MBA404 Consumer Behavior Project: Spore Game Purchase Analysis

This assignment analyzes the consumer behavior and marketing psychology associated with the purchase of the video game Spore for PC/Mac. The project begins with an overview of the consumer decision-making process, identifying needs and wants that led to the purchase of the game. It explores the influence of time flexibility, positive arousal, challenges, diversion, and the fun and fantasy aspects of the game on the consumer's intention to buy. The analysis then examines internal factors such as perception, memory, learning, motives, personality, and emotions, as well as external influences like culture, subculture, demographics, social status, reference groups, and family. The assignment also evaluates alternative video games, purchase methods, and post-purchase behaviors, concluding with a summary of the factors that influenced the consumer's decision. The project provides valuable insights into the consumer's decision-making process and the marketing strategies involved in the purchase of video games.

VALIDATION
APPROVAL OF
SPORE – PC/MAC
MBA404
Consumer Behavior and
Marketing Psychology

OVERVIEW OF THE
PRESENTATION
Introduction
Consumer Decision Making Process
Identification of needs and wants leading to purchase decision
Examination of internal and external sources of information
Evaluating alternatives
Analyzing available purchase methods
Analyzing post-purchase behavior
Conclusion
References

INTRODUCTION
 Video game Spore- PC/Mac is a popular video game.
There are four categories of video games that have received
significant attention, mobile and online games, console and PC.
Primary consumer motivation is time flexibility of users that is
spent on playing video game.
Concepts and theories related to consumer behavior is explored,
to identify the need that led to purchasing the video game against
all other video games available in the market.

CONSUMER DECISION
MAKING PROCESS
Need
Awarene
ss
Informat
ion
Search
Evaluati
ng
Alternati
ves
Purchas
e
Decision
Post
Purchas
e

NEEDS AND WANTS IMPACTING
PURCHASE DECISION
Time Flexibility: The availability of time to play the video game and the time required to
progress through the various steps of the game, positively influenced my purchase
decision (Bassiouni, and Hackley, 2016).
Positive arousal impacting intention to play: The attributes of the game and past
experience of playing the game impacted purchase decision.
Challenges & competition impacting the intention to play: This game has very
interesting challenges and competition which influences the intention to make purchase
decision related to this product.
Diversion impacting intention to play: It allows fun, entertainment, pleasure and
gratification. It allows controlling a character and feeling of enjoying the situation.
Fun associated with the video game: Crafting imaginary roles and possibility of making
dream come true is appealing (Bontchev, 2016).
Fantasy associated with this video game: Social interaction is an important motivation
for players with value sharing experience.

EVALUATING INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL
SOURCES OF INFORMATION
Internal Information Influence:
Perception: Good feedback and high positive rating of the game in Amazon
Memory: Good experience playing the game at friend’s place (Sheu, Chu, and Wang, 2017).
Learning: Good playing platform allowing for social interaction
Motives: Exciting and fun while playing the game (Jose Planells, 2017)
Personality: Matching my playful and imaginative personality
Emotions & Attitudes: Suits my age and dynamic as well as playful attitude
External Information Influence:
Culture & Subculture: Most people my age from my cultural and subcultural background loves to play
this game, which influenced my attitude (Ozuem, Borrelli, and Lancaster, 2017).
Demographic: Students aged 14 years till 25 years mostly males likes playing this game
Social Status: Middle income class mostly can provide this game to their children as upper class mostly
prefers mobile games and Xbox.
Reference Groups: Most of my university friends plays this game (Borowiecki, and Prieto-Rodriguez,
2015).
Family: My sister also prefers playing this video game and many of my cousins too.

EVALUATING INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL
SOURCES OF INFORMATION

EVALUATING ALTERNATIVES
Spore is a life simulation real-time based strategy God game.
It can be supported in Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X.
Alternative video games are;
 Sid Meier’s Civilisation VI: It is a turn based strategy 4X video
game.
XCOM 2: It is a turn-based tactics video game.
Anno 1800: This is a city-building real-time strategy video game.
Wargroove: It is a turn-based video game.

ANALYZING AVAILABLE
PURCHASE METHODS
Retail store purchase
Purchasing over online stores, such as Amazon
Neighboring video game stores

ANALYZING POST-PURCHASE
BEHAVIOR
Engagement with the video game for longer time period
Fun and enjoyment from the game
Excitement from playing the video game

CONCLUSION
Evaluating various video games, it can be seen that the video
game is highly attractive in nature.
It offers real fun time patience with capability to extend ones
capability into virtual reality based existence.
 The consumer decision making process helped understanding the
needs that lead to the purchase.
There are several influencing factors which led to undertaking
decision related to this video game over other alternatives.

REFERENCES
Bassiouni, D.H. and Hackley, C., 2016. Video games and young children’s evolving sense
of identity: a qualitative study. Young Consumers.
Borowiecki, K.J. and Prieto-Rodriguez, J., 2015. Video games playing: A substitute for
cultural consumptions?. Journal of Cultural Economics, 39(3), pp.239-258.
Bontchev, B., 2016. Adaptation in affective video games: A literature review. Cybernetics
and Information Technologies, 16(3), pp.3-34.
Jose Planells, A., 2017. Video games and the crowdfunding ideology: From the gamer-
buyer to the prosumer-investor. Journal of consumer culture, 17(3), pp.620-638.
Ozuem, W., Borrelli, M. and Lancaster, G., 2017. Leveraging the co-evolution of offline
and online video games: An empirical study. Journal of Strategic Marketing, 25(1), pp.75-
97.
Sheu, J.J., Chu, K.T. and Wang, S.M., 2017. The associate impact of individual internal
experiences and reference groups on buying behavior: A case study of animations,
comics, and games consumers. Telematics and informatics, 34(4), pp.314-325.