Consumer Behavior as a Process - Essay Example

Consumer BehaviorConsumer behavior entails analysis of processes entailed when groups and individuals; select, purchase, utilize, and dispose services, experiences and goods, In the course of satisfying desires or needs. Consumer behavior as a process tries to analyze the decision making levels and buying behavior of customers. Under consumer behavior, the customer plays three key roles; buyer, user and payer (Kuester 110). Consumer behavior also places a lot of emphasis on customer relationships, marketing, consumer retention, personalization and customization.

The black box approach of consumer behavior illustrates the reactions of stimuli, consumer responses, consumer features, and decision processes (Kuester 116). The model illustrates interpersonal stimuli and intrapersonal stimuli. The black box model explains the connection of the stimuli and the consumer response. Marketing stimuli is initiated by the businesses or companies, and environmental stimuli are provided by social factors according to political, cultural and economic aspects of the society.

The black box of the buyer has characteristics and decision process that influence buyer’s response in the market. Black box model illustrates the response of the buyer in a conscious decision process, where the buyer identifies the problem (Kuester, 117).After problem recognition, search for product or service information is started. Consumers engage in internal and external information search. Information sources are personal experience, public sources and commercial sources. This stage provides promotional strategies to businesses, and illustrates the most effective information source for the brand.

Analyzing alternatives entails comparison of products or brand in the market. The evoked set illustrates the alternatives considered during problem solving (Kuester 89). Consumers evaluate options ort alternatives based on psychological and functional importance they offer. Marketing organizations must understand the benefits consumers require. The customer makes purchase decision after carefully evaluating the strategies (Kuester 74). Marketing organization must enable the customer to act according to their purchase intention, through sales promotion.

Post purchase is also significant to organizations. This is because it influences the purchasing patterns in future. Works CitedKuester, Sabine. Strategic Marketing & Marketing in Specific Industry Contexts. University of Mannheim. 2012. Print.