CHECKING FOR GRAMMAR AND STRICTURE FOR THE SENTENCES

Homework 1: 

Select a product/service you use, who are the target market(s) for the product.  How might the customers vary in their decision making process.  Be sure to apply the process.  Be sure to use the theory from the book.

Apple has achieved a new level in terms of it’s their customer fastened method. Before customers might be satisfied, Apple came up with better concept about customer’s needs and wants from diverse perspectives. Thus, sound marketing requires careful customer analysis. Apple knows that they cannot profitably serve all consumers in a given market—at least not all consumers in the same way. There are too many different kinds of consumers with too many different kinds of needs, since Apple has provided in market varies of its products. This process involves market segmentation; market targeting, and, differentiation. For Apple products, it divided the market into distinct groups of buyers who have different needs, characteristics, or behaviors, and who might require separate products or marketing programs. One of biggest target for IPhone are college students, who are one of the primary target demographics for Apple, by way of they typically have more disposable income and a need for the technology for education and lifestyle wants and needs. One of the theories in the book in how to target the customers is Customer-Driven Marketing Strategy, which is consist of market segmentation, market targeting, and market differentiation and positioning (book, p77).

Apple should target segments in which it can profitably generate the greatest customer value and sustain it over time, thus students are best target to create a value of relationship for long term (book page78). Consumers use the five stages for buying decisions process, which they are: (book p175)

1- Need recognition

2- Information search

3- Evaluation of alternative

4- Purchase decisions

5- Post-purchase behavior

When the student plane to buy cellphone specifically the IPhone, the need the recognition weather its internal simulate, which its consider best operated IPhone with high camera quality or external simulate, as standing in the line for hours for buying the new IPhone for students lifestyle with the new version of the product.

Moreover, An interested consumer may or may not search for more information about the product. If the consumer’s determination is strong and a satisfying product is near at hand than consumers will buy it. If not, the consumer may store the need in memory or undertake an information search related to the need. For example, once you’ve decided you need an IPhone, you will probably pay more attention to cellphone ads, cellphone owned by friends, and cellphone conversations. Or students may actively search the Web, talk with friends, and gather information in other methods. Consumers can obtain information from any of several sources. These include personal sources (family, friends), commercial sources (advertising, salespeople), public sources (social media, online searches and peer reviews), and experiential sources (examining and using the product like YouTube videos experiment about the new IPhone). The relative influence of these information sources varies with the product and the buyer.

Additionally, how students evaluate the decision of buying the Phone. In some instances, consumers use careful calculations and logical thinking. Sometimes consumers make buying decisions on their own; sometimes they turn to friends in college, online reviews, or salespeople for buying advice. Marketers should study buyers to find out how they actually evaluate brand alternatives.

In the evaluation of alternatives step, the student’s ranks brands and forms purchase intentions. Generally, the consumer’s purchase decision will be to buy the most preferred brand; however, two factors come between the purchase intention and the purchase decision.

The first factor is the attitudes of others. If someone important to you thinks that you should buy the lowest-priced cellphone, then the chances of you buying a more expensive cellphone (IPhone) are reduced. The second factor is unexpected situational factors. The consumer may form a purchase intention based on factors such as expected income, expected price, and expected product benefits. Yet, unexpected events may change the purchase intention

After purchasing the product, the consumer will either be satisfied or dissatisfied and will engage in post purchase behavior of interest to the marketer. Consumers are satisfied with the benefits of the chosen brand and are glad to avoid the drawbacks of the brands not bought If consumers are not buying a new product because they do not perceive a need for it, marketing might launch advertising messages that trigger the need and show how the product solves customers' problems. (Book, p177)

Homework 2: 

Select the last item you purchased that was a complex purchase due to a high price tag.  Explain your decision making process.  Be sure to use the theory from the book.

I have been influenced by Starbucks coffee cooperation and became a loyal customer, than I purchased a personal cup from Starbucks store for reasons, as well as I will demonstrate the steps when I made the decision to make the purchase.

I believe Most of large companies research consumer buying decisions in great detail to answer questions about what consumers buy, where they buy, how and how much they buy, when they buy, and why they buy. (Book, p161-162), As Starbucks classified under the type of matrix growth, which is the stars because the high-growth, high-share businesses or products, which provide high quality product with high social environment that capture the customer value (Book, p72)

According to consumer behavior theory, my decision was classified into a theory, which is consisting of the behavior response. My thoughts were leaded to the product (good personal cup), price, place (Starbucks store), and promotion. All these inputs turned into a set of buyer responses, brand, company relationship behavior into what he or she buys, when, where, and how much.

Having special product will make internal and external influence in my self and the people around to build value relationship after buying the product. From the environment perspective, as the cup was expensive than average personal coffee cup, but my economic situation current is good, as my responding to this product from self concept to obtain a personal coffee cup with Starbucks brand name on it. Also from the psychology perspective, my attitude to this company is to earn special product that is different than other regular consumers to express my favorite coffee to my self.

Now I can appreciate the many forces acting on consumer behavior. The consumer’s choice results from the complex interplay of cultural, social, personal, and psychological factors based on Creating customer experiences: Starbucks doesn’t sell just coffee, it sells “The Starbucks Experience”—what it calls a “third place”—away from home and away from work, a place for conversation and a sense of community.