Consumer Decision Journey: buying is a cycle, not a funnel

Hi everyone! 👋

Most product people plan their go-to-market around a funnel. But buying isn't a funnel — it's a cycle.

I wrote up how users actually choose a product, using McKinsey's Consumer Decision Journey (CDJ) — the framework almost everyone skips because it's seen as "too advanced." It breaks down the two non-obvious insights that decide whether you even make the shortlist:

→ Your shortlist isn't built from the best products. It's built from the most visible ones.

→ That shortlist can flip completely during comparison — which is your second chance to win.

Full breakdown in the doc 👇 Curious where you all land on the question at the end.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PoTlgAclWgtP6ZPGM5hIlbZU4AMcZKzCHygPFWMfkyY/edit?usp=sharing