Buyer Roles

• Initiator- A person who starts the process of

considering a purchase since he/she feels the
need for the product.
• Influencer- Persuades others in the decision
making process to influence its outcome.
• Decider- The person who decides on the final
choice: what is to be bought, when, from
where and how
 Contd…
• Payer- Person with the power and financial
authority to purchase the product
• Buyer- The person who enters into the final
transaction and exchange process or is
involved in the physical activity of making a
purchase.
• User- The person(s) who actually consumes
the product or service offering.
Consumer Buying Decision Process:
The 5 Stage Model
 Stage I- Problem recognition
• The buyer recognizes a problem/need triggered
by internal/external stimuli
• Internal stimulus- one of the person’s normal
needs rises to a threshold level and becomes a
drive.
• External stimulus- Advertisements, Friends new
Car
• Marketers need to identify the circumstances
that trigger a particular need
 Stage II- Information search
• Major information sources to which
consumers will turn fall into 4 groups:
– Personal Sources: Family, Friends, Effective
Neighbours, Acquaintances Information

– Public Sources: Mass media, Social Media,

Consumer-Rating Organizations
– Experiential Sources: Handling, examining,
using the product
– Commercial Sources: Advertising,
Greatest Source
Websites, E-mails, Salespersons, Dealers, of Information-
Packaging, Displays Marketer-
dominated—
sources
 Search Dynamics
• By gathering information, the consumer learns
about competing brands and their features.
• Sets involved in Consumer Decision Making
 Stage III- Evaluation of alternatives
• No single process is used by all consumers or by
one consumer in all buying situations
1) Consumer is trying to satisfy a need
2) Consumer is looking for benefits from product
3) Consumer sees each product as a bundle of
attributes with varying abilities to deliver the
benefits
• The consumer arrives at attitudes toward various
brands through an attribute-evaluation
procedure, developing a set of beliefs about
where each brand stands on each attribute.
Expectancy-Value Model
Stage IV- Purchase decision
 Stage V- Postpurchase behavior
• After purchase, the consumer might experience
dissonance and will be alert to information that
supports his or her decision
• Marketing communications should supply
beliefs and evaluations that reinforce the
consumers’ choice and help him or her feel
good.
• Marketers must monitor postpurchase
satisfaction, postpurchase actions postpurchase
uses and disposal.
 Contd…
• Satisfaction is a function of the closeness
between expectations and the product’s
perceived performance.
• Postpurchase Satisfaction: If performance falls
short of expectations, the consumer is
disappointed; if it meets expectations, the
consumer is satisfied; if it exceeds expectations,
the consumer is delighted.
• Postpurchase Action: A satisfied consumer is
more likely to purchase the product again and
will also tend to say good things about the brand
to others. Dissatisfied consumers may abandon
or return the product.
Postpurchase Use/Disposal