Assignment on Understanding Customers

In this report, we discuss the Assignment on Understanding Customers The process of customer behavior and perception will be addressed in this study. Marketers need to be aware of how consumers perceive the value of goods and services differently. To understand the entire process, the initial section of the debate will clarify product consumption patterns from modern views. Therefore, choosing to buy or consume any products involves making a decision.

Assignment: Understanding Customers
Module no: 05
Student Name:
ID:
Session year:
Deadline:
1

Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Contemporary Perspective on Consumption...................................................................................4
Individual Decision-Making and Involvement................................................................................5
Importance of Perceptual Processes in understanding individual consumers.................................6
Consumers in Society......................................................................................................................8
Where it is heading - Future Trends in Consumer Behavior...........................................................9
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................10
References......................................................................................................................................11
2

Introduction
This report will be engaged in the process of consumer behavior and perception. Consumers
have different perceived value on products or services that marketer must understand. At the first
section of discussion, consumption pattern for products will be elucidated in the contemporary
perspectives to recognize the whole process. Hence, decision-making has an involvement in
buying or consuming any products. To analyze the consumption process, the marketers must
follow the psychological factors that may affect the consumers purchasing patterns and their
interests towards a brand. Starting from buying to disposal of any products, the whole process is
defined as consumption pattern and it relies on many factors where scholars and authors has
published several theories. Eventually, this research on consumer and their pattern of
consumption will analyze the future change in the trends of behavior. The purpose of this paper
is to establish an overview on consumer’s perspective and process of consumption (Liu, 2019).
3

Contemporary Perspective on Consumption
Consumption is the continuous process that are reflected by consumers and there are many steps
in the process of consumer purchase. If the problem is identified with proper details, the buyers
gather proper information through research and assess each solution. In the stage of purchasing
any products, there are many thoughts may arrive and the value or benefit are reflected at the
post-purchase phase. There are many issues that are established in the market while purchasing
the products such as health and safety, mental health awareness, viral trends, social effects and so
on (Ratneshwar, 2003).
Study according to_ consumers have different perspectives, tastes, likes and dislikes that are
affected by various factors. The current situation of market focuses on customization depending
on consumers. Author has stated that there are a word “why” in the consumption that interprets
the consumption process and purpose to know their motives and desires of how they consume
(Ratneshwar, 2003). Nowadays, consumption depends on effective packaging, satisfactory issue,
and eye-catching colors. Neuromarketing implies about obtaining the new insights of
consumers through identifying the signs and psychological facts in customer’s desires,
motivations, tastes and decisions. This contemporary process can help marketers to establish
unique and creative promotional ads and make good strategic pricing (ALSHARIF, 2021).
The current era of online shopping such as Amazon, Adidas, Instagram marketing have changed
the trend of purchasing and where the people are more engaged in online purchasing. The
pandemic has brought new technological advancement in marketing and shopping culture.
Around the entire globe, people are able to purchase staying at home (Michaelidou, 2021). For
instance, Airbnb is high rated online travelling site that provides many facilities and vouchers. In
the tourism industry, people are more aware of roaming around the world as the transits are
stopped for while due to pandemic (Okumus, 2020).
4

Individual Decision-Making and Involvement
The decision making process of consumer is an assessment of marketers to deliver the exact
value among consumers. The sensory factors of consumers impact on their purchase and how
they feel about a product. The decision are made relying on their senses. For instance, impulse
buying is the reflection of inheritance from the senses and psychological effects. Pandemic
outbreak has brought the retail stores and marketing in an online perspective. Decision making
process has several realistic theory based on financial issues and risk perception. According to
(Saaty, 2000), few steps are followed to make any decision including identifying decision,
gathering relevant information, choosing alternatives, evaluating decision. For instance,
consumers intellectual processing are relied on different alternatives. The price may affect in
purchasing a Chocolate where there are different brands are offering same quantity in lowest
price with high amount of flavor.
Factors can stimulate the thought process of a consumer that is implied as pervasive method
because consumers and clients use this method in a same way. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
explains the facts of recognition of needs that is the foremost part of decision making and
involvement of purchase. Luxury needs comes when the basic needs are fulfilled which is the
core implication of Maslow’s theory. Among five steps of the process, informative search
engages many product options to the list and for instance, if any brands impose high rates on
tickets, consumers will make another choice for making the trip (Panwar, 2019).
5

