MBA 640 Conduct a Consumer Buying Behavior Study

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Consumer Buying Behavior

Marketers should have a thorough understanding of how their "consumers think, feel, and

act" and must offer a clear value to each target consumer (Kotler & Keller, 2015, p. 157).

Consumer buying behavior is the "the study of the process involved when individuals or

groups select, purchase, use, or dispose of products, services, ideas, or experiences to

satisfy needs and desires" (Solomon, 2017, p. 6). Consumer buying behavior is strongly

influenced by personal, cultural, and social factors. Of these, cultural factors have the

most profound influence. Accordingly, marketers pay close attention to the cultural values

of consumers in their markets to promote sales of their current products and identify

opportunities for the future (Kotler & Keller, 2015).

Marketers should understand how their consumers make buying decisions and who is

involved in such decisions. Consumer buying behavior is a five-step process that involves

problem recognition, information search, evaluating alternatives, purchase decision, and

post-purchase behavior. Each step must be fully understood by the marketer. The five-

step process does not necessarily occur in this sequence, and consumers may skip or

reverse stages as they alternate between buying offline and online (Kotler & Keller, 2015).

Brands play an important role in consumer buying behavior, conveying information about

the product and reassuring the consumer's buying decision (Marshall & Johnston, 2011).

The marketplace has been dramatically changing in the past decade thanks to advanced

and cheaper communications technologies, which enable consumers to make better

choices and share their buying experiences with others worldwide. The newly acquired

consumer capabilities include the following (Kotler & Keller, 2015, pp. 16–17):

1. Consumers are increasingly dependent on the internet to acquire information and

make informed decisions when buying.

2. Consumers search, communicate, and buy on the move.

3. Consumers tap into social media to exchange opinions and express loyalty.

4. Consumers are increasingly interacting with companies.

Learning Topic

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5. Consumers may reject marketing efforts if they find them inappropriate.

6. Consumers can easily shift brands if they believe that they have not been treated

fairly by a certain company.

Consumer behavior is also characterized by the actions that individuals take in buying and

using products or services, including the "mental and social processes that come before

and after these actions" (Kerin & Hartley, 2017, p. 123). A study of consumer buying

behavior is important in helping companies plan and execute better business strategies

(Khaniwale, 2015). Social norms and situational factors often influence a buyer's final

decision. Where group pressures to comply are strong, influence from social norms is

expected to override multi-attributed evaluation. The force of social norms involves two

aspects: (1) social forces, or pressures and normative suggestions, and (2) motivation to

comply, or the willingness to listen to others (Johansson, 2009).

The country-of-origin effect also plays a role in the buying decision. This term refers to

the impact a branded product or service's perceived country of origin has on customers

(for example, "made in" labels). Products or services from countries with a positive image

tend to be favorably evaluated, while those from countries of lesser status tend to be

downgraded. For example, the entry of Japanese cars into the United States in the 1970s

was more a product of positive associations with Japan rather than with specific firms.

American drivers sought to buy a Japanese car, and not necessarily a Datsun (now Nissan)

or a Toyota. Evidence suggests that this effect, which influences sales, does not stop over

time (Johansson, 2009).

The growth of multinational production has changed the importance consumers ascribe to

"made in" labels. The perception of Sony is unlikely to change, regardless of where its

product is produced. The influence of the country-of-origin effect also depends on

whether or not the country in question produces at widely different quality levels. For

example, Germany, Japan, Sweden, and Switzerland have very high quality standards in

general, which help to guarantee the quality of their products, and Korea seem to be

working on joining this group. However, products from the United States, Italy, and China

have widely varying quality levels, which can make it harder to judge quality based on the

"made in" label alone (Johansson, 2009).

References

Johansson, J. (2009). Global marketing (5th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Kerin, R., & Hartley, S. (2017). Marketing (13th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill.

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Khaniwale, M. (2015). Consumer buying behavior. International Journal of Innovation and

Scientific Research, 14(2), 278–286.

Kotler, P., & Keller, K. L. (2015). Marketing management (15th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ:

Pearson.

Marshall, G. W., & Johnston, M. W. (2011). Essentials of marketing management. New

York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Solomon, M. (2017). Consumer behavior: Buying, having, and being (12th ed.). Upper

Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

Resources

Consumer Behavior: How People Make Buying Decisions

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Reading: Generation Effects and Consumer Behavior

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Analysis of Consumer Buying Behavior

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Social Networks and the Buying Behavior of the Consumer

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