Customers may have the urge to obtain goods or services when they want to

strengthen their self-concept, become part of a group, or gain recognition from a

group to which they already belong. If consumers want to obtain goods or services,
they will buy, rent, lease, or trade. Today, purchasing has become the most common
way. In this article, I will use my own example to explain the consumer decision-
making process.
In September last year, I had the urge to buy headphones. There are two reasons:
first, I need a headset to listen to music; Second, all my friends have headphones. In
this case, the first reason is internal, and the second reason is external.
I did some searching online. I searched the word "headphones" online and got
millions of results. I realized the most essential characteristics when buying
headphones: the price should not be too expensive; the appearance should be
beautiful; and the quality of the music should be high. I identified the most important
criteria in this step.
The next thing I did was evaluate the options. There are many similar products on
the internet, but I had to choose the one that works best for me. There are many
factors that affect the final evaluation, such as brand, price, performance, after-sales
service, etc. This process is also called alternatives evaluation.
Finally, I made my final decision. Based on my evaluation, I chose a headset that
seemed perfect. It has great looks, great music quality and a great price. I bought it. I
made the decision to buy.
Sooner or later, I received the product. But when I tried it for the first time, regret
suddenly set in. The quality of the music wasn't as perfect as I'd hoped, so I couldn't
use it to listen to the music I liked. However, it looks great, so I don't want to return it.
I found a new way to use it, which is just for studying, as it still plays some audio
clearly.
In summary, these are the 6 steps a customer takes to purchase a product – need
identification, search for information, evaluate alternatives, decide to purchase, post-
purchase evaluation and decide on the final use of the product.