CONSUMER  BUYING BEHAVIOUR  DECISION PROCESS

 

 

Problem Recognition:

Need recognition of Problem Recognition is the first stage of the buyer decision process. During need or problem recognition, the consumer recognizes a problem or need satisfied by a product or service in the market.

The buyer feels a difference between his or her actual state and some desired state. Internal stimuli can trigger the need. This occurs when one of the person’s normal needs, such as hunger, thirst, sex, rises to a level high enough to become a driver. External stimuli can also trigger a need.

At this stage, the marketer should study the consumers to find answers to some important questions. These are:

• What kinds of needs or problems arise?
• What is the root of these needs or problems?
• How they led the consumers to a particular product?

Example-

 A lady has light jackets but would need a heavy duty winter coats to survive upcoming harsh winter season.

 

Information Search:

The second stage of the purchasing process is searching for information. Once the need is recognized, the consumer is aroused to seek more information and moves into the information search stage.

The consumer may have heightened attention or may undertake an active search for information. The amount of searching a consumer will depend on the strength of his drive, the amount of information he starts with, the ease of obtaining more information, the value he places on additional information, and the satisfaction he gets from searching.

The consumer may undergo two levels of information search – a) heightened attention – where the person simply becomes more receptive to information about a product or b) active search for information; using different information sources to learn about the product.

Information Sources:

• Personal: Family, friends, neighbors, acquaintances
• Commercial: Advertising, web sites, e-mails, salespeople, dealers, packaging, displays
• Public: Mass media, consumer rating organizations, social media
• Experimental: Handling, examining, using the product

Although the consumer receives the most information about a product from commercial sources-those controlled by the marketer, the most effective information however comes from personal sources or independent public sources.

Example-

The lady will google for “winter coats” and look out for available options. Also, when she sees a person with a cute coat she will ask where they acquired it from and what are the consumers impressions about the brand.

 

Evaluation of Alternatives:

During this stage, consumers evaluate all of their products or brand options on a scale of attributes which have the ability to deliver the benefit that they are seeking.

In order for a marketing organization to increase the likelihood that their brand is part of the evoked set for many consumers, they need to understand what benefits consumers are seeking and specifically, which attributes will be most influential to their decision-making process.

It is important to note that consumers evaluate alternatives in terms of the functional and psychological benefits that they offer.

During this stage, consumers can be significantly influenced by their attitude as well as the degree of involvement that they may have with the product, brand, or overall category.

Ultimately, consumers must be able to effectively assess the value of all the products or brands in their evoked set before they can move on to the next step of the decision process.

Example-

 She would compare a few brands which she likes keeping in mind her parameters that she wants a brightly colored coat which costs not too much and is made of sustainable materials.

 

Purchase decision:

In the evaluation stage, the consumer forms preferences among the brands and the choice set and may also form an intension to buy the most preferred brands. After evaluating the alternatives, the buyer buys the suitable product. But there are also the chances to postpone the purchase decision due to some reasons. In that case the marketer must try to find out the reasons and try to remove them either by providing sufficient information to the consumers or by giving them guarantee regarding the product to the consumer.

 A consumer’s decision to modify, postpone or avoid a purchase decision is heavily influenced by one or more type of perceived risk.

·         Functional risk

·         Physical risk

·         Financial risk social risk

·         Psychological risk

·         Time risk

·         Social risk

Example–

The customer finds a pink coat which is on sale. After reading reviews online and considering the brands feedback received from friends and family, she orders the coat.

 

Post-Purchase Evaluation:

After buying the product consumer will either be satisfied or dissatisfied. If the consumer is not satisfied in that case, he will be disappointed otherwise If he is satisfied than he will be delighted. It is usually said that a satisfy consumer tell about the product to 3 people and a dissatisfy consumer tell about the product to 11 people. Therefore, it is the duty of the marketer to satisfy the consumer. The marketer’s job is to doesn’t end with purchases.

Marketer must monitor the following:

a)      Post purchase satisfaction

b)      Post purchase action

c)      Post purchase uses and disposal 

d)      

Example–

The seller contacts the customer through email and asks her whether she is happy with the purchase and whether the seller was able to satisfy the customers need.