THE BUYER DECISION PROCESS A consumer goes through a series of rational steps in the buying decision process.

These include: 1. Need Recognition: At this decision stage, the buyer recognizes a problem or need. The buyer senses a difference between his actual state and some desired state. A need can be triggered by internal stimuli when one of the persons needs e.g. hunger, thirst, desire etc. rises to a level high enough to become a drive. The need can also be triggered by external stimuli like an advert or a sales person talking of the product.The marketer at this stage should carry out market research to understand consumer needs and looks for ways of satisfying them. 2. Information Search: The stage in which the consumer is aroused to The consumer may move from a state of search for more information.

active information search to a state of heightened attention where the consumer actively seeks information from: (a) (b) (c) (d) Personal sources (family, friends, neighbors) Commercial sources (advertising, salespeople, dealers) Public sources (mass media, consumer awareness org.) Experimental sources (handling, examining, using the product) Companies have realized that people who ask others (word of mouth sources) end up in buying. It is convincing and a more cost effective strategy. 3. Evaluation of Alternatives: At this stage, the consumer uses information to evaluate alternative brands in the choice set. Consumers sometimes make careful calculations and logical thinking of the product benefits and features (complex buying behaviour). At other times, consumers do little or no evaluation, instead they buy on impulse and rely on intuition. Some other times consumers make buying decisions on their own, sometimes they turn to friends, consumer guides or salespeople.Marketers

should study buyers to find out how they actually evaluate brand alternatives. 4. Purchase Decisions: At this stage, the buyer makes a decision of which brand to buy. Two factors may influence the buyers decision at this stage: (a) (b) Others attitude over the product i.e. view of friends/relatives Unexpected situational changes e.g. change in product price, change in buyers income etc. 5. Post-purchase Behaviour: At this stage, the consumers take further after purchasing the product based on their satisfaction or

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dissatisfaction. If the product falls short of expectations, the consumer is disappointed (cognitive dissonance). consumer is delighted. Marketers must at all times strive to satisfy the consumer in order to retain the existing customers and get new customers. THE BUYING DECISION PROCESS FOR A NEW PRODUCT A new product is a good or service or idea that is perceived by some potential customers as new. New products take some time before they are finally adopted for use by the consumers. The process through which a new idea or product is received and consequently accepted is referred to as the adoption process. Adoption Process This is the mental process through which an individual passes from first hearing about an innovation to final acceptance of the product. Stages in the Adoption Process Consumers go through five stages in the process of adopting a new product: If it meets expectations, the consumer is satisfied, if it exceeds expectations, the

(i) Awareness The consumer gets to know of the new product, but lacks information about it. (ii) Interest The consumer seeks information about the new product. (iii) Evaluation On receiving additional information on the product, the potential consumer make a consideration as to whether trying out the new product makes sense. (iv) Trial The consumer makes a trial of the new product on a small scale. This is to help in estimation of the products value. (v) Adoption On receiving full satisfaction after the trial, the consumer decides to make full use and adoption of the new product.

Adoption Rate of a New Product According to Rogers theory of innovation, people differ greatly in their readiness to try new products. their adoption rate. (i) Innovators Are venturesome. They try new ideas as soon as they get to know of it irrespective of the risk. (ii) Early adopters They are guided by respect. (iii) They are opinion leaders in their communities and adopt new ideas early but carefully. Early majority They are rarely leaders but they adopt new ideas They adopt an before the average person. (iv) The late majority Are skeptical individuals. innovation only after a majority of people have tried it. (v) Laggards Are traditions bound They are suspicious of changes and adopt the innovation only when it has become something of a tradition itself. Rogers classified these grioupings as shown below: There are five groups of people based on

34% Early 14% 3% Innovators Early Adopters Majority

34% Late Majority 16% Laggards

In general, innovators and early adopters are relatively younger, better educated, and higher income than late adopters and non adopters. Marketers with new innovations should research the characteristics of innovators and early adopters and should direct marketing efforts towards them.