Effects of Branding on Consumer Purchase Decision

Dissertation
(An investigation into the effects of branding on
consumer purchase decision)
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Abstract
Main aim of this dissertation is to identifying the effects of branding in changing purchase
decision of consumers towards the brand. In order to accomplish this aim, there are different
activities that have been completed from the researcher. Aim and objectives were developed for
completing full dissertation in systematic and in successful manner. Literature review was done
by gathering secondary data from articles, books, publication research and many more. These
helped investigator in attaining of all objectives successfully. Methodology section was
completed through different types of methods which are positivism philosophy, deductive
approach, quantitative choice, questionnaire and many more. These methods supported
investigator in gathering and evaluating of quantitative information within minimum period of
time. Data analysis was completed through frequency distribution analysis. This helped
researcher in evaluating of quantitative information easily and within minimum period of time.
Conclusion and recommendation was done by concluding entire information in systematic
manner. At last, recommendations were done by recommending information about the
improvement of topic.
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Contents
Abstract ...........................................................................................................................................2
Introduction .....................................................................................................................................4
Overview of the topic ..................................................................................................................4
Background of research organisation ..........................................................................................4
Problem statement........................................................................................................................5
Research questions ......................................................................................................................5
Research aim and objectives .......................................................................................................5
Rationale of the research .............................................................................................................5
Literature Review.............................................................................................................................7
Explanation about the branding and consumer purchase decision? ............................................7
What are the effective and useful ways for changing of consumers’ decision about the brand? 9
What are the relationship between branding and consumer decision making? ........................11
Methodology .................................................................................................................................13
Findings and analysis ....................................................................................................................19
Conclusion and recommendations ................................................................................................27
References .....................................................................................................................................30
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Introduction
Overview of the topic
Branding refers to the marketing practice within which an organisation makes name,
design or symbol that is easily identifiable as belonging to the business. In today’s dynamic
marketing landscape, brands have a broad range of uses for products, individuals and business.
In addition, brand is a design, name, symbol, term or many other feature, which identifies one
seller’s service or goods as distinct from those of other sellers. Therefore, branding is the art of
bring into line what customer think regarding the company and its products or services. Branding
is an important and essential part of the business success and growth at national as well as global
level. There are different advantages of branding in accordance to the consumer’s viewpoint and
seller’s viewpoint (Siali and et. al., 2019). According to the consumer’s viewpoint, there are
certain benefits of branding i.e. product quality, increased shopper efficiency, calls attention to
new products, decrease psychological risk etc. According to the view of sellers, brand loyalty,
trademark identification, decrease need for in-store contact and many more. Therefore, above
mentioned all these are major significance of branding that will be essential for company in
attainment of competitive advantages (Aggarwal, and Rahul, 2018). Along with this, branding is
also important in changing the consumer purchase decision towards the brand. Strong brand
position in marketplace facilitate an organisation in attraction of larger customer base within
minimum time period.
Background of research organisation
For this dissertation, Marks and Spencer is a chosen brand that is well-known for its
quality products or services. Company was founded in 1884 by Thomas Spencer and Michael
Marks, and headquartered in London, England, UK. Company is specialising in selling of
clothing, home and food products that mostly of its own brand name or label. M&S is a famous
and well-known brand name in all over the world, because of quality in their products or services
(Barreda, and et.al., 2016). Company has larger customer base that is important for them in
increment of their sales and profitability within less period of time. Company wants to increase
customer attraction towards their brand, with purpose of accomplishing competitive advantages
in successful manner (Lv, Jin and Huang, 2018). Along with this, customer have idea about the
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M&S brand and they are loyal towards their products and services. As it helps company in
changing of customers buying behaviour towards their product, services or brand.
Problem statement
Covid 19 is a biggest issue for each and every organisation. One of the main problem is
changing the customers buying behaviour towards the particular brand. In Covid 19 situation, no
one is able to go outside and purchase products. In this branding is important for changing
customer’s buying behaviour (Cascio, and Graham, 2016). For example: strong brand name of
company in marketplace automatically increase customer attention towards the product or
service. Thus, this is easy for company to change buying behaviour of their customers and
increase their sales. Therefore, Covid 19 is a major issue for all retailer i.e. Marks & Spencer.
This situation has negative impact on their sales as well as brand image. For overcoming this
issue, current dissertation will be conducted in systematic and successful manner (POTURAK
and SOFTIC, 2019).
Research questions
 Explanation about the branding and consumer purchase decision?
 What are the effective and useful ways for changing of consumers’ decision about the
brand?
 What are the relationship between branding and consumer decision making?
Research aim and objectives
Research aim:
“To identify the effects of branding in changing purchase decision of consumers towards
the brand”. A study on Marks & Spencer.
