In this post we will discuss types of consumers, influences of the buying decisions, stages of the purchase decisions, the role of marketing research and design with consumers and post-purchase behaviors.

CONSUMER TYPE 

According to the book, Consumer Behavior there are two types of consumers, Individual and Organizational. Individual consumers are defined as those who buy products and services for their personal needs or wants or the needs or wants of friends or family. Organizational consumers are defined as those who buy products and services to produce other goods/services, to resell those products, or to use those products/services to run their business. (Kardes, 20201124, p. 8) 

With those definitions in mind, What type of consumer are you? 

I am a little bit of both. In my personal life, I am an individual consumer, buying products and services that make my life or those around me easier, whether they are truly needed or wanted. Products like utilities, insurance, tech devices, food, and more. In my professional life, I buy goods to help promote the company I work for. Products like packaging, business cards, and t-shirts to name a few. 

BUYING DECISION INFLUENCES  

Now that you have an idea of what type of consumer you are, think about what influences your buying decisions and how they influence those decisions. There are a lot of factors that play a part in consumer buying decisions.  

A LinkedIn article by Pallabi Chakraborty, says 7 factors play a role in consumer decisions: Economic, Functional, Marketing Mix (Product, Price, Promotions, Place), Personal, Psychological, Social, and Cultural. 

Each of these factors may or may not play a role in each purchase made by a consumer. For example, when I make an individual style purchase, these factors all play a role though some more than others. For example, answering NO to any of the following questions may stop me from making a purchase. 

• Economic – Is the product affordable, is it within my budget? 
• Functional – Do I need the function of the product/service? 
• Marketing Mix (Product, Price, Promotions, Place) – Do the features or benefits of the product/service do everything I need them to? Is the price reasonable? Is the product readily available either at a brick-and-mortar or from an online source? If it’s a service, is it nearby, can it be done remotely, or will I have to travel? 
• Personal – Is the product something I need or want that suits a 40-year-old male with piercings and tattoos taking care of a family and living a quiet lifestyle? 
• Psychological – Am I motivated enough to buy the product/service? Does the company and the product align with my own beliefs and attitude? 
• Social – Do other individuals within my social group or family use the product or service? Do they give it good reviews? 
• Cultural – Does the product or service, as well as the company align with my traditions or morals? 

But fewer of these factors play a role when it comes to organizational buying decisions, especially depending on the result needed for the company (Chakraborty, 2017).  

PURCHASE DECISION 

When it comes to making a buying decision there are five stages that a consumer goes through to complete their decision.  

1. Problem Recognition – This is pretty self-explanatory, but for simplicity’s sake this is when a consumer identifies a problem that they want or need to solve. Sometimes that problem is as simple as “I want the thing I do not have.” 

2. Information Search – During this stage a consumer does research to gather all kinds of information. This research could include product options, pricing, and availability with an understanding of the features and benefits of each.  

3. Alternatives evaluation – The consumer compares the options and data they discovered in the last stage, so they can understand the pros and cons of each alternative.  

4. Purchase decision – After looking at all the facts, a consumer will usually come to an educated conclusion on what item to buy or even if they need to make the purchase.  

5. Post-purchase evaluation – This last stage happens after the purchase has been made, and usually involves reflection about the consumer and product relationship. 

Sometimes the buying decision works its way through the entire process, but then some decisions skip a few stages. When buying perishables or consumables; like foods or toiletries then going from recognizing the problem to a purchase decision is rather easy. However, when it comes to more expensive or reusable items the process will probably progress through each stage, with the information search stage and alternative evaluation both being extensive (Definition and examples, 2019). I would say that I fall under those realizations. For example, when buying snacks from Amazon Fresh, I usually just buy what sounds good and is reasonably priced. But when it came to purchasing a tablet, I did the research between Windows Surfaces, Samsung Galaxies, and Apple iPads to decide which one would be the best fit for me. Therefore, the stage that leads to me making a purchasing decision just depends on the type of product or service I am in the market for.  

MARKETING RESEARCH AND DESIGN 

I will say as a consumer, and even as a graphic designer, that marketing research and design play a large role in me making a buying decision. Consumers fall within target audiences that businesses research to understand better and gain consumer insights (Kardes, 20201124, p. 18). By understanding their target markets business can design marketing materials that speak directly to them. I am a big fan of Apple products and their reliability due to my design background. Apple uses different marketing strategies and designs to market its products to different target audiences. Designers, influencers, older demographics, and tech professionals may all be able to use the same product but for different reasons. Apple understands its market research and designs accordingly.  

POST-PURCHASE BEHAVIORS 

Post-purchase behaviors can be summed up in two categories; positive or negative. Yes, it is that simple. When a consumer has a good experience with a product or service, they will most likely have positive post-purchase behaviors. These behaviors could include repurchases, customer loyalty, and becoming a brand influencer to those around them. When a customer has a bad experience with a product, they will most likely partake in negative post-purchase behaviors such as having buyer’s remorse, making disparaging remarks about the brand to friends and family, leaving bad reviews online, or even taking more drastic measures like suing the company in court (Saran, 2022).  

I have had both positive and negative experiences with products throughout the years and have taken to responding in kind with post-purchase behaviors. If I have a positive experience with a product or service, I will share my thoughts with others and recommend it. While if I have a bad experience, everyone I know will know and then I will leave a review online, so others are made aware and are weary of doing business with the company.  

There are many areas to consider when marketing to consumers. Doing the proper research to understand your target audience’s behaviors, habits, motivations, and thought processes and getting them right will create a great relationship between the consumer, the brand, and the company. Whereas getting them wrong will alienate consumers and may end up costing people their jobs or even putting the company out of business. 

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References:

Chakraborty, P. (2017, January 3). 7 important factors that influence the buying decision of a consumer. LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/7-important-factors-influence-buying-decision-pallabi-chakraborty/ 

Definition and examples of the consumer decision-making process. Definition and Examples of the Consumer Decision-Making Process | Lucidchart Blog. (2019, November 11). https://www.lucidchart.com/blog/consumer-decision-making-process 

Kardes, F., Cronley, M., Cline, T.  (20201124). Consumer Behavior, 2nd Edition. [VitalSource Bookshelf 10.4.1].  Retrieved from vbk://9781305161689 

Saran, G. (2022, November 1). Post-purchase behavior: Definition, outcomes, & steps. ReverseLogix. https://www.reverselogix.com/industry-updates/post-purchase-behavior/