Buyer Behavior

Consumer conduct is commonly expound as the study of the factors that control purchase of consumer goods. The analysis of such factors attempts to find out why, when, where, how and what individual do or dont to purchase real(a) goods. Generally it is truly difficult to evaluate how muckle come to hand certain finish though peripherally it appears to be obvious. For this reason, researchers have affirmed that there atomic number 18 several elements that play part in the overall buyer behaviour and cover a variant of subjects including sociology, psychology, anthropology, and economics among other(a)s.The client penurys and requirements ar the central determinant of the purchase of goods, however with the current development in technology (communication and diversity of fruition), people have a variety of choices to dispel from and for one to be able to win customers, he/she should produce the crossings that fancy the specific customer demands, affordable and are convenient. Manipulating the customers psychology spate be of gravid impact on the barter as one advise perceive what the customers want and design exactly that and therefore win a draw of customers.Buyer Decision Making The vendors are normally faced with great problem when designing the nearly appropriate promotion strategy to win customers to their businesses. This calls for research to find out the consumer behaviour so that securities industry preparation can be properly design (Klopper et al 2006), Unilever for instance, have continuously used its logo on all the goods because the temper of the comp whatever is head known and intimately associated with the logo.The decision make action of the customers is the main counseling because this is what determines whether the customer will purchase the product or not (Dibb & Simkin 2001). It withal assists to design the merchandise syllabus. martplaceing is a strong beta conniption of business venture since the main aim of any business is to make profit. The bear on of planning and implementing the concept of price, promotion and supply of products and work is very complex and requires a plan trade planning.Marketers use a variety of means to describe how, when and where learning on a product is presented to the customer. The single-valued function is to convince the customer to purchase the product and successful market plan creates the wish to buy hence the marketer inescapably to understand the equals, dis reigns and expectations of consumers (Shaw & Semenik 1999). Market plan assess the customers in terms of demographic variables and behavioural changeful aspects.Research from previous has indicated that the consumer purchase behaviours are ordinarily predisposed by the sideline factors personal, psychological, cultural and well-disposed factors. It has been found that the interaction of these factors exploit the customers to develop certain characteristic behaviour bid brand preference or product loyalty. These factors are therefore very important for the marketers because they can use them to set up clients and end up with a lot of customers coming for their products or services.Though most of the factors cannot be directly manipulated by the marketers, understanding of the buyer decision process and the impact of these factors on the customers can be very beneficial in developing a marketing desegregate for their business and designed to salute to the preferences of the target clients (Dibb & Simkin 2001). It has been established that before the purchase of a product or service, a customer goes through a process of making a decision.For easy understanding and analysis of the process of decision making, the process has been reason into five peglegs recognizing the problem, looking for other information, analysis of alternatives or substitutes, the existing buy decision and post buying behaviour (Shaw & Semenik 1999). The duration of the de cision making process always very depending on personality and this range is described from the routinely buying practice to some degree of problem solution and more wide-ranging and far-reaching problem solving dealing.Due to interaction and the increase in communication technology, consumers get to exchange information and also get a variety of data from different sources which mean there is a lot of immaterial influence on the decision one makes. For these reason, people do not act in seclusion in the buying process rather, their decision id influenced by several factors and people in the environment. The amount of influence gets complicated in the buying decision when a lot of people get involved and hence does the purchase decision by the customer (Howard & Sheth 1999).The decision to purchase and the actual purchase is powerfully controlled by the cultural, social, psychological and personal distinctiveness. These factors can be blended and used by a marketer to create the c orrect appeal for the customers. The decision making process can hence be interfered with at different levels and the outcome could be that the customer gets to by the product without too much complexity (Shaw & Semenik 1999) trouble Identification this is the difference between the perceived ideal desire for something and the actual situation of having to obtain the product.If the difference is greater enough, it is likely to evoke purchase of the product and this is described as the deficit in assortment of goods. For instance, a flavor of ache is likely to pep up purchase of food because hunger can stimulate someone to eat. In this way, a company like Unilever can utilize this get-go step and stimulate purchase by an advert that create the idea that a customer is deficient, like the impoverishment to be beautiful using the Dove beauty products. This can inspire one to purchase dove as the ads usually uses model.Search of Information this is a ways of obtaining information about the product about to be purchased and it is usually done in two ways i. e. internal search and external search. The internal search is when somebody relies on memory to remember ancient encounter with the product or the brand this is usually used for regularly purchased goods and services. The external search is also a source of influence as one gets the information from friends and relatives, public sources like adverts, consumer reports, comparison during obtain etc.when a marketer clearly understands the importance of this stage in the purchase decision, he or she can present a lot of information (marketer dominated) in items like adverts, gross salesmen, website among other (Dibb & Simkin 2001). If Unilever uses several adverts that will capture the customers eye, it is likely to be remembered during this stage of decision making and leads to a prescribed response when one has to buy dove beauty products. abbreviation of Substitutes (alternatives) this is the stage when the customer gets to set the criteria for buying.Under correct understanding of the decision making process, marketer can be able to establish brand name reputation and these brand name could easily fall in