Patterns of Behaviour and Buying Process of the Consumers - Essay Example

Introduction Consumers make buying decisions on a daily basis and it is the role of the marketers to identify the patterns of behaviour and buying process of the consumers (Kotler & Armstrong, 2010). On the other hand, the marketers have a role to establish the behavior of the consumers so as to be able to offer products and services that are needed by the consumers. This process certainly demands investigation of certain buying behaviour of the consumers which puts them at the forefront of decision making process towards purchasing a certain good or service (Lancaster & Reynolds, 1999). Against this background, this paper seeks to discuss the concepts which impact on the buyer behaviour in practical situations. The paper will specifically focus on a mobile phone retailer and it will explain the characteristics that affect consumer behavior and outline the consumer decision-making process as it relates to a consumer whose mobile phone contract is due for renewal. The paper will discuss the relevance of the decision-making process to marketers of consumer electronics in general and provide recommendations of how they can influence the stages of the decision-making process. Model of consumer buyer behaviour There are many factors that shape the behaviour of the buyers towards a certain market offering. First and foremost, it is imperative to begin by explaining the meaning of consumer behaviour in order to grasp the meaning of the whole concept. “Consumer behaviour comprises the behaviour patterns of decision units (individuals as well as families) which precede, determine and follow on the decision making process for the acquisition of need satisfying products, ideas and services,” (Strydom, 2004, p.2). On the other hand, McCarty & Perreault (1996) suggest that the needs of the consumers, their motives, perceptions, attitudes, learning abilities and their personality have an impact on their buyer behaviour towards certain products offered in the market. Consumers do not live in isolation from others and their buying behaviour is also impacted by factors such as culture, social, personal and psychological (Kotler & Armstrong, 2010). Thus, it can be noted that the study of buyer behaviour mainly draws from psychology with additional inputs mainly from Sociology as well as Economics (Lancaster &Reynolds, 1999). Sociologically, people’s behaviour is shaped by factors such as friendship, love, status as well as self esteem. On the other hand, psychological factors deal with attitude and perception developed by people towards something. There are several reasons why an individual may buy a particular product but the major one is to satisfy different needs as postulated by Maslow’s hierarchy of needs (McCarthy & Perreault, 1996). Before making a decision to buy a certain product, a need must first arise and this need has to be satisfied. This in turn appeals to the individual to make a decision towards purchasing a product that can satisfy that need already witnessed. The introduction of cell phones brought unexpected convenience and changed consumer behaviour in ways the researchers could not foresee (Kotler & Armstrong, 2010). It can be seen that convenience that has been brought by the use of cell phones is now recognised as a necessity rather than a luxury. Therefore, there are various factors that shape the behaviour of an individual towards buying a cell phone particularly the one whose contract is about to expire. The central question to the marketer in this case is: How does a customer respond to a marketing strategy used by the firm. In this case, the stimulus response model of buyer behaviour is often applied. Marketing stimuli shapes consumer behaviour and is related to the marketing mix consisting of the four Ps: product, price, place and promotion. According to Wang et al (2004), customer value is supposed to be used as a strategic tool by the marketers of products since it has a bearing on the buying behaviour of the consumers. For instance, the pricing strategy used by a particular company especially mobile phone marketer has a bearing on the behaviour of the customers. In the mobile phone industry, there have been various technological developments and customers specifically look at products that have favourable prices. The favourable prices also help to positively shape the behaviour of the buyers towards a product. It can also be seen that product features such as cell phone applications have a bearing on influencing the buying behaviour of the consumers. Marketing strategies such as product position also have an influence on the behaviour of the customers towards it. A product that is correctly positioned in the minds of the customers as well as in the market is likely to create a positive behaviour among the buyers. A customers looks at the benefits likely to be derived from renewing a contract for using a cell phone and they will use this information to make a decision towards purchasing the product. Similarly, product promotion also has a very important role in shaping the behaviour of the customers towards a particular product offered in the market. The customers are supposed to get all the information they may want about the product so that they can develop a positive attitude towards the product. Cultural issues are also very important with regards to shaping the behaviour of the customers towards certain products offered in the market. People usually come from different cultural backgrounds and these have an impact on shaping their behaviour. Basically, culture is defined as a set of values, norms and attitudes that shape human behaviour (Lamb, 2008). In as far as buying a new cell phone is concerned, it can be seen that personal values are more important in shaping the behaviour of the consumers since these are constantly changing. These personal values are in turn shape by the cultural values of the consumers. Companies that are concerned about their survival especially in the mobile phone industry should take individual values into consideration since these greatly shape their behaviour. On the other hand, it can be observed that the buying behaviour of an individual is determined by factors such as perception, needs, motives and attitudes which are either directly or indirectly influenced by the individual’s ability to learn (Lancaster &Reynolds, 1999). A person first acquires buying and consumption knowledge about a specific market offering which is known as cognition stage. This process derived from the cognitive theory which entails that learning takes place as a result of the