Importance of Perceptual Processes in understanding individual consumers
The role of perception is generally structured based on stimuli and psychological factors that
helps to understand the individual’s perspective and how an individual perceives. The whole
perceptual process helps a marketing manager to evaluate the different tastes and sense of
consumers out of the social value and environment (Lobo, 2019).
Figure: Perceptual Process
Source: kpu.pressbooks.pub
To provide an immense explanation on perception of consumers, environmental factors lead to
different stimulus response and that effects senses. The purchasing behavior depends of
cognitive senses and the whole process. The process of consumers’ perception consists of
stimulation, organization, interpretation, memory and recall. An individual may behave due to
sensory effects and communication methods. For instance, how an individual perceives the brand
and the products it produces (Harmon-Jones, 2019).
The importance of consumer’s perception helps any marketer to determine about the factors that
may impact while purchasing. For instance, Coca-Cola to Pepsi is the example of influencing
6

factors that consumers are more likely to buy from a loyal brand. In, Adidas Tennis Racquet
launching, it failed to the whole consumers as it was more into physical attributes. Perceptual
process can identify the personality, perception of the perceiver, and success depends on it.
Sensory marketing is a benchmark part of marketing in the sense of catching consumer’s
memory. To assess the loyalty, consumers have the right to provide opinions towards a product
or brand. A company like Amazon can succeed when they can understand the customers well
(Tarafder, 2019).
Consumers in Society
In the society, the value of the product is adopted by consumers and the feelings of consumers
are ahead of what they purchase. Consumer has different social aspect of purchasing any
products from the market that consumers play the balance role while keeping the economy
system disciplined. The negative effects from consumers implies the depletion of resources while
consumption and the process of consumer society is not sustainable (Dholakia, 2019).
A consumer society is defined as immersed culture that is consisted with the process of
producing, consuming goods and to satisfy our perceived needs. The society involves in how
much the products are being consumed and the purchasing. The consumerism theory in
sociological concept interprets the individual consumption that are related to consumer goods. A
consumer society is a post-industrial concept that refers to a society in which individuals are
identified more by what consumers consume than by the work they do or the things they make.
As our attitudes on consumerism had also evolved, so have the options for why, when, where,
and how we consume. The first section of this assignment will examine the characteristics of a
consumer society, as well as the options accessible and the divisions that result from unequal
choices. The importance of the Big Four supermarkets (TESCO, Asda, Sainsbury's, and
Morrison's) in providing people with options will be discussed in the second section (Lee, 2019).
7

Where it is heading - Future Trends in Consumer Behavior
The dynamic trends are emerging in the consumer market for adjusting with the creative
innovation of the markets. The tourism department has many revolution in respect of new
communication system and marketing. The digital marketing process has made it easier to
personalize different options for consumers. As the tourism industry is moving ahead so the
culture and new experiences will be made to make it more luxurious. The demand for hospitality
and other tourism departments are emerging while growing with lodging options. The trends may
emerge such as personalization, solo travel packages, digitalized traveler experiences, holistic
hospitality and experience economy (Kaur, 2021).
Consumer behavior can experience the new trends in the market that may bring happiness among
them. As consumers are more facing the AI-chatbots while interacting in online purchase so the
demand may increase for anonymity and content marketing will help them to find while making
decision. Covid has taught us all how to value and prioritize what is essential in life, which is an
essential thing. This will alter the items and services we choose to buy, as well as the types of
goods and services we buy and how we make those decisions. More sophisticated casual attire
that can be used both professionally and casually out beyond Zoom calls (Malter, 2020).
8

Conclusion
Understanding the consumers ensures any brands to have greater success in obtaining goals.
Consumers have different perceptions that are evaluated by marketers to understand their whole
thought process and senses. The senses stimulate buyers to take any decision based on their
perceived value and emotions. For instance, perfume brands make the advertisements as memory
recalls with the fragrances that make the feel nostalgic. The process is ultimately elucidated to
invoke in the customers and the connotations of the brand. Cognitive factors works in processing
for utilizing the previous information and based on previous information customers can build
new knowledge. This paper has helped to find the factors that are affected while buying or
making decision. The trends are changing due to technological advancement and social value
that consumers are adopting new things occur in the market. Understanding the decision-making
process can help brands such as Tesco to uplift the marketing strategy for any products
(Michaelidou, 2021).
9

