Consumer Decision-

Making Process Paper

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making-process-paper

Consumer Decision-Making Process Paper

The consumer decision making process is used by marketers to make important marketing

decisions. When a consumer decides to buy a product they follow through the course of realizing the

problem, searching for information, evaluating the alternatives, choosing the product, and

contemplating the purchase after it has been bought. Marketers can influence consumer’s actions by

evaluating their decision making processes. Making sure that the consumer is satisfied with their

purchase from the beginning to the end is highly effective in ensuring that the product is continually

successful. Studies have shown that when a customer is unsatisfied with a product 91% of them will

never buy from that company again (CustomerSatisfaction.com, 2009), so appraising the consumer

decision making process, to promote customer satisfaction, is a necessary step within the marketing

phase of a product.

When a family realizes that they have played all the board games in their house and they are

dismayed at having to play one of the same games they have played many times before, this is the

first stage of the consumer decision making process; problem recognition. The actual state is the

unhappiness of being subjected to the monotony of having to play the current board games
 available. The desired state is having a new board game to play to break up the monotony(Best,

2007).

Once the family has entered the first stage of problem recognition they go onto the next stage which

is searching for information. In this stage they will use internal and external information to evaluate

the situation and to come to a final decision. For example, the family may use the internet or ask a

friend about any games they have played that they liked. They may also go to their internal

information such as commercials they watched on television pertaining to games.

Once the family has thought about the decision of wanting to alleviate having to play the same old

games, they have pondered the information available to them internally and externally, they will

advance into the third stage of the decision making process which is evaluating each alternative.

During this stage the family will compare and contrast the various games on the market. The optimal

game will provide the closet match to their psychological and functional values as game players. For

example, they will cross-reference games based on questions such as “is this a game we will want

to play more than once”? And “will this game be fun”?

Now that the family has realized the problem, gone over the information, and weighed up the

choices they are prepared to advance into the fourth stage of the decision making process which is

finalizing the purchase. All of the other steps have led to this step of acquisition. However, this phase

of the process does not always lead to acquiring a product. The family maybe more enticed to buy a

certain brand when there has been adequate promotion of the particular game, there are discounts

or coupons for the game, or the store they go to for purchase of the game has an in-store credit

system.

The family now has a new game. This phase of the consumer decision making process is post-

purchase estimation. The family may experience post-purchase dissonance where they are

unsatisfied with their purchase and want to switch to another brand;they may be satisfied with the

game and continue to purchase that game brand, or they may not use the game entirely.
Designing a product with close consideration of the consumer decision making process can lead to a

thriving product. The information search that consumers use, prompts a good marketer to develop a

valuable promotional tactic, and create a more effective brand based on the types of information that

speak to consumers and keep their brand foremost in the consumers mind. Marketers need to be

aware of what type of features consumers are seeking during the evaluation stage to guarantee that

their product is the most desirable. Ascertaining the consumer’s buyer characteristics such as

personality, perceptions, motivation, knowledge, and lifestyle can more clearly define their decision

making process. When marketers are aware of the consumers desires they can distribute a product

that generates sales. Integrating the consumer decision making process, within the marketing

development stage, produces a consumer with intent to buy a specific product.

Revenue is the most significant component to an organization. Customer satisfaction engenders

sales. There is a likely-hood of a customer switching brands because of dissatisfaction. Furthermore,

an unsatisfied customer is probably going to tell someone else about their bad experience.

Conversely, a satisfied customer can provide some inexpensive word of mouth advertising.

The consumer decision making process appeals to marketers. Within the process marketers can find

the information needed to compel purchaser’s dealings. Customer satisfaction is the catapult to a

flourishing business and should be accounted for during the marketing phase of a product.

References

Best, R. J., Hawkins, D. I., &Mothersbaugh, D. L. (2007).Consumer behavior: Building

marketing (10th ed.). : The McGraw-Hill.

CustomerSatisfaction.com. (2009). Customer satisfaction. Retrieved from http://www.customer-

satisfaction.com.au/AboutUs-Contact.htm

Sandhusen, R. L. (2009). Marketing (3rd ed.). Princeton, New Jersey: Barrons.

http://www.customer-satisfaction.com.au/CustomerSatisfaction.htm
 Marketing

By Richard L. Sandhusen

Hawkins