What is consumer behavior, and why is it important?
Javier Ramirez
Liberty University
BUSI 520: Strategic Marketing Management
Muriel Wilson
January 9, 2022
What is consumer behavior, and why is it important?
Consumer behavior studies how people decide what to buy and do with their money.
It helps you understand how people make purchasing decisions.
It allows you to predict what your customers want next.
It helps you understand how to advertise best and market your product or service.
It also gives you insight into what people want regarding the price, quality, and
features of your product or service.
Consumer behavior is the study of how consumers make decisions, influence each other,
and behave in a market environment. It can be defined as the study of all factors that
influence consumers’ choices, actions, and attitudes toward the marketplace.
The field of consumer behavior in marketing is essential because it can help companies
understand their customers better, leading to more significant sales and profits.
For instance, if a company knows why customers are buying its products, then it can
focus on making those products more attractive. Continue reading to understand what
consumer behavior is.
What is consumer behavior?
Consumer behavior studies how people buy and use products, services, experiences, and
ideas. It is essential because it helps businesses understand their customers’ needs, wants
and desires and create products accordingly.
How does consumer behavior impact organizations?
Consumer behavior and marketing strategy go hand-in-hand. But how exactly does it
impact organizations? Let us understand.
Identifying market opportunity
Companies must first be aware of what their customers are looking for to identify a
market opportunity. The best way to do this is by conducting a thorough market analysis
and identifying key trends. This can be done through surveys, focus groups, and other tools.
Selecting target market
After identifying the market opportunity, it is time to select which customers you will
target. You may want to consider demographics such as age, gender, and ethnicity;
psychographics such as personality traits or values; or even geographic location if your
product has geographic limitations.
Customer retention
Once you have identified your target market, your next goal should be to retain the
customers by providing high-quality products at competitive prices and excellent customer
service whenever possible. This means listening carefully to their needs so that you can
meet them better than anyone else!
Dynamic nature of the market
The market is dynamic, which means that it changes quickly and frequently. This can be a
challenge for organizations trying to predict how consumers will behave. Still, it also means
that those who can adapt and adjust their strategies can gain an advantage over their
competitors.
Marketing-mix decisions
Marketing-mix decisions are about selecting the right combination of product, price,
place, and promotion. Some companies use one or two elements, but others choose all four.
Each element has its benefits and drawbacks, so choosing the right mix for your company is
vital for success.
Effective use of productive resources
You must ensure an effective use of Productive resources including labor, equipment,
and materials needed by an organization to produce its goods or services. This aids in
optimizing outputs in the long run.
Fulfill varied consumer preferences
Consumer behavior helps companies understand what their customers want and need,
so they can offer products and services that appeal to their target audience. This is helpful
for businesses who want to expand their reach into new markets or demographics.
Address custom needs
Understanding your customers’ needs is essential for any business, especially those that
serve niche markets or have particular offerings. For example, a company that sells specialty
products like organic food or luxury home goods will need to know what items their
customers are interested in and how much they are willing to pay.
Types of buying behavior
The buying process is a complex dance of emotions, thoughts, and decisions. It is not
uncommon for people to change their minds several times when making a purchase.
There are several factors influencing consumer buying behavior you can use to your
advantage when selling products or services:
Extended decision making
Extended decision-making occurs when a buyer is uncertain about the product or service
and needs more time to make a final purchase. The buyer will typically conduct extensive
research before deciding on the best option. A good example of extended decision-making
is when you are buying a car.
Limited decision making
Limited decision-making is when the buyer knows exactly what they want, but multiple
options are available at different prices. This buying behavior usually involves comparing a
few choices and then picking one based on price or other factors like quality or service level
agreements (SLA).
Habitual buying behavior
This buying behavior is when a customer repeatedly buys the same brand or product. The
customer may have tried other brands and found them unsatisfactory and returned to their
habitual purchase. These customers are loyal to their brand but must be reminded that
additional options are available.
Variety seeking buying behavior
This buying behavior is when a customer has tried a new product and liked it so much
that they want to try more products from that company. Here, the customer may not
necessarily stick to one brand but will keep trying new products until they find the right one.
How do consumers buy an item?
The process of consumer buying can be broken down into several parts:
Problem recognition
Consumers are only motivated to buy if they have a problem that needs solving. This can
be an actual need—like the need for food or shelter- or a perceived need—like the desire
for a new car because you are tired of your old one.
Information search
Once consumers recognize a problem, they will begin searching for information about
how to solve it. This process is called information search.
