Problem or Need Recognition

Discuss about the Consumer Behaviour for Purchasing and Comparison Process.

The decision making process involves various complexities in all the stages involved. Thus, the consumer decision-making process is also a combination of complexities starting from the stage of recognition of problems to the stage of after purchase actions undertaken. The needs and requirements vary with the consumers; everyone has a different mindset regarding their lifestyle on a daily basis (Gabriel and Lang 2015). The complexity may arise here, as the opinion of consumers varies for a product in particular.

In addition, the selection, evaluation, purchasing and comparison process among the different products vary from one consumer to the other (Oliver 2014). Thus, the importance of realizing the major issues and complexities has become an important point of view for the majority of the companies and public. They have started understanding in order to utilize the realized theories into practice for better future.

The different facts and findings by various researchers have ultimately headed towards a common consensus as the various theories and models, which had been developed over time, are slightly different from each other. The theories about the consumer processes are similar for all the stages from the purchase of the products and services to the stage of the post purchase activities carried on by the consumer (Karimi et al. 2015).

The most common model, which is followed for the consumer decision making, is the Five Stage Model and as the name suggests, it involves five steps or stages (Birkland 2014). It is also too precise, clarifies the arguments, and issues related to all stages and thus adapted and accepted by the majority. It is a simple model and illustrative and explanatory in nature, which helps in the decision of purchase, and others required on a daily basis. The steps are discussed as below:

The first step is the recognition of the requirement or the existence of problems. The recognition takes place once when there is a situation of the consumer realizing the reason of differences, between the desired state and the actual state of dealings along with the requirements. The basis view was that the needs and requirements varies based on the situations and circumstances which an individual faces as a whole. It can be either personal or professional and thus helps in the idea of purchase. An example can be where; a consumer might realize that instead of desktop computer, a laptop might be required as it can be carried anywhere and used in various places (Hair 2015).

Information Search

The needs of individuals are categorized under two types of nature being psychological and physical needs. The emotions and other feelings fall under the psychological needs and the necessities and requirements fall under the physical needs (Lurie 2016).

A major contention was that a consumer might not know or be aware about the need for a particular product until and unless one is encountered with a product or service. In other words, the engagement of an individual and encountering with the products and services helps in the awareness for the need of such products. For example, an individual might like and need the product once he goes for window-shopping or once when he comes across the media advertisements related to some products and services or similar encountering of various circumstances.

The argument was resolved by an explanation, which provided that human needs have no limits and confinements. The human beings have a dissatisfactory nature and thus once a need gets satisfied, the other one arises in just a short span of time (Zipf 2016). The recognition of problems is recurring in nature, which thus makes it difficult to know the ultimate requirement of any individual. It can never be constant or unvarying in nature for any set of individuals or consumers.

The second stage reflects the research of information or particulars of the needs recognized in the first stage. Before making the decision of purchase, a customer will like to search for more information related to the product required. Every customer has a different set of processes and knowledge for gathering such information required. While few of them might want to rely on their experiences from past, the others would depend on the feedbacks provided from the peers and other people.

The process of research about the product is complex in nature as it is very hard to judge the actual nature of the required products and services. Thus, the process of searching is divided into internal and external search procedures. The internal search carries on the comparative analysis of the alternatives available from the experiences and knowledge gathered through their own feedbacks based on their own experiences (Hellström et al. 2015). For instance, one knows his taste and requirement of food is fulfilled by applying their own knowledge and taste. The advice of other individuals is not necessary in such cases. While on the other hand, the search done externally involves the cases in which larger purchases are to be undertaken like gadgets and appliances. For example, new cell phone and cars requires the suggestions of peers and media like the advertisements or magazines.

Evaluation of Alternatives

The argument here involved the attractive role of the internet, which gets reflected in the professional and personal lifestyle of the individuals. The individuals are turning towards the resources provided through the internet. The internet provides a detailed range of information on the various categories of products and particular brands (Babin and Zikmund 2015). Thus, the online reviews and feedbacks are affecting the public at large, which is in disagreement and argued. It is creating a huge impact upon the stage of the search of the information as people are accepting the facts and feedbacks as provided by the internet community.

The peers and family members are also one of the highlighted sources of information. But, here the process depends upon the level of relationships and influences exerted by such peers and relatives. Thus, in general an individual does not undergo the pain of searching the required information as they easily rely on the information collected by the relatives and peers (Runco 2014).

The third stage compiles the evaluation procedure carried out for the alternatives available for the choices considered in the first and second stages. Thus, the above two stages helps in the determination of the third stage.

