What is Consumer Buying Process / Stages in Buyer Behaviour?

Consumer Decision Making Process / Consumer Buying Process refers to activities involved by a buyer in making a purchase by searching and evaluating the options available, and determining satisfaction with the purchase for satisfying a need or want

The consumer buying process is shown in the figure below-

Marketers needs to ensure that they have thoroughly studied the customers in the target market to understand their buyer behaviour and their decision making process. The process of decision making begins as a result of unsatisfied need or want.

1) Unsatisfied Need/Want – the buying process begins when a certain need or want is risen. Depending on the requirement, a purchase is done immediately or over a certain period. For example, buying salt for the kitchen will be done immediately whereas buying a refrigerator will take certain time. Certain needs are basic which can be considered as internal requirement such as hunger, thirst, spectacles, etc. Then there are needs that satisfy an ego or get aroused by coming in contact with other people’s belongings, etc. For example, a friend bought a latest smart phone or a watch. This triggers a need/ want in the person.

Marketers study the kinds of needs that arise and the factors that influenced them to buy the product. Then the marketing offer is tailored to satisfy those needs.

2) Information Search consumers may search information to look for available options for products and brands to satisfy the needs. The information search is more dominant for high priced products which hold high significance. A favourable experience of the product by the consumer or the reference group members involves limited decision making.

A consumer may call up friends, visit stores, read reviews on internet, etc. to get as much information before buying a product. It varies as per the significance/utility and familiarity factor of the product (please see Consumer Decision Making types under topicConsumer Market and Buyer Behaviourto know more about this).

This gives marketers opportunity to study the consumer. More the time spent in searching information, more opportunity the organisations have to communicate and convince the buyers. As the buyers are seeking as much information as they can, they are more open and receptive to getting information from any source. In a developing country where internet access is limited to visiting Internet Cafes, there is cost involved in searching information. Marketers here have a great opportunity to reach out to their target market via effective communication channels in their target market. For example, pamphlet distribution, convenient store location, easy return policy, hoardings, kiosks in neighbourhoods are some of the channels that organisations adopt in developing countries or small towns.

It becomes important for the organisations to ask questions, or have a feedback form filled to know how the buyer got acquainted with the product and the brand when they visit the store, etc. This will help marketers device tailor made strategy for the market.

3) Evaluation of alternatives – this stage involves learning the product characteristics and features. Here the customer gives weightage to the different attributes of the products to suit his need and wants.

For example, a person wants to buy a 160 L refrigerator for $200. There could be a brand offering the basic features in that price range. But its competitor is offering a 140 L refrigerator with 5 years extended warranty, and in a variety of colours for $230. Here the customer will do a mental trial of the product by giving weightage to different attributes according to his needs and wants.

This stage is mostly dominated by product features, brand image, price, offers, etc.

People form Beliefs about a product according to the benefits it provides. Belief is formation of internal feelings whether negative or positive. It can be rational or irrational. A person can have a belief about a restaurant about its ambience, menu, etc. Previous experience, recommendation from friends, and other information affects the belief system. The belief system forms the feeling of like or dislike about a product which is Attitude. Attitude is expressed in a person’s behaviour or thoughts. If a person likes or dislikes a product it depends on his belief about that product. A person can have a certain beliefs about a brand. The governments had to invest heavily in developing countries to change the attitude towards AIDS and usage of condoms.

Sometimes, the evaluation is done without holding any attitude towards the products. In the example shared above on refrigerators, the person can make a choice based on the price and size. All brands not meeting the criteria will not be considered. The consumers without forming any attitudes buy the products suiting their needs.

4) Purchase Decision– consumers arrive at this stage based on what they like the most about a product rather than what they don’t like. At this stage the exchange process takes place between the buyer and the seller. The consumers may not end up buying the intended product or not buy at all. The decision is based on the need fulfillment and factors affecting the choice situational factors. A buyer can change the intention of buying a product of his choice under the influence of many factors.

For example, a person may want to join a sports club which offers services like free counselling, personal trainer, etc. at a price that he can afford, but refuses the offer because his friends can’t afford it who visit a club which has lower fees.

A person who has arrived at buying a new car with high end model may end up buying the basic model because of sudden medical expenses of a family member, change in prices, payment mode, dealers terms, a job transfer, negative attitude of others, feeling to comply with wishes of the others, etc.

A women getting married may give in to the wedding gown chosen by her mother or a close friend.

5) Purchase Outcomeit is a feeling of satisfaction or dissatisfaction that a customer goes through after experiencing the product or service. Organisations extensively study post purchase behaviour of customer to better their products and services. People mostly share their experience with others. In today’s digital age, customers mostly review a product and share their experience on global forums. A negative review can have negative effect on the sale of the product. A customer will go for an alternative product from a different brand in case of dissatisfaction. In case of satisfaction, customer may again buy the same product from the same brand and will be willing to try different products from the same brand.

In case of a dissatisfied, customer, organisations should be ready to understand the reason of dissatisfaction and try to solve the problem. Consumers are increasingly approaching Consumer courts if the organisations don’t handle customer complaints in a sensitive manner.

Organisations are understanding the value of customer satisfaction and proactively approach the buyers congratulating them for the purchase and welcoming them to the brand family. This gives them the opportunity to have two way communication with the customer via telephone, email, etc. Information for any assistance is shared via easy-to-understand instruction manual.

It is important to understand that all the consumers may not go through the steps involved in the consumer buying process. The decision making can be a very simple task depending on the utility/significance value and familiarity of the brand. Price also plays a major role in decision making process. For example, for buying a candy bar, a consumer may not do information search and evaluation of alternatives so enthusiastically.