Consumer Decision Tree

Also known as: CDT, Decision Tree, Purchase Decision Hierarchy

Hierarchy of consumer choice criteria at the point of sale: what they decide first (category, brand, size, flavor, price).

The Consumer Decision Tree (CDT) maps the hierarchy of criteria a consumer uses to choose a product at the point of purchase: in what order they mentally filter available options (first by category, then by segment, then by brand, then by presentation, then by price, etc.).

The CDT is a fundamental tool for category management in retail: it defines how to organize the shelf, how to plan the planogram, and when and how a brand appears in the shopper's decision process.

It is typically researched using simulated choice techniques (conjoint, MaxDiff) and observation of purchase behavior in store or virtual shelf test environments.