fact that a customer has come into contact with the product. He therefore develops some interest in the product fully knowing that he will solve a certain problem from using the product. According to this theory of consumer behaviour, the customer is viewed as a problem solver. He first seeks information that can help him to solve the problem identified. People use their minds to solve a particular problem and it some cases, they subconsciously come into contact with a product. For instance, a customer may come into contact with a new cell phone on the market through an advertisement. That person may certainly develop a positive behaviour towards the phone. Consumers often respond to advertisements as a result of their perceptions towards particular products. Learning takes place at this stage when the consumer first encounters the product. Basically, understanding consumer behaviour can be conceptualised as a learning process which helps the individual consumers to shape their values towards particular products (Lamb et al, 2008). As discussed above, the behaviour of the consumers towards a certain product are mainly influenced by factors such as social, psychological, cultural as well as personal factors. The buyers often learn these values which shape their behaviour. In turn, the marketers also ought to be aware of the factors that shape the behaviour of the people towards certain products offered. It can thus be seen that the development of behaviour of customers towards certain product like a cell phone is a learned process. The consumers try to gain a full understanding of the product attributes before making a decision to purchase it. The next section of the report discusses how consumers make buying decisions. Buyer Decision process Consumers make buying decisions through a process comprised of different stages. According to Kotler and Armstrong (2010) this model is made up of five stages that play a pivotal role in influencing the customer decision process which include the following: need recognition, information search, evaluation of alternatives, purchase decision and post purchase behaviour. The consumer starts by recognising a need or a problem. In some cases, the consumers may not be aware of their needs and it is the responsibility of the marketers to help the consumers to recognise their needs. When the consumer has recognised a need and created awareness of the product, develops interests about the product and begins to search for information about it. In case of a cell phone, the customer begins to look for information pertaining to the attributes that make the product special and different from others. The consumer then evaluates the product as well as the alternatives to see the best decision that can be made in purchasing the product (Cant, 2000). There are different brands of cell phones and the consumer ought to evaluate the alternatives available in order to come up with the best choice. A purchase decision is then made after the customer has evaluated the alternatives available in the market. This is done through ranking the products according to their order of importance and value. However, the marketer’s job does not end as soon as the product is purchased. He ought to carry out an analysis of post purchase behaviour of the consumers towards a certain product. This is meant to ensure that the customers are satisfied with the product that has been offered as well as to put measures that are meant to retain them (Kotler, 1999). In the event of renewing a contract that is about to expire, the marketers of mobile phones should take this opportunity to persuade the customers to remain with the company. The buyer decision process is often influenced by the attitude of the consumers they develop towards a product. McCarthy & Perreault (1990, p. 66) define an attitude as “a learned predisposition to behave in a consistently favourable or unfavourable way towards market related objects or situations.” People are exposed to a product and they develop a certain attitude towards it which in turn shapes their behaviour. For instance, various people have developed a positive behaviour towards Apple’s prestigious iPhone. People often attach status that is attached to this particular product. Indeed, the smartphone industry is characterised by stiff competition but it is important for the marketers to influence the behaviour of the customers so that they can buy their products. It is imperative for the marketers of cell phones to persuade as well as to convince the consumers that their products are the best in the market. Conclusion and recommendations In conclusion, it can be noted that consumers make buying decisions on a daily basis. These decisions are mainly influenced by their behaviour towards certain market offerings. As discussed above, it can be seen that consumer behaviour is shaped by factors such as social, personal, cultural as well as psychological. The concept of consumer behaviour is very important for the marketers to grasp since it has a bearing on their effort to woo the consumers to their products. It is therefore important for a mobile phone marketer to take into account the stages discussed above since they have a significant impact on influencing the customers to shape their behaviour towards the products offered. This ultimately influences the customers to make final decisions to renew their contracts. This strategy will also help the company to retain its customers which can improve its viability in the long run. Therefore, it is recommended that this organization that deals with mobile phones should: Present its products as the best alternative to others offered in the market Provide as much information about the product as possible Continue persuading the customers to buy the product References Cant, MC 2000, Marketing Management, 4th Edition Juta and Co Ltd, CT. Kotler, P & Armstrong, G 2010, Principles of Marketing, Person: CT. Kotler, P 1999, Kotler on Marketing: How to create, win and dominate Markets, Free Press, London. Lamb, CW, 2008. Marketing. Oxford University Press, CT. Lancaster, G & Reynolds, P 1999, Introduction to Marketing: A step by step Guide to all the tools of Marketing, Kogan Page, London. McCarthy, JE & Perreault, WD 1990, Basic Marketing, International student Edition, 10th Edition, Irwin, Boston. McCarthy, JE & Perreault, WD 1996, Basic Marketing: A Global Managerial Approach, 12th Edition, Irwin McGraw-Hill, NY. Strydom, J 2004, Marketing, 3rd Edition, Juta & Co Ltd, CT. Wang, Y, Hing PL, Chi, R & Yang, Y 2004. An integrated framework Managing Service Quality. Volume 14 · Number 2/3 · 2004 · 169-182 Read More