Consumer Behaviour and Insight

This report discusses the different stages of the consumer decision-making process, the importance of mapping a path, and understanding consumer decision process. It also outlines the differences of the decision-making process related to B2B and B2C, and how marketers can influence the different stages of the decision-making process of B2C and B2B. The report is based on Sainsbury, one of the largest supermarkets in the UK.

CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR
AND INSIGHT

TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS..............................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
Analysing the different stages of consumer decision-making process.......................................3
Explaining the importance for marketers to make a path and understand consumer decision-
process.........................................................................................................................................4
Comparing and contrasting the differences of decision-making process related to B2B and
B2C.............................................................................................................................................5
Evaluating the different approaches and methods of research to understand the decision-
making process in context of B2B and B2C...............................................................................7
Evaluating how marketers can influence the different stages of the decision-making process of
B2C and B2B, giving specific examples.....................................................................................7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
Consumer behaviour refers to the study of the individuals, organizations or groups that are
associated with the different activities that are related with purchase of products and services.
This basically includes the emotions, attitudes and taste and preferences that used to affect
buying behaviour. The current assignment is based on Sainsbury, it is one of the largest
supermarket in the markets of UK. It used to sell variety of products to the customers that helps
them to have better profits in the market. This report will put focus on the different stages of the
consumer decision making process and importance to map a path to have consumer decision-
making. Further this report will outline the differences of the decision making process related to
B2C and B2B. In continuation this report, will indicate the different methods and approaches to
understand the decision process in context of B2B and B2C. Moreover, this will also focus how
marketers used to influence in stages of decision making process.
MAIN BODY
Analysing the different stages of consumer decision-making process
Consumer decision making process refers to the identification, gathering of information,
evaluation of alternatives and buying decisions of the consumers. This process is vital for the
company that helps them to know and understand about the decision-making of the products.
The decision-making behaviour is the hard process that used to involves various activities that
affects buying behaviour (Consumer Decision Making Process, 2022). The different stages of the
consumer decision-making process that must be followed by Sainsbury is as described below:
1. Need Recognition: In this stage the consumer used to identify the what they actually
need from the market. As Sainsbury used to deal with the different types of customers in
the market for such they have to determine their needs as well (Mishra, Singh and Koles,
2021). This helps the company to determine their target market as per the needs of the
customers. By this it used to provide the opportunity for the organization to advertise
their products.
2. Information Search: In this stage the buying decision of the consumer used to change
on the continues basis. This is happening as the consumers wants to have more and more
information about the products that used to satisfy their needs and wants (Kim and et.al.,
2020). As the cited company is the leading company, so the consumers can gain the

information from the experience people in the market who uses the products of cited
company. This helps the consumers to make the proper information about the new and
existing products in the market (Thomas and et.al., 2018). The consumers can also take
the information from the commercial sources, personal sources, public sources, etc.
3. Evaluating the alternatives: In this stage it used to involve the different alternatives that
used to available in the market to have better product lifestyle. Once the customer used to
take the information, it makes them to have the various alternatives in order to choose the
best product from the market. The evaluation is done on the basis on the quality, prices or
it can any other factor that are vital for the customers. In order to evaluate the customers
used to evaluate and compare the products from one another.
4. Purchase decision: By recognizing the about stages, it will make the customer to buy
and decide the purchase decision. By evaluating all the facts and sensible conclusions
regarding the product, the consumer used to select the best product from the market
(Zuschke, 2020). This makes the cited company to produce the best product that used to
attract the consumers in order to buy the product.
5. Post Purchase Behaviour: This is also the important stage in the decision- making
process. As this helps the consumers to know about the importance of product in their
lifestyle. If the purchased product is not valuable than the consumers will not buying that
product again in the market. This stage used to have both positive and negative
experiences as it used to depend on the usefulness of the products in their lifestyle.
As the consumer decision making process is very important to have the proper decision-
making in order to choose the best products that helps them to satisfy their needs. This helps
them to know about the actual needs and preferences and makes them to have that product.
Explaining the importance for marketers to make a path and understand consumer decision-
process
The consumer decision-making process is the most important process that supports the
consumers and to have proper evaluation of the purchasing decision. As this process used to
involve the five stages so marketers of the cited company must focus on this process in order to
provide best products (Chatterjee and Samanta, 2021). Important for marketers to map a path and
understand the consumer decision process is as descried below:

