Analyzing Consumer Behavior and Marketing Research Studies

This document provides a collection of references to academic articles and journals related to consumer behavior, marketing research studies, and related topics. The references are categorized by year, with the most recent being from 2016. The document includes a list of sources that cover various aspects of consumer behavior, such as pro-environmental purchasing behavior, consumer decision-making processes in mobile viral marketing campaigns, and the role of values in collaborative consumption.

Consumer Behaviour
and Insight

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................3
P1.Explain and analyse the stages of the consumer decision making journey for a given
product/service.......................................................................................................................3
P2.An explanation of why it is important for marketers to map a path to purchase and
understand consumer decision making...................................................................................5
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................7
P3.Show a comparison and contrast of the key differences of the decision-making process in
the context of B2C and B2B, providing specific examples from both B2B and B2C...........7
P4.Evaluate the different approaches to market research and methods of research used for
understanding the decision-making process in both B2C and B2B contexts.........................8
P5.Evaluate how marketers can influence the different stages of the decision-making process
of B2C and B2B, giving specific examples..........................................................................10
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................11
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................12

INTRODUCTION
Consumer behaviour is the vital element for the business organisation as this study how
the individual , group or the association prefer, purchase and usage the items and services to
fulfil their necessarily and demand. Consumer behaviour also mention to as activity which an
individual client executes in the market. This assignment has been prepared to understand how
the potential consumer behaves towards the product. In this current report the chosen products is
from automotive industry Ford that is Mustang cars. This automotive industry is termed to be the
wider industry that deals with the design , development and manufacturing of the cars. This
project will cover the study about the cognition and knowing of the clients decision-making
process, their necessarily and expectation from appropriate research, assessment about the post
acquire and pre acquire decision. Apart from this the report also covers the concepts of the B2B
and B2C business and the cause which influences the consumer behaviour. At last, this report
will also render the essential path which are concerned in the process of judgement making.
TASK 1
P1.Explain and analyse the stages of the consumer decision making journey for a given
product/service.
Before purchasing the products, it is very essential for the customers to first identify the
needs for which they undergo various consequences before buying the products. Consumer's
decision-making procedure engages the custom-made to determine exactly what are their needs,
expectations so that they can make the decision to buy the products(Gangale, Mengolini and
Onyeji, 2013). As the product which have been chosen in this respective assignment is the cars
of the company Ford. For purchasing the cars of the company, the consumers will pass on
through the diverse stages which have been mentioned below :
Consumer decision making stages are as follows :
Pre- Purchase : For devising a conclusion in respect the pre acquisition of the
commodity a consumer undergo several stages that are as mentioned below:
 Need recognition : This phase of the user conclusion making procedure is concerned
with the identification of the demand whether the commodity is needed or not. As need
is considered to be the most essential element which drives or influences the customer
towards the buying of the products. So for buying the product like Car the consumer will

see whether there is requirement of the car or not if the need is felt they will focus on the
purchasing of the products.
 Searching and Gathering information : After the identification of the need the
customer will focus onto the second stage that is searching and gathering of the content
detail about the commodity. Before buying the car, the consumer will effort to
assembling as much data as they can regarding all the positive and negative factors which
are attached to the purchasing of the car. For collecting the information, the consumer
may use various sources like social media , feedbacks from the existing user of the cars
etc. regarding the quality and services of the cars(Maity and Dass, 2014).
 Evaluating the alternative : This phase of the user conclusion making procedure is
conferenced with the evaluation of the options. After identifying of the needs and
gathering of the information the customer will now focus on the best of the options and
deals which are available to them in the marketplace for the purchase of the car. Here the
customers will focus on the evaluation of the best option which offers them the
reasonable price with excellent services and design.
Purchase :This is the decision-making stage after the stage of identification of needs,
searching, and evaluation of the alternative. Here the customer makes their mind to purchase the
product. Here the customer will finally identify what they want to buy and from where they want
to buy so that their needs can be satisfied without incurring more expenditure. In this the actual
purchase decision is also made after analysing all the facts and aspects which the customers will
come through in the near future(Thøgersen, Jørgensen and Sandager, 2012).
Receive: After purchasing the product that is mustang car the customers receive it
and experiences the products quality and services and then further takes the decision.
Post purchase evaluation: It is the the final stage which gives the conclusion whether
the Car which have been purchased by the customers has delivered them the value of their desire
or not. This also states the condition they the customers will purchase the product again or not
soon.
Thus, these are the stages which will help the customer in making their buying decision for the
car so that their need can be satisfied to the full.

