Hello
guys! In this week’s marketing class I learned about consumer behavior, which
is the process we as consumers go through when we are making purchases. There
is a 5-step process called the "Purchase Decision Process" it gives
you the basis of the steps we follow either consciously or subconsciously when
making a purchase.
https://consumervaluecreation.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/chap_05_011.jpg
Now there are
different types of purchases which include extended purchases, like a house or
car; limited purchases which can be a cell phone and lastly routine purchases
which can be groceries. These steps also can be applied to services as well,
for example an extended service could be a college or medical care. One of the
most interesting steps of this process if the “Post-Purchase Behavior” step,
this is because if we are satisfied with our product/service we are less likely
to speak about it unless the conversation is prompted but forbid we are not
pleased with the product/service we as consumers are more likely to take our
frustration to social media, tell our family and friends or even go to the
company.
In class we
also spoke about the different level of needs that we have in relation to the
products/services that we purchase. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is one that
describes it well. This hierarchy of needs falls under the motivation that we
have towards the purchase of certain products/services. Motivation is defined
by McGraw Hill as “The energizing force that stimulates behavior to satisfy a
need”. The chart below is Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and the level of
importance goes from top to bottom meaning that the Physiological Needs are essential
and need to be fulfilled first as without them the rest cannot follow.
Now let’s bring all of this information full circle… in
relation to consumer purchases, the most important influences are those from
our family and friends better known as word of mouth. If you a looking for a
certain product/service and you know a friend that has that something in the
realm you will look to them for advice. This creates a constant cycle… for
instance we probably use all of the products that our parents used when we were
younger because it was seen as valuable. We then leave our parent’s home and go
out in the world using the same product and influencing the people that come
into our home with the products that we use. This is most likely subconsciously
just as it was at your parent’s home. For me my mother loves Gain, it smells
awesome so she usually purchases that brand and when it was move in day, we
went to Costco and we surely purchased Dawn. This was of no surprise to me and
it made me happy as I knew that my laundry would always smell like when my mom
does laundry which was nice as it gave me a piece of home in the simplest of
ways.
Look at the products that you normally use… do you use them because
it is something that your family has always used or did a friend recommend a
product? Or did you just take a chance and try a new product? Either way there
are always influential factors that lead us to making certain purchasing
decisions and the decisions that we make if we know it or not are having an
impact on those around.