1. Identify the target customers: This is one of the important function that the marketers
must do which helps them to have the good profitability in the market. By identifying the
target customers, it makes them to map a path and know about the needs and wants of the
customers in the market (Gopinath, 2019). By having the deeper understanding of the
consumer decision- making helps the marketers of the company to make the best
products in order to increase the target customers.
2. Increases the sales revenue: By mapping the path and understanding the decision of the
customers supports the company to have increase in sales. The marketers of Sainsbury
must know about the consumers wants and needs which makes them to have better
selling of the products in the market (Sahelices-Pinto and et.al., 2018). This makes the
customers to attract and helps the company to have good revenue in the competitive
market. It makes the marketers know about the experiences related to customers in the
market.
3. Helps to optimize the customers on boarding process: This is also important for the
marketers of the cited company to know about the expectations of the customers in the
market. This helps them to have the production of products which helps them to satisfy
needs and wants of the customers. By understanding the different persona of the buyers
makes them to have the proper evaluation of the market and helps them to increase in the
overall profit.
In order to map a path and understand the consumer decision- making process, the marketers
can interact with their customers through social media, live chat, feedback while purchasing and
through different channels. By having the journey map, it makes the marketers to know about
every touchpoint that customers will go through in order to choose the best product.
M1 Evaluating how marketers used to respond decision-making process.
The marketers of the company used to respond positively with the decision-making
process of the consumers. This helps the marketers to have the proper understanding about the
consumers in the market. By following the economic model, it helps the consumers to know
about the actual spending of the money in order to buy the product.
Comparing and contrasting the differences of decision-making process related to B2B and B2C
The decision- making process in B2B and B2C is somehow different as one is related with the
customers and another with business. Sainsbury must focus on both the aspects that helps them

to have better flow of products and services. As the decision- making process makes the
company to have better choices, gather the information, evaluate the different alternatives and
purchase the best one. This step- by- step process helps the company and consumer to have the
proper evaluation of the products.
B2B Decision making B2C Decision making
In this there us selling of products and services
between the two organizations that helps the
both business to grow in the market (Sachdeva,
2020). The customers of the company in this is
another business with whom they used to do
selling of products and services.
For example: If Sainsbury has to do their
business with hotel in the same market, they
have to sell their products that helps them to
maintain the brand image in the market.
The decision-making process in business- to-
business is the hard and complex process as
there are different parties in the market. The
negotiation between the both parties is less as
there as they both used to work for their
benefit.
The sales process in this is the relationship
driven and sales trends in the company us
longer and complex.
For example, Sainsbury decided to enter the
new market by having the collaboration with
the new business in that new market.
Business to consumer refers to the process of
selling and taking of the goods or services that
is between the company with their consumers.
In this the company used to make the business
decisions on the basis of target market and
wants to have proper feedback as well. There
are several steps involved in that starts from
need recognition to purchase decision as
discussed above. The cited company used to
deal more with this decision-making process as
this helps them to have target audience
(Rėklaitis and Pilelienė, 2019).
The selling cycle with the consumers used to
shorter and the buying process used to involve
only one step.
Somehow this very ineffective as there is lots
of competition in the market.
For example, the second largest supermarket
used to get affected by the increasing
competition in the market and makes the
customers to have the product switching.
M2 evaluating the different factors influencing decision making and buying behaviour
The marketers used to effect various factors that used to have influence on the decision-
making of the products. The company must make the better decisions that helps them to know

make the buying behaviour of the customers. As decisions and buying behaviour depends on as
company is operating as B2B or as B2B.
Evaluating the different approaches and methods of research to understand the decision-making
process in context of B2B and B2C
There are several methods that helps the company to understand the decision-making process.
As there are different approaches and methods in order to have research that includes
Qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods. This helps the business to have the proper study of
the market that help them to have the better understanding of the decision-making process.
In order to have B2B the company can opt for quantitative method of research that makes
them to know about the number of companies that can do work with the company. By having
this it helps the cited company to have new opportunities in order to reach the new markets. Both
the business must do the research and identify the competitors in the market that helps them to
have proper working (Nath, Saha and Salehi-Sangari, 2019). As the decision-making process
used to focus on the relationship which helps the company to increase in sales and revenue in the
market.
In B2C Sainsbury can opt to have the qualitative research as the consumers in the market
used to focus on the quality of services provided by them. In order to do this there are several
benefits of having the decision-making in B2B. This helps the business to have the accessibility
for their consumers and have better communication to have the company- customer’s
relationship (Honarmandi, Sepasi and Azar, 2019). By taking feedback from the customers or
taking the interviews of the customers helps the company to have the proper research in the
market. This used to provide the opportunity to the company to make the new products in order
to have better working in the company.
Evaluating how marketers can influence the different stages of the decision-making process of
B2C and B2B, giving specific examples
Decision making process mainly includes the following stages it mainly starts by
recognizing the problem and needs of the customer in the market, gathering the information by
searching, evaluation of alternative solution, assessing the evaluation, assessing the solution,
selecting the best option, lastly implementing the decisions. The marketers mainly influences the
decision making process in the B2C process, as while evaluating the needs the marketers mainly
research for targeting the everyday consumers shopping products with identifying their needs as

