Health, Cultural Diversity, Psychology, Experimentation, Interpersonal Communications, Stress Management, Learning Theory, Goal Setting, Health Disparities, Healthcare Ethics

      4.8
      Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
      ·
      649 reviews

      Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

    • R

      Rice University

      Investment and Portfolio Management

      Skills you'll gain: Portfolio Management, Financial Market, Investments, Securities (Finance), Financial Systems, Securities Trading, Asset Management, Behavioral Economics, Capital Markets, Investment Management, Equities, Performance Measurement, Wealth Management, Finance, Financial Services, Performance Analysis, Risk Management, Return On Investment, Market Liquidity, Derivatives

      4.5
      Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
      ·
      2.6K reviews

      Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

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    In summary, here are 10 of our most popular consumer behavior courses

    • Branding and Customer Experience: IE Business School
    • Introduction to DevOps: IBM
    • Introduction to Psychology : Yale University
    • Branding: The Creative Journey: IE Business School
    • Food & Beverage Management: Università Bocconi
    • Game Theory: Stanford University
    • Introduction to Negotiation: A Strategic Playbook for Becoming a Principled and Persuasive Negotiator: Yale University
    • Fintech: Foundations & Applications of Financial Technology: University of Pennsylvania
    • Psychology of Anxiety, Mood, Substance Use, and Addictive Behaviors: American Psychological Association
    • AI Agents and Agentic AI in Python: Powered by Generative AI: Vanderbilt University

    Skills you can learn in Marketing

    Market (economics) (28)
    Social Media (15)
    Marketing Strategy (14)
    Analytics (13)
    Brand (13)
    Digital Marketing (13)
    Marketing Analytics (11)
    Plan (11)
    Advertising (9)
    Modeling (9)
    Social Media Marketing (9)
    Brand Management (7)

    Frequently Asked Questions about Consumer Behavior

    In marketing, consumer behavior is the study of how - and why - individuals and groups make purchasing decisions. These are the fundamental questions of the field of market research, as these important insights can drive business decisions into what products and services to sell as well as the best ways to sell them. And, while these questions aren’t new, researchers today have new tools to gain valuable insights into consumer behavior.

    The migration of so much of our buying behavior to online platforms, from product research to comparison shopping to purchase and post-purchase reviewing, has created vast amounts of information for data analysis. Sophisticated customer analytics can harness this data to describe consumer shopping habits in great detail - and, when combined with regression analysis and other statistical techniques, predictive analytics can be created to forecast and influence future purchasing decisions.

    The field of behavioral economics has also revolutionized the study of consumer behavior. This relatively new discipline combines economics with psychological insights into cognitive biases to better understand economic behaviors ranging from the decisions of individuals to global investment patterns. The emerging subfield of consumer neuroscience focuses on explaining buying behavior, creating opportunities for so-called neuromarketing approaches that leverage these insights to create more effective branding and advertising.‎

    The study of consumer behavior is the principal concern of market research analysts, who are responsible for understanding what products people want, who will buy them at what price, and what type of marketing strategy can reach them most effectively. While traditional market research approaches have relied heavily on consumer focus groups and surveys, the new world of marketing analytics is increasingly demanding a strong understanding of digital marketing tools and data analysis techniques as well.

    According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, market research analysts made a median annual salary of $63,790 as of 2019. These jobs are projected to grow much faster than the average across all occupations, as more and more industries and companies seek to gain a competitive edge by using data-driven market research approaches to better understand consumer behavior.‎

    Yes, you can. Coursera offers a number of courses and Specializations on consumer behavior and related topics, including cutting-edge customer analytics and neuromarketing approaches. These courses are offered by top-ranked business schools from all over the world, including the University of Pennsylvania, Copenhagen Business School, and IE Business School. By learning online with Coursera, you can get a high-quality education remotely at a significantly lower cost than on-campus students - a combination that makes for an easy purchasing decision for a growing number of students as well as mid-career professionals.‎

    The skills or experience you may need to already have before starting to learn consumer behavior include having a basic understanding of marketing strategies, the ability to grasp basic supply and demand concepts, and some knowledge about data analytics (consumer browsing and buying patterns, for example). You may also want to know a bit about how to develop spreadsheet modules to analyze data, evaluate risk, and optimize business decisions.‎

    The kind of person who is best suited to learn consumer behavior is one who is interested in understanding, analyzing, and dissecting customer browsing and buying patterns to use for business purposes. A person who may benefit from learning consumer behavior is interested in what psychologists call “heuristics,” which are the mental shortcuts we take to make the choices we do daily. Someone who would be best suited to learn consumer behavior may want to research, extract, organize, and describe data to support business decisions, product launches, and product sales. In addition, the type of person who may be well suited to learn consumer behavior is interested in the emerging fields of consumer neuroscience and neuromarketing and how it is used in businesses. A person who works, or plans to work in a corporate setting, or who plans to be an entrepreneur or product designer may be well suited to learn about consumer behavior and what makes consumers tick.‎

    Learning consumer behavior may be right for you if you want to continue on a career path in sales, if you want to understand the consumer decision-making process, or if you need to make managerial decisions by analyzing how consumers make choices. If you need to develop product marketing strategies such as viral marketing, develop a brand’s visual identity and benefits to customers, or learn to derive customer insights from sets of data, learning about consumer behavior may be right for you. In addition, if you would like to work in a global setting where you explore international markets and industries for new ideas or expansion, learning about consumer behavior may be beneficial for you.‎

    Online Consumer Behavior courses offer a convenient and flexible way to enhance your knowledge or learn new Consumer Behavior skills. Choose from a wide range of Consumer Behavior courses offered by top universities and industry leaders tailored to various skill levels.‎

    When looking to enhance your workforce's skills in Consumer Behavior, it's crucial to select a course that aligns with their current abilities and learning objectives. Our Skills Dashboard is an invaluable tool for identifying skill gaps and choosing the most appropriate course for effective upskilling. For a comprehensive understanding of how our courses can benefit your employees, explore the enterprise solutions we offer. Discover more about our tailored programs at Coursera for Business here.‎

    This FAQ content has been made available for informational purposes only. Learners are advised to conduct additional research to ensure that courses and other credentials pursued meet their personal, professional, and financial goals.

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