UNITb-bI
CONSUMERbBEHAVIOURbANDbMARKETINGbACTIONbLEAR
NINGbOBJECTIVES
Afterbstudyingbthisbchapter,byoubwillbbebablebtobunderstand:
• Thebtermsb‗consumer‘b,b ‗customer‘,b ‗industrialbbuyer‘bandb‗motives‘
• Needbofbconsumerbbehaviouralbstudy,bdifferencesbbetweenboganisationalbb
uyingbbehaviourbandbconsumerbbuyingbbehaviour
• Thebnaturebandbmodelbofbconsumerbinvolvement
• Consumerbandbindustrialbdecisionbmakingbprocessbandbdecisionbrules
• Marketingbimplicationsbofbconsumerbbehaviour
• Studybofbconsumerbbehaviourbmodelling
AnbOverview
Consumerbbehaviourbisbcomparativelybabnewbfieldbofbstudybwhichbevolvedbjustbaft
erbthebSecondbWorldbWar.bThebsellersbmarketbhasbdisappearedbandbbuyersbmarketb
hasbcomebup.bThisbledbtobparadigmbshiftbofbthebmanufacturer‘sbattentionbfrombprod
uctbtobconsumerbandbspeciallybfocusedbonbthebconsumerbbehaviour.b Thebevaluatio
nbofbmarketingbconceptbfrombmerebsellingbconceptbtobconsumer-
orientedbmarketingbhasbresultedbinbbuyerbbehaviourbbecomingbanbindependentbdis
b
cipline.bThebgrowthbofbconsumerismbandbconsumerblegislationbemphasizesbthebim
portancebthatbisbgivenbtobthebconsumer.bConsumerbbehaviourbisbabstudybofbhowbindi
vidualsbmakebdecisionbtobspendbtheirbavailablebresourcesb(time,bmoneybandbeffort)b
orbconsumptionbrelatedbaspectsb(Whatbtheybbuy?bWhenbtheybbuy?,bHowbtheybbuy?b
etc.).
Thebheterogeneitybamongbpeoplebmakesbunderstandingbconsumerbbehaviourbabcha
llengingbtaskbtobmarketers.bHencebmarketersbfeltbthebneedbtobobtainbanbin-
depthbknowledgebofbconsumersbbuyingbbehaviour.bFinallybthisbknowledgebactedba
b
sbanbimperativebtoolbinbthebhandsbofbmarketersbtobforecastbthebfuturebbuyingbbehavi
orbofbcustomersbandbdevisebfourbmarketingbstrategiesbinborderbtobcreateblongbtermbc
ustomerbrelationship.
,ConsumerbBehaviour
Itb isb broadlyb theb studyb ofb individuals,b orb organisationsb andb theb processesbc
onsumersb useb tob search,b select,b useb andb disposeb ofb products,b services,b exp
erience,borbideasbtobsatisfybneedsbandbitsbimpactbonbthebconsumerbandbsociety.bCust
omersbversusbConsumers
Thebtermb‗customer‘bisbspecificbinbtermsbofbbrand,bcompany,borbshop.bItbrefersbtobp
ersonbwhobcustomarilyborbregularlybpurchasesbparticularbbrand,bpurchasesbparticul
arbcompany‘sbproduct,borbpurchasesbfrombparticularbshop.bThusbabpersonbwhobshop
sbatbBatabStoresborbwhobusesbRaymondsbclothingbisbabcustomerbofbthesebfirms.bWhe
reasbtheb‗consumer‘bisbabpersonbwhobgenerallybengagesbinbthebactivitiesb-
search,bselect,busebandbdisposebofbproducts,bservices,bexperience,borbideas.
b
ConsumerbMotives
Consumerbhasbabmotivebforbpurchasingbabparticularbproduct.bMotivebisbabstrongbfe
eling,burge,binstinct,bdesireborbemotionbthatbmakesbthebbuyerbtobmakebabdecisionbtob
buy.bBuyingbmotivesbthusbarebdefinedbasb‗thosebinfluencesborbconsiderationsbwhic
hbprovidebthebimpulsebtobbuy,binducebactionborbdeterminebchoicebinbthebpurchasebof
b goodsborbservice.bThesebmotivesbarebgenerallybcontrolledbbybeconomic,bsocial,bps
ychologicalbinfluencesbetc.
