MODELS OF CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR

We shall examine how a consumer actually arrives at the decision to purchase a specific product or brand out of the so many available in the market. Or, in other words, we shall study the process of consumer decision-making.

In the precious init we had discussed a simple model of consumer decision-making, comprising an input, process and an output. A consumer receives stimuli from the environment and the specifics of the marketing strategies of different products and services, and responds o these stimuli in terms of either buying or not buying the product. In between the stage of receiving the stimuli and responding to it, the consumer goes through the process of making his decision. For example, home décor products blinds are there in the market. Consumer behavior is directly affected by environment. Ruler areas people love to have curtains as window treatment while city consumer love to have vertical blinds or roman shades or faux wood blinds as their window treatment.

WHAT IS A DECISION?A decision is the selection of an alternative out of the several numbers of alternatives available. It is only when there are two or more alternatives available that there is the need to make a choice. There are many companies who are providing instant life insurance rates or life insurance quotes online. Consumer need to take decision from different options available online. We can take the example of Motels in California or California motels, there are many options and alterative available for California motels, consumer needs to take decision which they want to use or stay. In the field of consumer behavior, we are only concerned with situation in which the consumer has to take a purchase decision where there is a choice available.

Understanding Consumer Behavior-1

Consumers differ from one another in terms of their sex, age, education, income, family life-cycle stage, personality and life style, and other personal characteristics which influence their buying behavior. Man is social animal and is influenced by the people with whom he interacts. Each person interacts with and is a member of many groups. These groups provide a point of reference of comparison for the consumer and are known as reference groups such as family, friends, social organizations, professional associations; the strongest influence is exerted by the family.

Culture is the most pervasive influence on our lives and influences all aspects of our behavior; consumers operate within the cultural framework of their society and purchase only those products which fit in with their cultural norms. Within each culture there exist many sub-cultures comprising distinct nationality groups, religious groups, racial groups, geographic groups that have their own unique values and life-style. Social classes are group of people who have similar income, education, wealth, social status, value and beliefs. The marketer must understand that people with different cultural, sub-cultural and social class background have different product and brand preferences and need suitably modified products and marketing strategies.