You are on page 1of 27

CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR

Definition

According to Webster” Buyer behaviour is all


psychological, social and physical behaviour of
potential customers as they become aware of,
evaluate, purchase, consume, and tell other
people about products and services.
psychological factors
What’ products and services do we buy, ‘why’
do we buy, ‘how often’ do we buy,' where’ do
we buy are the issues relating to consumer
behaviour. CB helps us to understand the
purchase behaviour and preferences of
different consumers. Generally, consumers
differ in terms of our sex, age, education,
occupations, income, family set up religion
nationality and social status.
Motivation

A human being is motivated by needs and


wants. Maslow’s hierarchy of Need is a
popular theory of motivation. Maslow felt that
as each need is fulfilled, another higher level
need arises. So the marketers can motivate
the consumer by giving convenience of
location, services offered, reputation of the
outlet, friendship with the store owner price
are the examples of motivation. 
Perception

Perception can be defined as “how we see the


world around us”. Our behaviour is governed
by the physical perceptions. Perception helps
to explain the phenomenon why different
individuals respond differently to the same
stimulus under the same condition.
 
Learning
 

Learning is defined as all changes in


behaviour that results from previous
experience and behaviour in similar
situations. it results changes in behaviour
which occurs as a result of practice. Learning
refers to the skills and knowledge gained from
past experience, which we apply to evaluate
future decisions and situations.
 
Beliefs and attitudes

A belief is a preconceived opinion or thought


that a person used to have about something.
Person may believe hat certain cooking oil “x”
has the lowest fat content and is best for
health. This belief may be based on some real
facts or it may merely be a notion or opinion
that the person has.
Personal factors
The consumer decisions are also influenced
by personal characteristics such as the
buyer’s age and life cycle stage, occupation,
economic situation, life style and personality
and self concept
Age and life cycle state

Generally the consumers will change their


goods and services they buy over their life
times. For e.g. when we are a child we neat
baby food when we grew up we had solid
foods .so manufacturer will take into account
the target markets in terms of life cycle stage
and develop appropriate products and
marketing plans.
Occupation
Flow of money determines the buying pattern
of person. A blue-collar worker will buy
ordinary shirts and pants where as an
executives go for a branded shirts. An
ordinary worker has to spend towards his food
clothes and shelter. Whereas a chief
executive has to spend towards suits, car
membership etc.So a manufacturer has to
consider these occupational groups that have
an above average interest in their products
and services. 
Economic conditions

A person’s economic situation will greatly


affect product choice. One can consider
buying an expensive. So the economic
condition of the customer will largely affect
the market demand of a product
Life style

The life style represents person’s pattern of


living as expressed in his or her activities,
interest and opinions.
Socio-cultural factors
Reference groups

Normally a consumer’s decision to purchase


and use certain products and services is
influenced not only by psychological factors,
but also by his personality, life style and his
societal environment. The group with whom
the consumer interacts directly or indirectly
influences his purchase decision. There are
three categories of groups which the marketer
consider important
 
Primary and secondary
group

A group with which an individual interacts on


a regular basis and whose opinion is of
importance to him is called primary group.
Family, neighbours, close friends, colleagues
and co-workers are example of primary
groups. Secondary groups are those with
which an individual interacts only occasionally
and does not consider their opinion very
important.
Formal and informal
group

There are some social groups in the society.


Rotary, lions are some of the well-known
social groups in our society. Labour unions
social clubs and societies are other types of
formal groups, which an individual interacts
only occasionally and does not consider their
opinion very important. 
A group, which has no specified roles and
goals, is called informal group. Meeting your
neighbours over lunch once a month for
friendly exchange of news is an instance of an
informal group
Membership and
symbolic group

 A membership group is an union o which a


person belong or qualifies for membership. All
workers in factory qualify for membership to
the labour union. A symbolic group is one,
which an individual aspires to belong to, but is
not likely to be received as a member. A head
clerk in an office may act as if he belongs to
the top mgt group by adopting their attitudes
value and mode of dress.
Family
Generally a consumer belongs to a family.
The family as a unit is an important consumer
for many products, which are purchased for
consumption by all family members. We used
to get most of our values, attitudes beliefs,
and purchase behaviour patterns only from
our parents. Even after leaving them their
influence on the sub-conscious mind still
continues to be great.
Social class
Consumer buying behaviour is determined by the
social class to which they belong or to which they
aspire, rather than by heir income alone. There
are three social classes: upper, middle and lower
classes. Have essentially non-rational purchases
and show limited sense of choice making. Upper
class consumers want products and brands that
are clear symbols of their social status. Middle
class consumer shop carefully and read
advertisements and compare prices before they
buy. Lower class consumers buy usually on
impulse and should be influenced by point of
purchase materials. 
 
Culture

Culture is a set of learned beliefs, values,


attitudes, morals, customs, habits and forms
of behaviour that are shared by a society and
transmitted from generation to generation
within that society.
 
What are the motives to
buy?

 
A consumer buys a product for the
following reasons:
 
To satisfy his desire and related needs.
 
His urge to buy things
 
External motives

These factors exist in the environment. Since


a consumer I the product of his environment,
he is motivated by his culture and various
factors like income, occupation, religion,
culture, the family and social environment.
Internal motives

These motives emerge from with in mind of


the consumers. They are both physical and
psychological in nature. They are two types.
Rational buying motives
These motives emerge from logical reasoning
or thinking. It takes into account the monetary
cost, which includes long-range costs affecting
the buyer- such as durability, depreciation,
and length of usage, degree of labour needed,
and ultimate benefit. 
Emotional buying
motives

These motives emerge from the personal


feelings. Canfield explains five basic motives
which cause people to buy.
Comfort and
convenience

Comfort and convenience

Most of the consumers purchase labour


saving device at home such as gas cylinder
and gas oven pressure cookers electric iron
air conditioners washing machines and luxury
articles.
 
 
Safety and protection

 
This motive is based on security needs.
People generally fear loss of life, health,
friends, job, reputation and comfort so they
cherish for security. When they become older
this fear becomes greater. Hence they go for
purchase of house investments insurance
policies etc.
To satisfy their pride and
vanity 

People would like to have some recognition in


the society, among friends, clubs, to get
admiration and achieve status symbols, which
feed their vanity. in this context, women buy
costly costumes, jewellary men will go for
television, refrigerators, costly furniture’s
coolers etc.
Love and affection 

This motives encourages a person to love his


family and society and provides a desire to
see justice done to oneself and others.
Children’s
 

You might also like