Purchasing is a process that depends on several factors. The purchase situation is one of the factors. Research shows that the situation in which a consumer buys goods and services greatly affects his or her consumer. For instance, a mother would be willing to obtain a product simply because it pleases her child. Moreover, a student trying to obtain in-between product classes might not have adequate time to cross-examine the quality of the product, the most favorable brand, and even the price of products. Based on this, consumers engaged in extensive research to come up with the best product that would suit their needs. A consumer might simply be having an idea about the nature of the product, but the final decision to obtain the product would need some research to establish the one with the best quality.
Customers are often concerned with the quality and the price of a product, but some are even concerned with the quantity. Depending on what the customer would be interested in when making a decision, he or she would conduct some primary and even secondary research. Consumers in modern society are not simply influenced by heavy advertisements since they engage in some preliminary research before deciding on what to buy. Almost all consumers participate in primary research, whereby they gather information from their fellow consumers who acquired the product or tested the service. In this case, the product that the consumer intends to buy is of high value. Some would engage in secondary research, whereby they would obtain critical data from government agencies and trade associations regarding the efficiency and the quality of the product (Graham, 2010).
Before I bought a product, I engaged both in primary and secondary research, with the internet being the main source of information. The product I intended to acquire was common among various consumers since some of them owned it. They acted as a reliable source of information, which gave detailed data regarding the efficiency of the product. However, their views alone could not be relied upon since they are not experts, but instead, they are simply users who have little experience. I checked the internet to find out more concerning the effectiveness of the product. The internet was so reliable since it gave some of the data that could not be found elsewhere, including the servicing of the product. Many companies rely on the internet to market their products. In this regard, they deposit a lot of information regarding the goods and services they trade on the internet (Best, Hawkins, & Mothersbaugh, 2007).
Information regarding evaluative criteria and its measurement is critical as far as purchasing is concerned. My purchasing process is no longer the same since perceptual mapping helps me to identify some of the techniques that marketers use in persuading their customers to choose their products. From time to time, the marketing department might decide to collect views of customers regarding the performance of the product, the efficiency of the packaging system applied, the size of the product, and the price (Hawknis, Mothersbaugh, & Mookerjee, 2011). The views of customers on the above qualities are transferred to a chart referred to as a perceptual map for evaluation. A measuring scale, such as the Linkert scale, is employed in assessing the views of customers. Consumers would evaluate their choices through the application of attitude-based choice, which entails the utilization of general approaches, impressions, viewpoints, instincts, and heuristics.
Alternatively, they might apply some of the choices that need specified attributes when selecting a product (Kazmi, 2007). This entails a careful comparison of each brand based on specific features. This type of evaluation criteria is referred to as attribute-based evaluation criteria. I learned that the understanding of product qualities influence the buying behavior of a consumer since it changes his or her perception. The customer might be interested in acquiring a certain product, but the negative attribute of a brand from friends would put him or her away. The consumer would go for those products that have a good reputation, irrespective of whether they would fulfill his or her interests in the best way (Graham, 2010).
Some consumers are driven by emotions when purchasing goods and services, while others apply rationality whereby they think of the best way they could achieve their objectives. Customers driven by emotions tend to be impulsive in their buying behavior, while those driven by rationality are mainly concerned with the cost of the product. A majority of consumers use emotions when buying goods and services since they involve their feelings and experiences as opposed to evaluating a product based on its attributes and features. A study conducted in the United States on the role of advertising revealed that a consumer would be influenced positively in case the advert is received with an emotional response. At the same time, there would be a negative influence in case the advert is based on the content. Consumers with emotional attachment towards a product are often loyal to a product as opposed to consumers who are driven by rationality. Based on this, it is evident that emotions have a greater influence on the performance of the product in the market.
References
Best, R. J., Hawkins, D. I., & Mothersbaugh, D. L. (2007). Consumer behavior: Building marketing strategy. Boston: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.
Graham, J. (2010). Critical thinking in consumer behavior: Cases and experiential exercises (2nd ed.). Boston: Prentice Hall.
Hawknis, D. I., Mothersbaugh, D. L., & Mookerjee, A. (2011). Consumer behavior: Building marketing strategy. New Delhi: Tata McGraw Hill.
Kazmi, K. (2007). Marketing Management. Boston: McGraw Hill.