The next step after the information being gathered from the above steps constitutes the comparison and evaluation of the information to make the right selection (Fiksdal et al. 2014). The stage contains the analysis of the customer of all the information acquired through the research done. It also considers a variety of substitutes and compares them according to the wants and desires. In addition, other variety of aspects such as size, worth, brand name and quality are considered at this stage. Consequently, this stage is considered the most significant stage throughout the entire consumer decision-making course

In addition, there was a controversial aspect regarding same that, the evaluation process would become harsh and difficult in nature as it could prove to be time consuming along with a greater amount of pressure upon the consumers. The human needs changes on an uncertain basis and thus it becomes tough for finding the products and services which would prove to be ideal and satisfactory for the consumer. The factors causing hindrance on the consumer decision making are numerous and thus the difficulty arises. Few of the factors are the cultural, economical, age, taste and other aspects. The old people generally go after the quality while the younger find the design a major factor in taking decisions to buy a product (Case et al. 2016).

Purchase Decision

Even, the endorsement done by great celebrities prove to be a major factor as it causes a great impact on the evaluation of the decision making process of the consumers. The people follow their idolized celebrities while purchasing a product or service, as they dream and crave towards resembling their hero icons.

After the research and evaluation of such products, the consumer has to carry on the decision of purchasing. It is therefore the most important and critical step of the whole process. The final decision of purchasing the required product is taken by the consumer after reviewing the whole process under the above three steps (Fleischmann et al. 2015).

There can be various factors affecting the decision of the purchase by the customers. The stock might get out and delay might be caused by other factors causing uncertain scenarios. Thus, the consumers might shift on to online purchase rather than physical purchase.

It is to be kept under special purview that the impacts created on by the sales managers must not be too forcing in nature. The sales managers play an important role in influencing the decisions. Hence, the sales management must not be too abrupt in nature for higher effectiveness.

Lastly, the ultimate stage of the decision making course of action is the stage of the post-purchase evaluation. After the procurement and takeover of the preferred product takes place, the companies ignore the post purchase assessment as they think this stage to be an unwanted and unnecessary one. Nevertheless, this stage can turn up to become the major integral part of the decision making process as they can get feedback of the consumers and record the same for the future use. The company must record the response, whether it is positive or negative so that they can know the demand in near future for the particular products (Sunyansanoa et al. 2013).

A supporting view was provided which cited that the decision making process is a cyclical action and also that, a good knowledgeable and experienced person can be helpful in lowering the uncertain position which takes place for the next time of purchasing the product or services. Also, after buying the goods and services the peers, family members and other close ones opine about such products which can turn to be a major factor affecting the outcome of the evaluation of the post purchase (Sethna and Blythe 2016). These lines were supported by others as it was accepted that the opinions of the peers positively reflect and creates an impact on the satisfaction level of the customer without considering the level of objectivity.

Post-Purchase Evaluation

The authors had stated that the consumers respond either positively or negatively. They may get either satisfied, or dissatisfied. This would depend upon the evaluation of the purchase and comparative study of their expected thoughts and materials. The customer becomes experienced with the outcomes and it helps to give a better and direct impact upon the following decisions to be made by the consumers in the short or long run. The decision becomes easy for the same product and if brought from the unchanged seller (Tietenberg and Lewis 2016).

Thus, it is a simple concept i.e. if the purchaser is satisfied, the purchase might be repeated. On the other hand, if it is unsatisfied it is not likely that the consumer might buy the same product at all. Thus, it is important to note the after purchase evaluation procedure from the customers, rather than ignoring it easily.

Conclusion

Consumer decision-making process is thus an integral and never ending procedure as discussed above. The process goes through the various stages and all the stages are equally important. All the steps and stages must be effectively summarized and recorded to get hold of the major techniques, to maintain the consumer base.

Though the tastes and needs of the consumers change frequently in nature, the issue of the never ending needs can be met up by the analysis and assessment by the management and companies. The observable behaviors can help the assessment of an individual customer’s needs and requirements. Thus, the buying and decision making process of a customer is too analytical on the cost benefit analysis as there are huge alternatives present in the market environment.

Thus, it is unreal to assume a perfectly rational economy for such decision-making procedures. Sometimes, there might be a skip of all stages, i.e. the consumers can directly jump onto the purchasing stage, without searching and collecting information and even evaluating the alternatives for the desired product. However, it must systematically in order to get an efficient and effective decision-making through the company and management.

References

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