William Wilkie has succeeded in writing a book on consumer behavior that is stimulating, provides clear explanations, and is a pleasure to read. Considering such issues as why people buy some products and not others, why some consumers spend frugally while others run up large debts, what role the marketing system plays in consumer behavior, and how a marketer actually influences a consumer, it includes the best and useful frameworks and marketing ``rules of thumb'' that tie concepts together and apply them to the reality of the marketer's role. In this Second Edition, topical coverage has been organized more clearly and coverage of market segmentation has been greatly expanded. A section on organizational buying behavior had been added, and the expanded ``notes'' section has been placed at the back of the book for easy access.