In buyer decision process, what are the sources from which buyer can collect information? How can these sources help buyer in their purchase decision?

Information Search: The consumer can obtain information from any of several sources. These include personal sources (family, friends, neighbors, acquaintances), commercial sources (advertising, salespeople, dealers, packaging, displays, Web sites), public sources (mass media, consumer-rating organizations), and experiential sources (handling, examining, using the product). The relative influence of these information sources varies with the product and the buyer. Generally, the consumer receives the most information about a product from commercial sources—those controlled by the marketer. The most effective sources, however, tend to be personal. Commercial sources normally inform the buyer, but personal sources legitimize or evaluate products for the buyer. People often ask others—friends, relatives, acquaintances, professionals—for recommendations concerning a product or service. Thus, companies have a strong interest in building such word-of-mouth sources. Word of mouth is the only promotion method that is of consumers, by consumers, and for consumers. Due to word of mouth sources the consumer's awareness and knowledge of the available brands and features increases, and all the information they gathered from these sources help them in making purchasing decision.