Research Objectives
 “To develop basis knowledge about the branding and consumer purchase decision”.
 “To explore ways for changing of consumers’ decision about the brand”.
 “To determine the relationship between branding and consumer decision making”.
Rationale of the research
Main rationale behind selection of current topic or research is to determining the issues
faced by company during Covid 19 situation (Chakravarty, 2017). This issues are related with
the customer’s buying behaviour, sales and profitability (Prasad, Garg and Prasad, 2019).
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Therefore, this is a main purpose of conducting this dissertation. Along with this, current
investigation or topic is important for different stakeholders i.e. organisation, industry, an
individual etc. This dissertation helps an individual in improve their different types of skills that
includes presentation, data collection, data analysis, time management and many more. All these
skills are essential for an individual or researcher in completing of each activity of dissertation in
successful and systematic manner (Chen, Lu, and Wang, 2017). this dissertation is also
significant for organisations or industries by improving their knowledge regarding the
effectiveness of branding in changing of customer’s buying behaviour. Therefore, current topic
or dissertation is important for all stakeholders.
Research gap: Research gap within current investigation (Dinnie, 2015). In previous
investigations, there were lots of data available regarding the importance of branding for an
organisation, but there were missing data about the effectiveness of branding in changing of
customer’s buying behaviour. This is a main gap of the current investigation and for fulfilling
this, research questions is followed within literature review section.
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Literature Review
Literature review introduces to the systematic process used for gathering data from
secondary sources which are articles, peer-reviewed articles, books and many other sources
applicable to the research title.
Explanation about the branding and consumer purchase decision?
According to the Favier, Celhay and Pantin-Sohier (2019), Branding is the part of
marketing process in this process companies create name, symbols, designs for their product then
they are identified as the company's belonging. Branding comes in process of identification and
differentiation of products from the products of competitors in the market. It is important
because branding helps in leaving an impression on customers. Clients and customers can clearly
know what all they should expect from the company. Brand building is important because it
represents the company's products and services across the world. It is the way through which
consumers differentiate your company's product with other company's product in the market.
Many techniques are used to build the branding those are advertisement, promotional techniques,
customer service etc., these all together work to build a strong brand different from the other
brands in the market. It is the critical process because it increases the sale of the company and
increases the branding awareness (Hamilton, and et. al., 2019). It creates the new business for the
company. It helps in shaping the brand with the branding, it is done to attract customer’s
attention. It can leave such type of attention that can convert the first time buyer into forever
customer for the brand. Now branding is much more than just a logo and a look. Brand gives the
set of thoughts which customers have about the company. The set of actions taken to shaper the
company's brand is definitely a branding. Branding is important for a company in following
ways:
1. Competitive advantage- Branding helps in establishing the products in different ways
through which customer can differentiate the product from the competitors (Yu and
Yuan, 2019). Branding makes the product different and unique.
2. Building brand recognition- For becoming successful brand, the brand should be
recognized by the mass people. With the help of impactful logo, attractive designs of
website the brand is recognized in the mind of customers.
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3. Establishing relation- Branding helps in creating a spark between the company and the
customers (Favier, Celhay, and Pantin-Sohier, 2019). Branding creates an emotional
relation with the customer and this emotional relation converts prospect into a customer
and after that a customer into a forever customer of the company's product. Various
branding strategies are formed to establish this relationship like catching punch line or
tag line for the product. It helps in creating a deeper connection with the customers.
CONSUMER PURCHASE DECISION-
Consumer purchase decision is the process helps in identifying how consumer goes
through the journey of knowing the product to making the decision of purchase of the product. It
is necessary to have an understanding of the purchasing process of the buyer in order to do
marketing and creating sales for the company (Karavatzis, Giovanardi, and Lichrou, eds.,
2017). The consumer purchase decision enables the company to set marketing plan which
convince the purchaser to buy the company's product and services. Before purchasing of the
product or uses of services the consumer makes some decisions, it involves:
 The first stages are need recognition or problem recognition, where customer recognizes
the need of the particular product and they try to satisfy the need of that particular
product from the available products or brands in the market.
 In the second stage the customer searches the information for the product. They search all
the possible alternatives of the brands available in the market.
 In the third stage the consumer uses all the gathered information for the evaluation of
alternative brands (Kumar, and et.al, 2019).
 In the fourth stage the customer makes its final decision for the product which is most
suitable for him or her.
Importance of consumer purchase decision-
1.Consumer purchase decision is important because it helps to choose the best alternative from
the different alternatives in the market.
2. It clearly mentions the needs of the customers and can provide goods and services according
to the customer's requirement (Liow, and Chai, 2015).
3.It helps in building emotional attachment between the customers and brand, which means the
brand fulfils the need of the customers and in return customers recommend the brand to their
friends and relatives.
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