P2.An statement of why it is essential for marketers to map a path to acquisition and interpret
user conclusion devising.
Consumers is the assets for the business environment as they are the only whole and soul
for whom the organizations are operating their activities. The marketers need to map and realize
the consumers judgment making procedure because user are the centers for many marketers. It is
really essential for the marketers to map a path to acquisition and interpret user conclusion
making as this is directly associated to the level of the profit which the business is going to earn.
Understanding the customers will help the marketers in knowing the buying behavior of the
customers which will help them in creating the quantity of map a route to acquire so that they
can easily determine the consumer conclusion journey which consists of four factors which are
as mentioned beneath :
Pre-purchase : This is the most considerable factor as here the customer seek to identify where
there is a need of buying the product or not so that the decision regarding the purchase can be
made after gathering all the logical ideas and information related to the products(Erevelles,
Fukawa and Swayne, 2016).
Purchase: this is the phase where the customer will purchase the product after analyzing the
benefits which the products is going to serve them and the value which the product gives to the
customers. Here the marketer will focus more on the marketing the product in such a manner so
that they can influence the customers buying behavior regarding the products.
Receive: The consumer here finally receives the products in there hand and uses it so that they
can get with the better quality of services and the standards. Here the consumers automatically
become loyal to the company’s product if the product which they have received is up to their
expectations.
Post purchase: In this stage the consumers experience the products and decided whether the
purchase which they have made is beneficial to them or is not up to their expectation. After
analyzing they decides whether to buy the product in the near future or should avoid the use of
this product.
Above mentioned are the value of mapping a path which show that the consumers expect the
product only after when these products undergo these stages. This mapping of path would also
help the marketer in various ways such:

 This would allow them to access the actual needs of the customers so that they can
produce the products as per the customers requirement and can determine the best ways
for satisfying their ultimate needs to the fullest (Pitta, Young and Hinesly, 2012).
 It would also help the marketers in identifying, determining the marketing requirements
by considering the customers’ needs and wants and would allow them to segment the
markets accordingly.
 This would also helps the marketers in reduces the uncertainty in the market as proper
studying of the consumer behaviors will assist the marketer to take appropriate marketing
techniques so that more customers can be attracted towards the products of the company
and come up with the extreme level of the loyalty.
Evaluate how marketers are responding to the decision-making process, applying relevant
concepts and models.
The model of the consumer behavior will help the marketers to understand the action of the
customers and will also assist them in identifying and understanding the wide range of the
variables (Paul and Rana, 2012). The explanation of the consumer behavior have been mentioned
below :
Economic view or model: In this model of the consumer behavior the consumer is being
rational while taking the decision regarding the purchase of the products. They are the one who
research the market and are aware about all those alternatives which are available to them. The
consumers takes the decision only after considering the cost and benefits which the product will
provide. This will enable the marketer to understand that the consumer always sticks to the
product which provide them cost benefits and some other advantage.Cognitive view : This will
help the marketer to understand that the consumer in this models takes the decision to buy the
products according to their own interest and by understanding the market demand for the
products. The decision of the consumer here is based on the gathering of all the information
related to the products benefits and value (Piscicelli and et. al., 2015).Passive view: through this
model the marketer can easily identify that the consumer takes their purchase decision by
influencing through their promotional activities such as advertisement and online marketing.
Here the customers react directly to the efforts of the marketer which they have made for the sale
of the product. Emotional view In this the marketers can easily interpret the purchasing activity
of the users as the customers in this models react emotionally while buying the products. In this

the customer do not think whether the product is necessary to them or not but purchases it due to
the emotional attachment (Stancu and et. al., 2016).
Thus all the above mentioned models enables the marketers to form the decision
responding to the requirement of the customers and conclusion devising procedure so that the
business can produce a products which a customers wants as this will helps them to grow and
develop in the market.
TASK 2
P3. Show a scrutiny and contrast of the key differences of the decision-making procedure in the
context of B2C and B2B, providing specific examples from both B2B and B2C.
Merchandising is termed to be the most crucial for the business as this led the business to
the higher profit and growth margin. It is the broad concept which involves various activities
which are related to the sales of the product. There are various marketing models where the sales
are the end motive of these B2B and B2C marketing models (Joy and Li, 2012).
Deviation between B2B and B2C model of the marketing is mentioned below:
Basis B2B B2C
Buying decision In this the decision for buying
the product of the other
business is considered on after
comparing its prices, market
condition of the firms and the
firms image in the customer
mind so that the business can
easily operate the operations
after these information
collection.
In this the decision is taken in
a frequent manner as in this
the customer is the only end
user of the product so the
decision is taken without
wasting much time.
Decision related to the
Marketing strategy
In this the business mainly
focuses on the marketing of
their products that is car to the
other firms with the help of all
their personal contacts.
In the business of B2C the
firm serve their customers
with best quality of products
through advertising the
product with different