the clients criteria (Klopper et al 2006). another(prenominal) important aspect here is to develop and win the customer worthy notion. Unilever logo is very popular and since the reputation of the company is well established, it can form a very good basis for marketing against competitors like Lux, Lava and Ivory.The Buying Decision a purchase decision is very vital to both the marketer and the client especially where to buy and is usually found on term of sale, previous knowledge of the product from the seller and redress policy. When to purchase can be determined by appropriateness of the shop, instal atmosphere and the time factor (Howard & Sheth 1999). Other factors in consideration when marketing include the product type, mode of packaging, and the means of purchas e (online or carnal etc).The Actual Buying this can be altered by product availability and therefore, for a company to win customers over there competitors, they should fit that the products are always in the stores (Klopper et al 2006). Post Purchase Analysis after acquiring the product, customers usually make comparisons of the actual effects and the expect outcome. From these, the product can be concluded as being suitable or unsatisfactory. Many companies are working very hard to moderate positive post purchase impact which will result in repeat purchase (Howard & Sheth 1999).Unilever can use follow up calls and sales people to convince the clients that they made the correct decision. This will help to manage the cognitive dissonance that is usually experienced and is characterized by tense moments and feeling of anxiety. Consumer Behaviour Theories Consumer behaviour theories are attempts to give explanations as to why customers usually behave in a certain way and not the o ther and is basically the basis used by marketers to make their marketing mix in what is called marketing conjecture.The basic buyer behaviour theory was postulated by Abraham Maslow, and this was based on the priority or the necessity of products and services and it in the main applies to the consumer goods. The second theory applies to merchandise or the industrial goods. This theory addresses the veritable(prenominal) behaviour of buyers of organisational products or merchandise for business (Howard 1993). Essentially, there are quatern characteristic types of buyer behaviour as explained by the buyer behaviour theories and the categorization is determined by the kind good or services intended for purchase.The aim of the theories is to give answers to the following questions about customers who? How? When? Where? And why do they buy? The buying behaviours are (Howard 1993) 1. Complex behaviour- this is the situation where a customer buys very expensive brand and inquires for more information prior to real purchasing. 2. Habitual buyer this is when a client gets used to buying certain goods and regularly purchases them as a habit like sassyspapers etc. 3. modification seeking behaviour- this is when the customer develops the habit of shopping around for purposes of making comparisons and experimenting new products.This kind of client can shop different brands of the product claim bread, cosmetics etc. 4. Dissonance reducing behaviour- these are buyers who get to do shopping because it is tasking or occasional. There is not greater influence by characteristics like branding, for instance the purchase of a gold chain. Maslows Hierarchy of take Theory This theory explains what motivates people to purchase goods and the analysis is based on the priority or rather the necessity of the products or services to be purchased.In his theory, Abraham Maslow suggests that people will target to meet their primary needs first which include hunger and thirst (this is psychological classification) (Howard 1993). When these necessities are adequately satisfied, and so the individuals can move to the next step of the power structure, i. e. the safety requirements where main business concern is the job security and the assurance that they will have regular income. The social needs come next and they are the need to be loved, this is a general human yearning and individuals will work hard to enter upon this sense of belonging.Self gaze comes next and this is the need to be recognised in terms of status quo and social class in the society, e. g. wearing mark shirts. Self actualization is the top most level of human needs and it is when an individual has achieved the most out of life, a point of life close (Howard & Sheth 1999). One can wonder that how can this concept help Unilever to market its products? Generally, marketing is meant to ensure that goods are sold and that they meet customers demands. The Maslow theory suggests that the indi viduals need keep on changing as they strive along hierarchy of needs to achieve self actualization.Unilever stores can store products that meet the esteem needs (particularly Dove beauty products). This concept is therefore very important to marketers (Dibb & Simkin 2001). The theory of buying merchandise is more like the Maslows theory only that it does not include so much of the behavioural aspects. The theory works at macro-level and does not take into consideration how the retailers manage their business, the profits and hence it is of no big use to Unilever Company. Recommendations and Conclusions The two important marketing strategies are developing a marketing plan and removeing a market research.Developing the format of a marketing plan is the first step in making a marketing strategy. The plan should include the objective and business mission situation Analysis the aims of the marketing strategy strategic and tactical procedures the budget and means of analyzing performan ce and contingencies. The first step is to describe the quarrel i. e. product to be marketed in this case, the products are sandwiches, cold and hot drinks. daub analyses include several aspects, competitor analysis, SWOT analysis, company analysis and customer analysis (consumer behaviour).Customers are a very critical element of any business venture and during market planning it is very important to carry out a market research about customer information including purchasing habits, type of customers, number of customer, and concentration of customers centre for certain products etc. Competition can be overcome by optimizing on the opportunities, maximizing the strengths and eliminating the weaknesses. All these are obtained through market research analysis of market segmentation and position.Unilever can greatly influence customers to purchase Dove beauty products by the process known as market concepts which can be derived from buyer behaviour. References Dibb. S & Simkin L. (2 001). Marketing Briefs. A Revision and Study Guide. Butterworth-Heinemann Howard J. A (1993). Marketing Executive and Buyer Behaviour. Columbia University Press Howard J. A & Sheth J. N (1999). The Theory of Buyer Behaviour. Wiley Klopper H. B et al (2006). Marketing. Fresh Perspectives. Pearson South Africa. Shaw R. T & Semenik R. J (1999). Marketing. South Western Publishing Company.