MotivesbwhichbInfluenceb PurchasebDecision
Thebbuyingbmotivesbmaybbebclassifiedbintobtwo:
i. ProductbMotivesb b iib b b PatronagebMotives
i. ProductbMotives
Productbmotivesbmaybbebdefinedbasbthosebimpulses,bdesiresbandbconsiderations
whichbmakebthebbuyerbpurchasebabproduct.bThesebmaybstillbbebclassifiedbonbth
b
eb basisbofbnaturebofbsatisfaction:
a) EmotionalbProductbMotives b)b RationalbProductbMotives
, Nature of Motive b b Purchase Decision b
Desire for money
b b : Purchasing when price falls downb b b b
Vanity : Getting costly Items, to be admired by others
b b b b b b b
Fear : Purchasing Insurance policy b b
Pride : Purchasing premium products b b
Fashion : Rural people imitate urban
b b b
Possession : purchasing antiques b
Health : Purchasing health foods .membership in health clubs
b b b b b b
Comfort : Purchasing micro- b
oven, washing machine, mixy Love and affection
b b b b b : b
Purchasing gift items b b
EmotionalbProductbMotivesbarebthosebimpulsesbwhichbpersuadebthebconsumerbo
nbthebbasisbofbhisbemotion.bThebbuyerbdoesbnotbtrybtobreasonboutborblogicallybanalys
ebthebneedbforbpurchase.bHebmakesbabbuyingbtobsatisfybpride,bsensebofbego,burgebtobi
nitiatebothers,bandbhisbdesirebtobbebunique.
RationalbProductbMotivesbarebdefinedbasbthosebimpulsesbwhichbarisebonbthebbasis
ofblogicalbanalysisbandbproperbevaluation.bThebbuyerbmakesbrationalbdecisionbafter
b
chiefbevaluationbofbthebpurpose,balternativesbavailable,bcostb benefit,bandbsuchbvali
b
dbreasons.
ii. PatronagebMotives
Patronagebmotivesbmaybbebdefinedbasbconsiderationborbimpulsesbwhichbpersuadebt
hebbuyerbtobpatronagebspecificbshops.bJustblikebproductbmotivesbpatronagebcanbalso
bebgroupedbasbemotionalbandbrational.
b
EmotionalbPatronagebMotivesbthosebthatbpersuadebabcustomerbtobbuybfrombspeci
ficbshops,bwithoutbanyblogicalbreasonbbehindbthisbaction.bHebmaybbebsubjectivebforb
shoppingbinbhisbfavouritebplace.
RationalbPatronagebMotivesbarebthosebwhichbarisebwhenbselectingbabplacebdepen
dingbonbthebbuyerbsatisfactionbthatbitboffersbabwidebselection,bitbhasblatestbmodels,bo
ffersbgoodbafter-salesbservicebetc.
, Knowledgebofbbuyerbmotivesbofbconsumersbisbusefulbforbmarketersbtobanticipatebm
arketbtrendsbandbformulatebeffectivebmarketingbstrategies.
NeedbforbStudybofbConsumerbBehaviour
Thebstudybofbconsumerbbehaviourbhelpsbeverybodybasballbarebconsumers.bItbisbesse
ntialbforbmarketersbtobunderstandbconsumersbtobsurvivebandbsucceedbinbthesbcompe
titivebmarketingbenvironment.bThebfollowingbreasonsbhighlightbthebimportancebofb
studyingbconsumerbbehaviourbasbabdiscipline.