different marketing tools such
as social media, online
marketing etc.
Decision related to market
size
The business of B2B will focus
more on the smaller market
segment by segmenting the
larger section on the basis of
their similar requirements.
Business to Customers will
focus on their main source of
the revenue that is customers
by covering the large segment
of the market.
All these decision related to market size and marketing strategy differs n both the cases as
B2B mainly promotes their products to the other firm through their personal contact only
they don't advertise about their products in the market through social media. Similarly in
case of B2C the decision are on the basis of their promotional activity like advertising ,
social media marketing etc.
Decision making process in B2B and B2C:
The decision-making procedure of both the marketing model B2B and B2C are various
as B2B is the model which the conclusion devising procedure is much tangled as the formulation
of the decision in this done with several employees and each of them are specialised in their own
field . In the marketing model of the B2B the decision makers are the only one who are
accountable for their judgements. Whereas in the marketing model of B2C the decision-making
process is flexible as the decisions are made by only one or two individuals. Several points to
understand this concept are as follows:
 The conclusion devising procedure of the B2B is much tougher in comparison to the B2C
as B2C involves questionnaire which is the best and less time consuming approach to
research about the market and B2B uses the secondary approach which is not necessarily
gives the actual result.
 On the other hand,The conclusion devising procedure of the B2B concern is much easier
as it consider of few number of respondent from the market place that is 20 respondents

but for the business of B2C it is much time taking as they have to focus more and more
customers that is sampling 50 respondents for their decision regarding the product. The
business will form their decision after interviewing with their customer asking several
questions such as :
1. Are the customers aware of the new Mustang Car?
2. Which factors drives them to Buy the car?
3. What should be the reasonable price of the Car that customer is ready to pay
These factors helps both the business in forming their decision.
Example:
The company which deals in B2B business is automotive industry that is Ford the decision
making process which the Ford have adopted is quit complex as while forming the decision the
business have to consider its other business entity from which the company is extracting their
raw-material, lighting equipment, their suppliers etc. as each of them may have their own criteria
to render the services to the industry due to which the company may suffer from the more time
and cost consumption(Zhang and Benyoucef, 2016). Whereas the company chosen for the B2C
is Apple which is the largest manufacturing company. The company tends to take decision by
keeping their customers choices their requirement about the quality of the products in mind as
the business deals directly with the customer so the decision taken by the Apple are only by
considering their customers in the most flexible manner and the customer here also takes the
decision to buy the products by checking all the features, quality, prices and the value of the
product to them.
P4.Appraise the various conceptualization to market investigation and methods of research used
for knowing the decision-making procedure in both B2C and B2B contexts.
There are various conceptualization or methods of the marketplace investigation which
helps the business to sustain in the marketplace by competing with their rivals. Both the
marketing models B2B and B2C have used various market research approaches so that they can
easily compete and sustain their business in this competitive era. In this the B2B market differ
from B2C in the different way as both the market trades differently so accordingly their approach
for the research also differs (Soyez, 2012).
Market Research approach in B2B:

The companies like B2B uses the secondary research approach where the data is already in
existence and is used by another researcher for their own purpose. B2B market uses this
conceptualization as this approaching is the most cost-effective methods and less time-
consuming method. In this secondary research approach, the business will gather their
information about the decision making from their different sources which are as follows:
Public records: The business will focus on the formulation of the decision by
considering the public records of the other business entity. In this the business will try to collect
as much data as they can so that the decision to trade with the other business entity can be taken
significantly and effectively (Brodie and et. al., 2013).
Government and non-government agencies: the business can also use authorities and
non-government agencies for the market research as these will provide the B2B business with all
the relevant facts and data which are helpful to them in the trading with the other business entity.
Some advantage to the B2B market by using secondary research are:
 As the information here is already in existences due to which the time and cost involved
is less comparatively.
 These provide the data which are easily accessible ( Pescher, Reichhart and Spann, 2014).
In this the business will gather the data and exact information by choosing the most
suitable source of secondary research that is public record as this will provide the firm with the
information about the demand of the commodity and the response of the user towards that
product so that the future of the product in the competitive market can be determined.
Market research approach in B2C:
The companies which are operating there business in B2C are mainly focusing on the adoption
of the primary research method so that the relevant data about the customers’ needs can be gather
which helps the business to manufacture the products as per the customers requirement
considering their all the expectation from the company(Dessart and et. al., 2015). Various
sources which business uses for extracting the primary data are:
Questionnaire : The business focuses on the collection of the relevant data by asking
their customers to feel the questionnaire which contains the question regarding their products
quality, design, features, value and the experience of the customers with the products so that the
business can form a better decision.

