Consumer Decision-Making Process and Marketing Strategies Report

This report delves into the intricacies of consumer behavior, examining the consumer decision-making process with a specific focus on Coca-Cola's marketing strategies. The analysis begins with an overview of the customer buying journey, dissecting each stage from problem recognition to post-purchase evaluation. The report emphasizes the importance for marketers to understand the customer's perspective. Further, it compares and contrasts the decision-making processes in both B2B and B2C contexts, exploring different market research approaches and methodologies. Finally, the report proposes a marketing plan tailored for Coca-Cola, incorporating the insights gained from the customer behavior analysis. The report underscores the need for Coca-Cola to understand consumer behavior and the customer decision-making process.

Customer Behaviour

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
Title : Analysis of the stages of the consumer decision making process journey..................1
Title: Importance for marketer to understand the consumer decision making process..........6
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................9
P3. Comparison of the key differences of the decision making in the context of B2B and B2C.
................................................................................................................................................9
P4. Different approaches to market research and methods of research for understanding the
decision making process in B2B and B2C. .........................................................................12
TASK 3..........................................................................................................................................14
P5. Marketing plan for Coca Cola........................................................................................14
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................15
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................16

INTRODUCTION
Consumer behaviour is the study of the individual, groups or the organisations and the
activities which are related with the purchase, use and disposal of goods and services which
include the customer's emotional, mental and behavioural responses and they are the people who
follows the activities. Consumer behaviour have to do with the psychology, sociology, social
anthropology, ethnography, marketing and economics generally behavioural economies. In
today's scenario it has become necessary for the organisation to ensure that their product are
totally based on the consumer requirements and this helps them in gaining competitive advantage
over their rivals (Ariffin, Bibon and Raja Abdullah, 2011). The purchasing behaviour of the
consumers and the pre and post activities carried out by the consumers are highlighted. This
whole report will be dealing with various aspects of customer behaviour thus briefing about the
consumer decision making journey for certain product and services of Coca Cola. After that
marketer will map to path to purchase and understand the consumer decision making process.
Other than this there will be comparison between the decision making procedure in the scenario
of B2B and B2B through marketing research. There will light on the impact which the marketer
put on the various stages of the decision making process of B2B and B2C.
TASK 1
Title : Analysis of the stages of the consumer decision making process journey.
Introduction
Certain products appeal to certain consumers and a purchase either happens or it doesn't.
They approach product and service marketing in the same way, based on trail and error. There
are six levels in the customer buying procedure and as a marketer they can market to them
effectively.
Body
There are products which appeal to specific kind of people called as customers and
whether the purchase will take place or not depends on the behaviour of the consumers. The
companies approach the product and service marketing in the same way based on the trail and
error method. There are various steps included in the decision making journey of the customers
of Coca Cola (Audzeyeva, Summers and Schenk-Hoppé, 2012). There are also the scientific
methods for determining what goes into the buying process that make marketing to a target
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audience more than anything else but normally it does not exist. There are six stages top the
consumer buying process and Coca Cola can market them effectively for the promotion of their
products which they want to sell.
Problem Recognition:- Before any purchase happens the consumer should have the
reason to believe that what they want, where they want to be or how they set themselves or how
the situation is different from where they actually are. The desires and requirements vary from
the reality- this becomes a problem or conflict situation for the consumer. In the case of marketer
like Coca ensure that this is opportunity for them (Boccia and Sarnacchiaro, 2014). Coca taking
the time to create a problem for the consumer whether they identify that it exists already or not,
they start the buying process. (Brennan and Croft, 2012). By this the customers realize that there
is need of some solution which can solve their problem. For example; Coca Cola has made an
advertisement which highlights that whenever the people feel thirst it is Coca Cola can drench
the thirst.
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Illustration 1: Consumer Buying Process

In the above illustration, it is the example that the company is asking the consumer to try
their new product “Coca Cola Zero”. For this they have created a problem in the minds of people
who are diabetic that they should not consume the normal soft drinks. Those who are concerned
with the health though that this is the product which will not harm their body has it consists of
0% calories or sugar.
Information Search:- When any problem is identified the customer starts the search
process. They should be aware that there is issue and they are looking for a solution. If it's a cold
drink then they will look for the best option available for them in the market thus making it a
straight forward process (Callan and Thomas, 2011).
For Coca Cola the best way to market to the requirements is to establish their brand as a
industry leader and putting their whole focus on the particular area. Coca Cola has become world
leader in the soft drink segment and if they will put more efforts in increasing their credibility
market to the information searches procedure in front of the customers.
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Illustration 2: A product of Coca Cola appealing consumers.