Importancebinbdaybtobdayblife
Thebpurposebofbstudyingbabdisciplinebisbtobhelpboneselfbtobbetterbappreciatebitsbcont
ributions.bThebreasonbtobstudybconsumerbbehaviourbisbbecausebofbthebrolebitbplaysbi
nbtheblivesbofbhumans.bMostbofbthebfreebtimebisbspentbinbthebmarketbplace,bshoppingb
orbengagingbinbotherbactivities.bThebextrabtimebisbusuallybpassedbinbknowingbandbthi
nkingbaboutbproductsbandbservices,bdiscussingbwithbfriendsbaboutbthem,bandbwatchi
ngbadvertisementsbrelatedbtobthem.bThebusagebofbthembsignificantlybrevealsbourblife
styles.bAllbthesebreasonsbsuggestbthebneedbforbstudy.bHowever,bthebpurposebmaybb
b
ebtobattendb immediatebandbtangiblebreasons.
PertinencebtobDecisionbMaking
Consumerbbehaviourbisbsaidbtobbebanbappliedbdisciplinebasbsomebdecisionsbarebsigni
ficantlybaffectedbbybtheirbbehaviourborbexpectedbactions.bThebtwobperspectivesbthat
seekbapplicationbofbitsbknowledgebarebmicrobandbsocietalbperspectives.
b
Thebmicrobperspectivesbinvolvebunderstandingbconsumerbforbthebpurposebofbhelpin
gbabfirmborborganizationbtobachievebitsbobjectives.bThebpeoplebinvolvedbinbthisbfield
trybtobunderstandbconsumersbinborderbtobbebmorebeffectivebatbtheirbtasks.bWhereasbt
b
hebsocietalborbmacrobperspectivebappliesbknowledgebofbconsumersbtobaggregate-
levelbfacedbbybmassborbsocietybasbabwhole.bThebbehaviourbofb consumerbhasbsignifi
b
cantbinfluencebonbthebqualitybandblevelbofbthebstandardbofbliving.
CONSUMERbBEHAVIOURbANDbMARKETINGbACTIONbLEAR
NINGbOBJECTIVES
Afterbstudyingbthisbchapter,byoubwillbbebablebtobunderstand:
• Thebtermsb‗consumer‘b,b ‗customer‘,b ‗industrialbbuyer‘bandb‗motives‘
• Needbofbconsumerbbehaviouralbstudy,bdifferencesbbetweenboganisationalbb
uyingbbehaviourbandbconsumerbbuyingbbehaviour
• Thebnaturebandbmodelbofbconsumerbinvolvement
• Consumerbandbindustrialbdecisionbmakingbprocessbandbdecisionbrules
• Marketingbimplicationsbofbconsumerbbehaviour
• Studybofbconsumerbbehaviourbmodelling
AnbOverview
Consumerbbehaviourbisbcomparativelybabnewbfieldbofbstudybwhichbevolvedbjustbaft
erbthebSecondbWorldbWar.bThebsellersbmarketbhasbdisappearedbandbbuyersbmarketb
hasbcomebup.bThisbledbtobparadigmbshiftbofbthebmanufacturer‘sbattentionbfrombprod
uctbtobconsumerbandbspeciallybfocusedbonbthebconsumerbbehaviour.b Thebevaluatio
nbofbmarketingbconceptbfrombmerebsellingbconceptbtobconsumer-
orientedbmarketingbhasbresultedbinbbuyerbbehaviourbbecomingbanbindependentbdis
b
cipline.bThebgrowthbofbconsumerismbandbconsumerblegislationbemphasizesbthebim
portancebthatbisbgivenbtobthebconsumer.bConsumerbbehaviourbisbabstudybofbhowbindi
vidualsbmakebdecisionbtobspendbtheirbavailablebresourcesb(time,bmoneybandbeffort)b
orbconsumptionbrelatedbaspectsb(Whatbtheybbuy?bWhenbtheybbuy?,bHowbtheybbuy?b
etc.).
