Consumer Decision Making

Chapter 1:

Consumers are the ones who would be willing to exchange their money with something back in return in order to satisfy their needs and wants. However, there are factors and variables that affect their behaviour to purchase the product or service. The purpose of this essay is to understand how the level of purchase involvement and the type of decisions being made would impact the consumer decision making.

There are many factors that influences a consumer’s decision such as: external, internal, situational and decision process influences. Hence, marketers’ duty is to influence their decisions through the marketing strategies such as marketing mix that includes of promotional appeal, place distribution, price level and product features. Besides, market segmentation and product positioning are important too.

One of the influences is called as consumer decision process.

CDM is a process where a consumer has to go through 5 steps upon purchases. It starts by having the problem recognition, searching for information, evaluate and compare the alternatives choices, purchase decision and lastly post-purchase behaviour. Therefore, it is a good opportunity for marketers to introduce or provide reliable information for those who are searching for it.

Three Models of Purchase.

Before purchasing, a consumer’s decision is based on three models of purchase such as: cognitive, reinforcement and habit. Cognitive model deliberates decision making through personal knowledge and opportunities. It includes how the decision rests on beliefs about alternatives, which are investigated and compared. Hence, marketers may influence cognitive decision making by providing sufficient information that leads the consumer to prefer or reject alternatives.

Next would be the reinforcement model. Choices are controlled by factors in environment that reward and facilitate(ease/promote) some alternatives more than others. Marketing influence is achieved by triggering a consumer’s decision through samples, free gifts or any other promotions. All these would lead to a push to their respond. Marketers should give samples as it enables a consumer to try and experience the product or service. With the pleasant and satisfying outcome, consumers may respond to the stimulus and proceed with the purchase.

Last would be the habit model. This model explains on what we learn becomes a habit. Other words, a consumer may purchase based on the past experiences. It is associated on how often the brand name, logo and pack features being seen or observed by the consumer. All these are serve as cues to recognition, recall, and purchase which are needed to be shown in ads to build associations. Hence, the more often it is shown, the easier the brand to be recognized upon future purchases.

Consumer Involvement