Evaluation of Alternative:- If Coca Coca has beaten their competitors that does not mean
that a consumer will absolutely consume their products. But this is the stage where the
consumers will try to gain more knowledge about the product which they want to buy so that
they can fully sure before making a purchase (Daunt and Harris, 2012). Although they are sure
but still they want to compare that soft drink with the other options available to them in the
market.
Coca Cola should that their diet coke is the only product available in the market with 0%
sugar.
Purchase Decision:- Normally the purchasing decision falls near the middle of the six
stages of consumer buying process. This is the stage where they have gained knowledge about
the various options available to them, they know what is the best prices they are getting thus
deciding whether to go with any one marketer or not. There might be chances that they can reject
the product offered by Coca Cola company.
This is the stage where the company should gave consumers reasons to buy their product
and in the first process some sort of information was also given. They are looking forward to
fulfil the demands of the customers (Dennis and et. al., 2010).
If the customer has walks from the purchase then certain efforts are put on to retargeting
them through emails reminders.
Purchase:- Need for the customer has been created, research has been also completed
and finally the consumer has decided to make the purchase. The conversion of individuals into
the potential buyers has been finished. Marketing in this process is also important but here it is
straightforward.
Post-Purchase Evaluation:- After the purchase has been done the procedure has been
not ended. This is the stage where revenues and customer loyalty can be easily lost. This is the
process which states that whether the customer is satisfied or not with the decision that was made
(Eng and Bogaert, 2010). If they think that the wrong decision was take they can return the
product but in the case of Coca Cola who deals in beverages cannot offer this as the product has
been little consumed.
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Conclusion
It is the duty of Coca Cola to understand the six of the consumer buying process and with they
can help them in ensuring that their marketing strategy addresses each stage and helps them in
converting individuals into buyer thus creating customer loyalty.
Recommendations
Coca Cola should focus on the content marketing thus giving the customer certain facts
and testimonial about their products related to soft drink or any other services. They ask the
targeted audiences certain questions to pull the potential consumer into the buying procedure
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Title: Importance for marketer to understand the consumer decision making process.
Introduction
The success of the marketing campaigns lies in consumer behaviour and if the marketing to
consumer don't understand it than this will not get you far. It is only the understanding and
knowledge of the consumer behaviour which can help them in impacting the purchasing decision
of customers.
Body
The buying behaviour needs to be acknowledged and for that they should try to0 find the answer
of several questions which are mentioned below.
 Why do the customer chose to buy?
All the buying decision is focused on two reasoning that is rational and emotional.
Through it they want to know the reason behind buying the product. The purchasing can fall into
both the category or it can fall into any one of them. For this Coca Cola has to look at the
products and what are the reasons someone is buying from them.
It has been observed that emotional reason is one of the main concern while buying any
of the products as compared to the rational reasons. For example; the customers is likely to
consume the soft drink of Coca Cola every time although they might be offering high prices as
compared to their competitors and the reason behind this is that the consumer has buy the soft
drink earlier also (Harris and Daunt, 2011). The reason behind this is that they have developed a
trust and loyalty to the company, based on the previous quality of service and consumer services.
Coca Cola should focus on maintaining an emotional attachment with their brand and the
consumer. This ensure the consumer will return to them and as well as recommend the drink to
the friends and family through different channels like social media.
 How frequently they buy the product/service in question?
If the consumer is regularly consuming the product of Coca Cola then this information
can be used by them and utilise this in their marketing efforts so that they can impact the
customers. For example; Coca Cola has analysed that normally people drink their brands
beverages with friends so that decided to launch “Friendship Machine” on the friendship day
(Helkkula and Kelleher, 2010). With this they have set up big outdoor vending machine with the
3.5 meter tall vending structure and it is with the help of friend or any other machine can get
them coke.
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 Who are the people for whom they are buying for?
There are chances that customers might be buying products on the behalf of other. For
example; a person buying Diet Coke for his diabetic mother so the person who is using or
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Illustration 3: The Friendship Machine
Source 1: The Friendship Machine. 2011

consuming their product can have a big impact on the buyer so Coca Cola needs to make sure
that they consider both in the marketing.
 What are they buying for?
Coca Cola has range of products from Sprite, Limca, Maaza, Thums up, Fanta, Minute
Maid, Diet Coke, Coca Cola Zero and etc. are some of them. So they look at the sales and see
which are the products they buy on regular basis. Through understanding these they will get an
help in making strategic decisions like whether they need to focus on any one of the product or
the whole range.
 Where do they prefer to buy from?
There are many channels which are available with the customer to buy the products of
Coca Cola. People can buy products of the company from their nearby stores as it is available
everywhere. Coca Cola should look for other options which can help them increasing their
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Illustration 4: Coca Cola Products
Source 2: COCA-COLA: PRODUCT PORTFOLIO PHOTOSHOOT.2016

market share (Hollensen, 2015). They can give the option to buy it online if someone is making
the order more than 5 bottles of the soft drink. Through understanding the preferences allows
them to focus on the key channels to increase the opportunities to buy.
Conclusion
Coca Cola should have knowledge and understand of the fact that how people arrive at
their choices or decisions which they make regarding product. They can also work on their
marketing mix elements.
Recommendations
Other than these the marketers should analyse four views of consumers that is economic,
passive, cognitive and emotional view.
TASK 2
P3. Comparison of the key differences of the decision making in the context of B2B and B2C.
It involves a supply chain that includes more than one business to business transactions
as company purchase the raw material for use in its manufacturing processes. After the final
product has been made it is sole to the individuals through businesses to consumer transactions.
This concept can be analysed through taking the example of these in the scenario of Coca
Cola. The company sells their cold drinks and this drink drenches the thirst gives energy (Hsin
Chang and Wang, 2011). Coca Cola B2B client will be more interested in the thirst whereas a
B2C client will be interested in the benefit which is providing energy.
B2B Decision making process:- In the scenario of business to business scenario of Coca
Cola company they will make sure that the buying decision are made in the groups. Those people
who are responsible for ensuring that they take the buying decision in Coca Cola will be called
as the decision making areas and normally it is the management who has this power. If Coca
Cola wants to make sure that they produce a soft drink so for that they need to have various raw
materials.
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Illustration 5: Ingredients of Coca Cola's Soft Drink.
Coca Cola buys raw materials and products from different sources and for they take care
of different of certain factors behind the buying decision. It is the duty of the purchase
department to make contract with those suppliers who is giving fine quality products at relevant
prices. They also check the past record of the suppliers and their distribution policies. There is
requirement of different technology, research, information, accounting and finance for the
process. Following are some of the stages of decision making process that is followed by Coca
Cola during business to business marketing- Identifying the need Developing product specification Search for information/ supplier Evaluation of alternatives Select product/ supplier Decision to buy/ determining terms of contract Fulfilling of the contract
 Evaluation
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