to increases the supply of the products which are purchased daily and marketing this with using
effective strategies. For identification of the needs while operating the business as B2C , as for
instance in Sainsbury mainly search for the regular consumer products needs which are highly in
demand mainly including the household products, clothes and focusing carefully calculating the
marketing efforts as for selling the product in calculated target market.
Further more, the markers mainly influences the decision making process of the
consumers as by targeting their needs and marketing with using various stages with evaluating
their emotional response to the strategy used for marketing and ever-increasing sales of the
products offered to the target consumer market. As by marketing with using the campaigns helps
in inducing the response of the target audiences which is mainly used by the B2C markets as for
ever-increasing the sales and evaluating the brand products (How Marketing Influences
Consumer Decisions, 2022). Also the emotional engagement made by the marketers and
advertising the products on continuous basis helps in building trust among the companies as for
purchasing the products and being the loyal consumers. As building trust among the consumers
is mainly by marketing with using the best products labelling and displaying the clear and
precise information about the products being sold by the company as to attract the target
consumers and retaining the loyal target market. The more appealing content and marketing of
products made by the marketer influences the costumer decisions for purchasing the product.
Also, while operating the business as B2B the business makes more strategic decisions as
to fulfil the business objectives and attaining the goals by establishing the B2B business model.
The markets mainly influence the decision making process in the B2B, as for instance Sainsbury
is mainly Selling products to another business at the restaurants mainly the retail products. The
marketers mainly influence the decisions as by marketing with defining the cost of the products
with specifying its nature and selling at the best quality and specifying the product feature with
establishing the brand reputation. While marketers mainly using the social media advertising
and specifying the nature and specification of the products with displaying on websites of
Sainsbury this influences the other business buying behaviour by seeing the cost effectiveness
and better functionality of the products which are mainly sold by the company , which is
profitable than the other competitors.

CONCLUSION
From the above report it is concluded about the consumer behaviour and their decision
making process. It has evaluated about the different stages of the consumer decision-making
process for the products sold by company. This report has also evaluated about the importance to
map a path in order to understand the consumers. Moreover, it is also described about the
differences that are related with B2B and B2C with examples. This report has also included
about the different approaches and methods of researching in order to understand about the
decision-making process. At last this report has evaluated about the marketer influence on the
different stages of the decision process related to B2B and B2C with examples.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Chatterjee, S. and Samanta, M., 2021. The Influence of Social Knowledge on Consumer
Decision-Making Process. IUP Journal of Knowledge Management. 19(4).
Gopinath, R., 2019. Factors Influencing Consumer Decision Behaviour in FMCG. International
Journal of Research in Social Sciences. 9(7). pp.249-255.
Honarmandi, Z., Sepasi, S. and Azar, A., 2019. Comparing the impact of brand value on
corporate profit in B2B and B2C businesses: A case study. Iranian Journal of Management
Studies. 12(1). pp.121-147.
Kim, J. H. and et.al., 2020. Consumer decision-making in a retail store: the role of mental
imagery and gender difference. International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management.
Mishra, R., Singh, R. K. and Koles, B., 2021. Consumer decision‐making in Omnichannel
retailing: Literature review and future research agenda. International Journal of Consumer
Studies. 45(2). pp.147-174.
Nath, A., Saha, P. and Salehi-Sangari, E., 2019. Blurring the borders between B2B and B2C: a
model of antecedents behind usage of social media for travel planning. Journal of Business
& Industrial Marketing.
Rėklaitis, K. and Pilelienė, L., 2019. Principle differences between B2B and B2C marketing
communication processes. Organizacijø Vadyba: Sisteminiai Tyrimai. (81). pp.73-86.
Sachdeva, R., 2020. An empirical investigation of factors influencing young Indian consumer
decision making. Journal of Asia-Pacific Business. 21(3). pp.207-226.
Sahelices-Pinto, C. and et.al., 2018. Social commitment or self-interest? Effect of responsible
practices performance motivations of firms on the consumer decision-making process.
Journal of Marketing Communications. 24(3). pp.304-319.
Thomas, V. L. and et.al., 2018. Role-playing in a consumption context: An experiential learning
activity focused on the consumer decision-making process. Marketing Education Review.
28(2). pp.89-97.
Zuschke, N., 2020. An analysis of process-tracing research on consumer decision-making.
Journal of business research. 111. pp.305-320.
Online
Consumer Decision Making Process. 2022. [Online]. Available through:<
https://www.marketingtutor.net/consumer-decision-making-process-stages/>
How Marketing Influences Consumer Decisions. 2022.[Online]. Available
through:<https://cooltool.com/blog/how-marketing-influences-consumer-decisions>