An essential part of marketing is the buyer decision making process. This is arguably an ideal part for marketers as they r able to view how consumers make buying decisions, after looking at the influences that affect buyers. The buyer decision making process involves five stages in which buyers make decisions in purchasing a product. These five stages include problem recognition, information search, evaluation of alternatives, purchase decision, post purchase behavior (Kotler, Brown, Burton, Deans & Armstrong, 2010).Consumers always pass through all five stages with each purchase, in a high involvement decision. However, for low involvement decision they may not always follow these steps, instead reversing the order or even skipping steps.
Marketers use this model to highlight and assess the main considerations that arise when consumers are involved in a new purchase decision. Therefore, the buyer decision making process is an integral part of marketing. Firstly, the first stage of the buyer decision process is problem recognition. This stage is where the consumer recognises the problem and need.This is sensing the difference between the actual state and the desired state (Bruner II & Pomazal, 1988). This need can be sparked by both internal stimuli and external stimuli.
Internal stimuli is the individual’s normal problem and needs eg. ( hunger, thirst, sex) which develops to a drive (Kotlel, 2010). Likewise, external stimuli is the external environment eg( peer pressure, desires after seeing someone else having what u are interested in) enticing the individual to a need. Therefore its is ideal for marketers to identify the consumer problems which exist, and the marketed product is the perfect solution.A great example of external stimuli is advertisements of products, this case (Hydroxycut, 2010) fat burning pills which are developed to make the purchaser slimmer and hence more attractive. These advertising campaigns create and different understanding in the consumer’s desired state and actual state and persuade them to buy their brand, as it is the most perfect to solve the problem.
As a result, marketers have a deeper understanding of the consumer problems and therefore it is more capable and effective for marketers to identify the problem and the best solution. In addition, information search is the next stage in this model.If the buyer’s drive is strong enough then they will search the types of products which are right for them. The type of sources which buyers may rely and contemplate on are commercial sources these inform the buyer, personal sources which ligitimise or evaluate, public sources which are the media and experiential sources which are based on the person experience. The main motivation to undertake the information process is to, “reduce risk during the decision making process” and to, “ensure an optimum choice is made” (Evans, Moutinho and Van Raaij 1996, as cited in Rose & Samouel, 2009).The consumer’s amount of searching depends on the drive, satisfaction from their searching and the ease at which they obtain the information.
Out of the four sources of information, personal sources are the more dominant influence in a consumer’s decision (Acevedo, L. , 2009). In general cases, the concumer receives most information about the product from commercial sources. For an instance, doctors learn from commercial sources about new drugs and medications. Therefore, by having more information the consumers knowledge about the product and brands in the market increase.
So companies and marketers make it an ease to find information about the product for the consumer by paying search engines such as Google to display their company links. By searching for information can only improve the buyers ability to purchase the ideal product. Moreover, the next stage involved in this process is evaluation of the alternatives. This involves processing the information to help make the purchase decision. This depends on the individual consumer and buying situation. If marketers can understand these processes, then they may be able to influence the buyer’s evaluation.
It is this stage which the buyer has an outline of brands. For example Nash (2010) states buying running shoes there is alternatives of Nike, Addidas, Assics, New Balance, and Reebok etc. On top of this, consumers can sometimes be irrational and choose based on impulse or they will conduct and evaluate accurately which product fits their need and problem, therefore this stage can be hard to predict. It is important that marketer’s design their product or service in such a way that it stands out during this process. It is crucial that a marketer understands this evaluation process to best determine how to influence the buyer’s decision.But the final decision made will be a reflection of the consumer’s attributes interests and the importance placed in each attribute.
Therefore this shows the strength of the certain company’s marketing department aswell. Following evaluation of alternatives stage is the purchase decision stage of the buyer decision process. This step highlights, the customer buys the most preferred brand/alternative, depending on the product category, brand, reseller, timing and quantity. The decision can be influenced by the attitude of others and unexpected situational factors (Kotler et al, 2010).
However, marketers andthe companies must facilitate in changing purchase intention into purchase decision buy providing credit or other incentives such as prize competitions. (Sandhusen, 2000). However, this may not work on buyers who a well researched and know exactly what they intend to purchase. This could work on the impulse buyers. Therefore, if marketers know the buyer decision model very well then it will enhance there ability to win over consumers to buying their products. The laste stage of the buying desion prossec is post purchase behavior.
Consumer take further action based on their satisfaction or dissatisfaction.The experience of the consumers will influence the future behavior. Cognitive dissonance (post purchase conflict) can occur which is the discomfort caused by post purchase conflict, cannot be avoided because a consumer will always regret the attractiveness and performance of forgone alternatives. Also, word of mouth communication is powerful too, Brand loyal consumers not only spread positive word-of-mouth for the brand but are also less likely to switch to other brands (ICFAI University, 2000). Hence, the marketers can reduce such behavior by upholding the expectations of the consumer and the quality of after sales service.
Therefore, the right marketing means that Consumers are more likely to be loyal to the brand in the future if they feel valued and thus continue creating value for the firm. Ultimately, the marketer must have a deep understanding of the broad issues and knowledge of the buyer decision process model, inorder to ensure that the company achieves the benchmarks and the buyers are pleases and satisfied with the product. The buyer thought process must always be taken in to account, form the initial problem recognition to the post purchase behavior. Therefore, this model plays a major role in the marketing field.Referenceshttp://www.ehow.com/how-does_5438201_consumer-buying-decision-process.html
