25-07-2012, 10:17 AM
A COMPARATIVE STUDY AND CONSUMER PREFERENCE TOWARDS KANNAN DEPARTMENTAL STORE AND ANANTHA
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INTRODUCTION TO BUYING BEHAVIOUR
MEANING
Today business faces a lot of challenges. The major work of today’s business is not only to face and survive with competitors but also to study consumer’s needs and analysis their behavior. Though starting a business today is easy, surviving and attaining success is an important issue to be given importance. Business, in olden days, the major work of business was to concentrate on production lines, but today the scene is different. Marketing as a business function is charges with the movement of products and services from the producer to the user. Under this concept, a business is managed with the sole purpose of making and selling what the customer wants, in the way he wants it, when and where he wants it, and at a price he is willing to pay.
BUYING DECISION PROCESS
This model implies that consumer pass through all five stages in buying something. This is not the case in respect of low – involvement purchases. Consumer might skip or reverse some of these stages. Understanding consumer needs and buying process is essential to building effective marketing strategies.
To achieve a better understanding of the consumer behavior, study of those disciplines, which may provide some explanations as to “why people behave as they do” is required. The internal and external forces and influences interact in highly complex ways, affecting the individual’s total pattern of behavior as well as his buying behavior.
EVALUATION OF ALTERNATIVES
A consumer uses information to arrive at a set of final brand choices. The question is, how does the consumer choose among the alternative brands in the choice set? He evaluates the various alternatives available in the market on the basis of certain attributes. There is no simple and single evaluation process used by all consumers or by one consumer in all buying situations. The attributes of interest to buyer vary by product, their need, quality, style, etc.
PURCHASE DECISION
Having evaluated the purchase alternatives, he has to decide whether to buy or not to buy. If he has decided to buy, then he has to take decisions regarding the brand, the quantity of purchase, the place of purchase and the mode of payment to the made.
POST PURCHASE BEHAVIOUR
After purchasing the product, the consumer will experience some level of satisfaction or dissatisfaction. This will influence his subsequent behavior. If he is satisfied, he will show more interest to buy the product or get information that might confirm its high value. Hence, to satisfy a consumer, a market must try to convince him to choose a product, the attributes for which a consumer gives importance must be analyzed. The marketer’s job does not come to an end as soon as the product is being bought, but continues into the post purchase period. Further, proper understanding of the various participant’s behavior in the buying process and the major influences on their buying behavior, will help the marketers to design effective marketing programs for their target markets.
FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE BUYER BEHAVIOUR
Throughout the buying process, various factors may influence the buyer. A person’s culture, social class, reference groups and self-image all have a bearing on the purchase decision. As to the situational factors like the presentation of the product, the events in the buyer’s life and the person’s mood at the time of purchase also induce him to purchase a product of his choice.
CULTURAL FACTORS
Culture is the most fundamental of a person’s wants and behaviors. It refers to a set of learned beliefs, attitudes, values, customs, habits, etc., and determines human wants and behavior. Separate marketing strategy can be developed for each culture and market can be segmented for patterns of behavior varying between different cultures.