Thebheterogeneitybamongbpeoplebmakesbunderstandingbconsumerbbehaviourbabcha
llengingbtaskbtobmarketers.bHencebmarketersbfeltbthebneedbtobobtainbanbin-
depthbknowledgebofbconsumersbbuyingbbehaviour.bFinallybthisbknowledgebactedba
b
sbanbimperativebtoolbinbthebhandsbofbmarketersbtobforecastbthebfuturebbuyingbbehavi
orbofbcustomersbandbdevisebfourbmarketingbstrategiesbinborderbtobcreateblongbtermbc
ustomerbrelationship.
,ConsumerbBehaviour
Itb isb broadlyb theb studyb ofb individuals,b orb organisationsb andb theb processesbc
onsumersb useb tob search,b select,b useb andb disposeb ofb products,b services,b exp
erience,borbideasbtobsatisfybneedsbandbitsbimpactbonbthebconsumerbandbsociety.bCust
omersbversusbConsumers
Thebtermb‗customer‘bisbspecificbinbtermsbofbbrand,bcompany,borbshop.bItbrefersbtobp
ersonbwhobcustomarilyborbregularlybpurchasesbparticularbbrand,bpurchasesbparticul
arbcompany‘sbproduct,borbpurchasesbfrombparticularbshop.bThusbabpersonbwhobshop
sbatbBatabStoresborbwhobusesbRaymondsbclothingbisbabcustomerbofbthesebfirms.bWhe
reasbtheb‗consumer‘bisbabpersonbwhobgenerallybengagesbinbthebactivitiesb-
search,bselect,busebandbdisposebofbproducts,bservices,bexperience,borbideas.
b
ConsumerbMotives
Consumerbhasbabmotivebforbpurchasingbabparticularbproduct.bMotivebisbabstrongbfe
eling,burge,binstinct,bdesireborbemotionbthatbmakesbthebbuyerbtobmakebabdecisionbtob
buy.bBuyingbmotivesbthusbarebdefinedbasb‗thosebinfluencesborbconsiderationsbwhic
hbprovidebthebimpulsebtobbuy,binducebactionborbdeterminebchoicebinbthebpurchasebof
b goodsborbservice.bThesebmotivesbarebgenerallybcontrolledbbybeconomic,bsocial,bps
ychologicalbinfluencesbetc.
MotivesbwhichbInfluenceb PurchasebDecision
Thebbuyingbmotivesbmaybbebclassifiedbintobtwo:
i. ProductbMotivesb b iib b b PatronagebMotives
i. ProductbMotives
Productbmotivesbmaybbebdefinedbasbthosebimpulses,bdesiresbandbconsiderations
whichbmakebthebbuyerbpurchasebabproduct.bThesebmaybstillbbebclassifiedbonbth
b
eb basisbofbnaturebofbsatisfaction:
a) EmotionalbProductbMotives b)b RationalbProductbMotives
, Nature of Motive b b Purchase Decision b
Desire for money
b b : Purchasing when price falls downb b b b
Vanity : Getting costly Items, to be admired by others
b b b b b b b
Fear : Purchasing Insurance policy b b
Pride : Purchasing premium products b b
Fashion : Rural people imitate urban
b b b
Possession : purchasing antiques b
Health : Purchasing health foods .membership in health clubs
b b b b b b
Comfort : Purchasing micro- b
oven, washing machine, mixy Love and affection
b b b b b : b
Purchasing gift items b b
EmotionalbProductbMotivesbarebthosebimpulsesbwhichbpersuadebthebconsumerbo
nbthebbasisbofbhisbemotion.bThebbuyerbdoesbnotbtrybtobreasonboutborblogicallybanalys
ebthebneedbforbpurchase.bHebmakesbabbuyingbtobsatisfybpride,bsensebofbego,burgebtobi
nitiatebothers,bandbhisbdesirebtobbebunique.
