Consumer Behaviour and research - Essay Example

BUYER DECISION-MAKING PROCESS al Affiliation) Individual buying decision process Individual buying decision process comprises of the following steps need recognition, information search, evaluation of alternatives, purchase decision and post Purchase behaviour.Need recognitionThe process begins with need recognition where the purchaser feels that she or he should obtain specific services or products to satisfy his or her need. The motive behind this could be internal stimuli such as the need to satisfy, and external stimuli such as services or products adverts (Collis 2011).

Information searchAn interested potential buyer intending to purchase services or products will look for information concerning various corporations offering those services or products. He or she will utilize such sources like internet, and even friends (Bryman 2011).Evaluation of alternativesThe promoting people of businesses need to identify on how various clients evaluate services or products although the procedure is not simple to fathom. Here the customers might have the following elements of evaluation measures in mind prices, brand and quality (Malhotra 2012).

Purchase decision Generally, the customer is supposed to purchase that service or product which up to maximum level satisfies his or her evaluation criteria; nevertheless, yet at this phase same element might change customers decisions (Solomon 2009).Post Purchase behaviourCustomers purchasing decision procedure does not culminate with the procurement of the service or product, it engrosses itself within post-purchase procedure. This establishes whether the purchaser is pleased with service or product purchased or not.

If pleased then super word of mouth will transpire and if the buyer is not pleased, he or she will not put in a good word concerning product or service. Consumers dissatisfaction, satisfaction or delightedness rests upon a buyer’s expectations as well as the service or product quality apparent performance (Malhotra 2012). Corporate buying decision processCorporate buying decision procedure comprises of the ensuing steps: problem recognition, general need description, product specification, supplier search, proposal solicitation, supplier selection, order routine specification and performance review.

Problem recognitionProblem recognition will ensue when a corporation recognizes a need or problem, which can be met by purchasing a service or product (Ghauri 2010). For instance, Thornton Company can realize that one of its products is not selling maybe because of its taste. To improve the product, Thornton will have to buy new supplies or services to rectify the problem.General need descriptionWhen an organization wishes to improve its products or services, the traits of the products and services required are clearly stated (Keegan 2010).

At Thornton, for instance, to improve the taste of a product, Thornton will give a description of ingredients needed to improve that product.Product specification After the general need description, a corporation will state the product or services’ specification that will obviously be executed by consulting with the technical or engineering team (West 2011). For example, at Thornton improving the taste of a product is what is known as product specification.Supplier search In the supplier search step, a company will look for the provider of the services or goods required.

This could be accomplished by going through trade catalogues or by carrying out a computer search. This will evidently short-list those with respectable reputation and presents best deals (Keegan 2010). Thornton, for instance, would search for suppliers who are known to provide the best ingredients.Proposal solicitation As soon as the search is concluded then the corporation invites the dealers to present their tender, in this case demonstration by the contractor might be required (Solomon 2009).

For instance, Thornton Company would want to have the suppliers showcase their products.Supplier selectionSupplier SelectionIn the supplier selection, the corporation will finalize the contractor. Elements like competitive prices, quality services and products, and honest communication are of huge significance in this respect (Solomon 2009). For instance, Thornton can only pick the supplier with the quality products that it requires, at a good price. Order routine specification At this phase, the company management will formulate an order-routine design.

It will correspondingly incorporate concluding order with carefully chosen supplier, as well as list of other components like technical services required, return polices, date of delivery and warranties (Keegan 2010).Performance review In the performance review, the corporation will evaluate the performance of the contractors services or products. This might lead corporation to keep, change, or drop the deal with the contractor (Malhotra 2012). At Thornton, for example, during a performance review, the company can assess the products and services afforded to it by the contractor by looking into sales of its products.

If the sales are high, that means that the contractor’s products or services were effective.ReferencesBryman, Alan 2011, Business Research Methods, OUP Oxford.Collis, Jill 2011, Business Research, A Practical Guide for Undergraduate and Postgraduate Students, McGraw-Hill Higher Education.Ghauri, Pervez 2010, International Marketing, McGraw-Hill Higher Education. Keegan, Warren 2010, Global Marketing, Pearson.Malhotra, Naresh 2012, Marketing Research: An Applied Approach, PearsonSolomon, Michael R 2009, Consumer Behaviour, A European Perspective Financial Times, Prentice Hall.

West,Douglas 2011, Strategic Marketing, Creating Competitive Advantage, OUP Oxford.