References
ALSHARIF, A.H., SALLEH, N.Z.M., BAHARUN, R. and YUSOFF, M.E., 2021. Consumer
behaviour through neuromarketing approach. Journal of Contemporary Issues in Business and
Government| Vol, 27(3), p.345.
Chebli, A., 2020. The impact of Covis-19 on tourist consumption behaviour: a perspective
article.
Choe, J.Y.J. and Kim, S.S., 2018. Effects of tourists’ local food consumption value on attitude,
food destination image, and behavioral intention. International journal of hospitality
management, 71, pp.1-10.
Connors, S., Khamitov, M., Thomson, M. and Perkins, A., 2021. They’re just not that into you:
How to leverage existing consumer–brand relationships through social psychological distance.
Journal of Marketing, 85(5), pp.92-108.
Dholakia, N. and Firat, A.F., 2019. Markets, consumers and society in the age of heteromation.
European Journal of Marketing.
Duarte, P., 2012. Tourist experience: contemporary perspectives.
Filieri, R., McLeay, F., Tsui, B. and Lin, Z., 2018. Consumer perceptions of information
helpfulness and determinants of purchase intention in online consumer reviews of services.
Information & Management, 55(8), pp.956-970.
Gottdiener, M., 2000. Approaches to consumption: Classical and contemporary perspectives.
New forms of consumption: Consumers, culture, and commodification, pp.3-31.
Harmon-Jones, E. and Mills, J., 2019. An introduction to cognitive dissonance theory and an
overview of current perspectives on the theory.
Kaur, P., Dhir, A., Talwar, S. and Ghuman, K., 2021. The value proposition of food delivery
apps from the perspective of theory of consumption value. International Journal of
Contemporary Hospitality Management.
Lee, J. and Cho, M., 2019. New insights into socially responsible consumers: The role of
personal values. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 43(2), pp.123-133.
10

Liu, P.J., Dallas, S.K. and Fitzsimons, G.J., 2019. A framework for understanding consumer
choices for others. Journal of Consumer Research, 46(3), pp.407-434.
Lobo, L., 2019. Current alternatives on perceptual learning: introduction to special issue on post-
cognitivist approaches to perceptual learning. Adaptive Behavior, 27(6), pp.355-362.
Malter, M.S., Holbrook, M.B., Kahn, B.E., Parker, J.R. and Lehmann, D.R., 2020. The past,
present, and future of consumer research. Marketing Letters, 31(2), pp.137-149.
Michaelidou, N. and Siamagka, N.T., 2021. Introduction to special issue on contemporary
personality perspectives in consumer behaviour.
Okumus, B., 2020. Food tourism research: a perspective article. Tourism Review.
Panwar, D., Anand, S., Ali, F. and Singal, K., 2019. Consumer decision making process models
and their applications to market strategy. International Management Review, 15(1), pp.36-44.
Ratneshwar, S., Mick, D.G. and Huffman, C. eds., 2003. The why of consumption:
Contemporary perspectives on consumer motives, goals, and desires (Vol. 1). Psychology Press.
Saaty, T.L., 2000. Fundamentals of decision making and priority theory with the analytic
hierarchy process (Vol. 6). RWS publications.
Sharpley, R. and Stone, P., 2012. Contemporary Tourism Experience. Concepts and
consequences, 96, p.109.
Sharpley, R. and Stone, P.R. eds., 2010. Tourist experience: Contemporary perspectives (Vol.
19). Routledge.
Shaw, G. and Williams, A.M., 2013. From lifestyle consumption to lifestyle production:
Changing patterns of tourism entrepreneurship. In Small firms in tourism (pp. 109-124).
Routledge.
Taheri, B., Hosany, S. and Altinay, L., 2019. Consumer engagement in the tourism industry: new
trends and implications for research. The Service Industries Journal, 39(7-8), pp.463-468.
Tarafder, N., 2019. The importance of consumer perceptions in fashion behaviour. Man-Made
Textiles in India, 47(3).
11

Wang, Y., Gu, J., Wang, S. and Wang, J., 2019. Understanding consumers’ willingness to use
ride-sharing services: The roles of perceived value and perceived risk. Transportation Research
Part C: Emerging Technologies, 105, pp.504-519.
12