Observation method : In this method of the primary research the business focuses more
on the hiring of the observer who keeps on updating about the current market situation and the
prevailing demand of the customers in the market by the proper observation so that the decision
for the products can be made significantly.
Some advantage to B2C by the using Primary research are :
 The data collected here is the first hand data and is more accurate than the secondary
research (Moser, 2015).
 This research method is mainly concerned with the finding of the possible solution to the
problems so that the researcher can get the information regarding the issues in the depth.
Thus here the business will focus more on the primary method tool that is questionnaire
as this will enable the firm to determine exactly about what quality of product that is car a
consumer demands for as through providing a customers a series of question which they are
asked to fill so that accurate information can be gather.
P5. Valuate how marketers can influence the various phase of the decision-making procedure of
B2C and B2B, giving specific examples.
Marketer is the only representative of the business as the marketer perform all those activities
which is directly attached to the buying of the customers (Hoban and Bucklin, 2015). There are
various factors direct which the marketers can determinative the decision-making procedure of
B2C and B2B. These are as follows:
Perception: Marketers must focus on building the positive perception of their products in
the customers mind as the perception plays a vital role in influencing the customers to buy the
products of the business. As the customers always consider buying the products which they feel
are the best for them and what has strikes to their mind at the initial level. In this process the
customers always make sense of the information which they have received (Price,Wrigley and
Straker, 2015).
Marketing campaigns: Marketers must focus more on the factors of the advertisements
as the customers are driven more towards the buying of the product with the help of the
advertisement only. Attractive marketing campaigns can attract and influence the customers to
buy the products.

Economic conditions: This is the most important factor which influences the buying
decision of the customers. So, the marketer must focus on the pricing of the products in such a
manner so that it does not cost more to the consumer and is reasonable on the part of both the
business and the customers.
Thus, these mentioned factors play a vital role to the marketer in influencing the customers
buying decision process (Jerath, Ma and Park, 2014).
Behavioral theory : This theory also influences the buying behaviors and conclusion
devising procedure of the customer as this is based on how the customers behave in the market
place. This involves the factor of conditioning where it seeks to observe that how customers
interact with the environment and the product which is present in the environment so that their
needs can be satisfied. This models also states that the business must cope up with all the
changes which is prevailing in the market.
Classical conditioning theory : this theory will helps the marketer in influencing their
customers decision making process by considering their response to the stimulus. For example –
if a customers purchases a food items then the marketers must focus on their stimulus for the
buying of food item that is salvation process due to which the decision of the customers will be
influenced to buy the products. This theory focuses on the biologically potent stimulus paired to
the neutral stimulus.
Instrumental conditioning theory : In this the marketers will focus on providing certain
benefits and rewards to the customers on buying of their products as customers are more keen
towards buying of the products which renders them certain amount of extra benefits and rewards.
For example- suppose a marketer is promoting a products that is car than their should always
provide their customers with some advance rewards such as free servicing for one year due to
which they feel that this company is best suitable to them and change their decision of buying a
product from other company.
Cognitive learning : this will also enable the marketers in influencing the customers or
consumers decision making process as through this learning models the markets will suggest the
business to read the mindset and mentality of the customers as well as the firm and to gice more
and more emphasis on the attacking to their mental state so that this will directly lead to the
customers decision regarding the products in the market place.

CONCLUSION
From the preceding study, it can be terminated that the user behavior plays a vital role in
the business as this shows the actions of the consumer which they execute in the market place
while buying the products. This report also covers the study about the different aspects and phase
of the decision-making procedure of the customers. Along with this the study of different
marketing models and different marketing research approaches related to these models have also
been considered in this current report. And all the various component which influences the
purchasing behavior of the customers are mentioned here.
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