Steps of Consumer Buying Process:

Consumer Buying Process can be widely categorized into five stages:

1) Need Recognition:
The very first stage is the problem recognition process.
This stage can begin from a basic demand like need for moisturization, cleansing, soft and beautiful
skin. It can arise from a friend referring to the ‘dove’ soap as good and effective when used by
him/her. It could also be a spontaneous shopping decision where the need arose when the consumer
saw the product on the shelf and wanted the product. The need could also be triggered by marketing
efforts such as an advertisement on TV or any other marketing campaigns.

2) Information Search:
Information search can be determined as seeking value of the product. This stage
of consumer buying process includes the options open to the customers and may involve internal and
external search. Internal search is scanning one’s memory to recall previous experiences with the
product. Now in case with the dove product the customer could be using dove soap prior and might
have loved the result. External search could be from references from friends, family, neighbours or
acquaintances. One could also search about dove and its benefits etc in the official website or go
through advertisements and other marketing campaigns on TV.

3) Alternative Evaluation:
This process includes comparing various soap products or brands for the final
purchase decision. The consumer would look for which one of the available soaps would provide
him/her the benefit he/she is looking for. After comparing with competitive products like LUX,
Santoor, Dettol which ever product will give the highest customer perceived value and will tend to
satisfy customer needs, the consumer would end up buying that product. However, a few might not
take the natural route and choose a product based on product recall, brand name and other subjective
factors such as prestige, personal experience with the brand or even a random discount offer. A few
adventurous consumers might also purchase dove because they have been buying some other brand
for a long time and they might want a fresh experience with a new product.

4) Purchase decision:
The purchase decision process can be categorized into three sub – stages:
 a) From whom to buy: It depends on factors such as past experiences with a buyer, reasonable
rates, terms of sale and return policy. The consumer will also check if any retailer or store is giving
any store discount on Dove or any sort of bundling offer happening anywhere.
b) When to buy – store atmosphere, shopping pressure, a product sale impacts customer’s decision
about when to buy the product.
c) No purchase – a consumer looks at the product, evaluates it with the other products and decides
not to buy dove or instead he could go for cheaper soaps with other benefits. In this case for
dove, it is considered as a No Purchase.

5) Post Purchase Decision:

The fifth stage is the Post purchase behaviour i.e. Value in Consumption or
Use. After buying the dove product, the consumer compares it with expectations like the need for soft
and beautiful skin he/she had and is either satisfied or dissatisfied. Satisfaction or dissatisfaction
affects the consumer communications and repeat purchase behaviour.
Dove also ran a loyalty program named Dove Insider for its customers. Dove Insider uses many brands
aligned techniques, such as: new products information , gamification and social sharing, to incentivize
its members to participate and repurchase.

Factors Influencing Consumer behaviour choice

A consumer’s buying behaviour is influenced by cultural, social, and personal factors.

Social and Cultural Factors:

Man, as a social being interacts with his friends, colleagues, neighbours, work
groups, shopping groups, social and professional organisations for various reasons and purposes. This forms
an important part for consumer buying behaviour. For Dove it can arise from a friend or family member
referring to the ‘dove’ soap as good and effective when used by him/her.

Also dove has been addressing social issues that have specially been prominent among women for issues of
beauty and body. Dove recognized a serious problem with women and young girls, bombarded every day with
images of what society deemed as perfect, beautiful women, were developing body-related self-esteem
problems. Dove’s philosophy to redefine the standards of beauty , alongside with associated programs to
promote women’s self-esteem (through establishing reference groups such as “self esteem project) ignited a
feminist movement and united people with the concept of ‘real beauty”. With these campaigns Dove has
addressed the emotional and social needs of the customer, invoking a buying behaviour.

Personal Factors:

Personal characteristics that influence a buyer’s decision include age and stage in the life
cycle, occupation and economic circumstances, personality and self-concept, and lifestyle and values. Dove
tends to focus on these factors and has been creating major impacts with its advertisements especially
focusing on women including the psychological and lifestyle values. The main target for Dove has been upper
middle class and premium class people (higher social economic group), the age group segment of 17-50 years
old women, who are socially active with or without job and belong to premium section of society.