RationalbProductbMotivesbarebdefinedbasbthosebimpulsesbwhichbarisebonbthebbasis
ofblogicalbanalysisbandbproperbevaluation.bThebbuyerbmakesbrationalbdecisionbafter
b
chiefbevaluationbofbthebpurpose,balternativesbavailable,bcostb benefit,bandbsuchbvali
b
dbreasons.
ii. PatronagebMotives
Patronagebmotivesbmaybbebdefinedbasbconsiderationborbimpulsesbwhichbpersuadebt
hebbuyerbtobpatronagebspecificbshops.bJustblikebproductbmotivesbpatronagebcanbalso
bebgroupedbasbemotionalbandbrational.
b
EmotionalbPatronagebMotivesbthosebthatbpersuadebabcustomerbtobbuybfrombspeci
ficbshops,bwithoutbanyblogicalbreasonbbehindbthisbaction.bHebmaybbebsubjectivebforb
shoppingbinbhisbfavouritebplace.
RationalbPatronagebMotivesbarebthosebwhichbarisebwhenbselectingbabplacebdepen
dingbonbthebbuyerbsatisfactionbthatbitboffersbabwidebselection,bitbhasblatestbmodels,bo
ffersbgoodbafter-salesbservicebetc.
, Knowledgebofbbuyerbmotivesbofbconsumersbisbusefulbforbmarketersbtobanticipatebm
arketbtrendsbandbformulatebeffectivebmarketingbstrategies.
NeedbforbStudybofbConsumerbBehaviour
Thebstudybofbconsumerbbehaviourbhelpsbeverybodybasballbarebconsumers.bItbisbesse
ntialbforbmarketersbtobunderstandbconsumersbtobsurvivebandbsucceedbinbthesbcompe
titivebmarketingbenvironment.bThebfollowingbreasonsbhighlightbthebimportancebofb
studyingbconsumerbbehaviourbasbabdiscipline.
Importancebinbdaybtobdayblife
Thebpurposebofbstudyingbabdisciplinebisbtobhelpboneselfbtobbetterbappreciatebitsbcont
ributions.bThebreasonbtobstudybconsumerbbehaviourbisbbecausebofbthebrolebitbplaysbi
nbtheblivesbofbhumans.bMostbofbthebfreebtimebisbspentbinbthebmarketbplace,bshoppingb
orbengagingbinbotherbactivities.bThebextrabtimebisbusuallybpassedbinbknowingbandbthi
nkingbaboutbproductsbandbservices,bdiscussingbwithbfriendsbaboutbthem,bandbwatchi
ngbadvertisementsbrelatedbtobthem.bThebusagebofbthembsignificantlybrevealsbourblife
styles.bAllbthesebreasonsbsuggestbthebneedbforbstudy.bHowever,bthebpurposebmaybb
b
ebtobattendb immediatebandbtangiblebreasons.
PertinencebtobDecisionbMaking
Consumerbbehaviourbisbsaidbtobbebanbappliedbdisciplinebasbsomebdecisionsbarebsigni
ficantlybaffectedbbybtheirbbehaviourborbexpectedbactions.bThebtwobperspectivesbthat
seekbapplicationbofbitsbknowledgebarebmicrobandbsocietalbperspectives.
b
Thebmicrobperspectivesbinvolvebunderstandingbconsumerbforbthebpurposebofbhelpin
gbabfirmborborganizationbtobachievebitsbobjectives.bThebpeoplebinvolvedbinbthisbfield
trybtobunderstandbconsumersbinborderbtobbebmorebeffectivebatbtheirbtasks.bWhereasbt
b
hebsocietalborbmacrobperspectivebappliesbknowledgebofbconsumersbtobaggregate-
levelbfacedbbybmassborbsocietybasbabwhole.bThebbehaviourbofb consumerbhasbsignifi
b
cantbinfluencebonbthebqualitybandblevelbofbthebstandardbofbliving.