Alternatives evaluation
After evaluating the information, consumers will decide which alternative best solved
their problem and meets their needs. They will then make a purchase decision based on this
evaluation.
Purchase decision
The purchase decision is a process of selecting or buying a particular product or service.
The decision process can be affected by various factors, including the consumer’s
personality, lifestyle, and environment. The result is that consumers may purchase more
than one of the same products to satisfy their needs.
Post-purchase evaluation
After purchasing an item, consumers will evaluate whether or not they made the right
choice. They will also assess if they received value for money spent and whether or not they
would make the same choice again in future situations.
This post-purchase evaluation is often referred to as “post-decision dissonance” because
it can cause frustration after making an expensive purchase that doesn’t fulfill all
expectations.
he Seven O’s framework of consumer behavior is a set of seven principles that can help
marketers understand how people decide what to buy and use.
Occupants
Occupants are the people who use a product or service.
Objects
Objects are the things that occupy a person’s time and attention. They can be tangible,
like a car or computer, or intangible, like a song on the radio or a TV show.
Objectives
Objectives are what you want to accomplish with your possessions or activities. You may
have one objective for each object you use or goals that span multiple objects.
Organizations
The organization has a significant impact on consumer behavior. An organization’s
mission statement, values, and vision all serve as a guide for consumer behavior.
Operations
The operations of an organization influence consumers. For example, if a customer buys
clothes from a store that does not serve the customers effectively, they will be less likely to
buy from that store in the future. Additionally, if the prices are too high or the quality is low,
it would be difficult for consumers to continue purchasing from this company.
Occasions
Consumers buy things for different occasions, such as birthdays, holidays, etc., which can
affect their buying behaviors.
Outlets
Consumers shop at many grocery stores, drug stores, department stores, and online
retailers; therefore, they must decide where they want to shop based on price and
selection, among other factors.
What factors influence behavioral changes?
In this section, we shall discuss what influences consumer behavior. Here are a few
factors that that affect a consumer’s behavioral pattern –
Cultural factors
Culture is a set of beliefs, values, and behaviors that a group shares. It determines how
we interact with each other and the environment around us. Cultural factors give rise to
different styles of consumption.
Social factors
Social factors are related to people’s relationships with others in their group. These
factors can indicate how consumers respond to one another’s opinions regarding products
or services on offer in the marketplace. For example, if your friends are buying a particular
brand of car, then you may also decide to buy it even though you may not be interested in
cars at all.
Personal factors
Personal factors refer to individual tastes and preferences, which vary from one
consumer to another. For instance, some people like spicy food while others do not like any
spices in their food items; hence, companies should try and understand their target
audience to design their products accordingly.
Psychological factors
Marketing strategies are based on consumer behavior and psychology. It is imperative to
know what motivates consumers to buy your product or service. For example, if you sell
luxury products, you will want to advertise them in ways that appeal to people who have an
affinity for luxury.
Economic factors
Economical factors are also important because they include price, supply and demand,
competition, and many other things. The company should consider all these factors when
developing a marketing strategy.
How to influence consumer behavior through marketing strategies?
Here are some marketing strategies to tackle changing consumer behavior:
SEO
Search engine optimization is a marketing strategy that helps you rank higher on search
engines like Google. It is important to know what keywords people are searching for, so you
can ensure your site is optimized for those terms.
Social media marketing
Social media marketing is one of the best communication strategies for consumer
behavior. It includes strategies like posting content to social media platforms and interacting
with users who have already expressed interest in your brand or industry.
Content marketing
Content marketing involves creating valuable content that provides value to customers
and then promoting that content across multiple channels. This marketing strategy can help
build trust between a company and its customers by providing helpful information about
products or services.
Email marketing
Email marketing typically involves emails with links to relevant content or advertisements
related to the product or service being marketed. This strategy can build relationships
between businesses and customers over time by offering discounts or incentives related to
products purchased through email campaigns.
How to become a successful marketer?
The by MAHE with Online Manipal is a perfect program for those who wish to make a
career in the field of marketing.
The course will help you gain the skills needed to become a successful marketer with
valuable knowledge and experience. The course is designed by experts in their respective
fields and covers marketing analytics, digital marketing, advertising, customer relationship
management (CRM), and more.
With the help of this program, learners can build their understanding of the various
aspects of marketing and how they can be applied to different industries.
A student who completes this course will be able to:
Understand various aspects of marketing
Know how to apply these aspects in real-world scenarios
Understand different types of customers such as retail customers, industrial
customers, or service customers
Understand how to interact with customers using different communication channels
such as social media or traditional media outlets
