An example common to consumers within a segment is the powerful desire of youth to be seen as cool. Of course, products must also respond to consumers functional needs needs to which the core design and purpose of the product or service nominally respond. Functional needs often stimulate initial interest in a product or service. Attention in most consumer research centers on functional product attributes that are quantitative they can be objectively observed and measured. Consumers functional needs similarly are quantitative.
Experiential needs are qualitative.
They cannot be precisely observed and easily measured, and the magnitude of their presence and potential for influencing behavior can only be estimated. Moreover, experiential needs are more fluid, more subject to unpredictable change than functional needs. Despite this, experiential needs are the decisive factor in buying decisions. Product success depends on consumers making connections between a product and their experiential needs. Recent brain research supports this.