Contemporary Issues in Consumer Research: Customer Behavior Analysis

This essay delves into the critical importance of understanding customer behavior for effective marketing strategies. It explores various theories, including Hawkins Stern impulse buying, the theory of reasoned action, equity theory, the EKB model, and motivation need theory, to analyze how external factors influence consumer decisions. The essay examines how these theories can be applied to develop strategic marketing policies and adapt to changing customer demands. It highlights the roles of both creative expression and scientific insight in marketing, emphasizing the significance of understanding consumer behavior to design impactful campaigns. The analysis covers concepts such as the role of emotions in purchasing, the influence of pre-existing attitudes, and the impact of impulse buying on consumer behavior. The essay also discusses the practical application of these theories, such as the theory of reasoned action, the EKB model, and Maslow's motivation need theory, in developing marketing campaigns. Furthermore, it explores the role of impulse buying behavior and transaction utility theory in shaping customer purchasing decisions, emphasizing the significance of product display, quality assurance, and the consumer's perception of value and utility.

Running head: ISSUES IN CUSTOMER RESEARCH
ISSUES IN CUSTOMER RESEARCH
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The aim of this paper is to discuss the importance of proper understanding of the
customer behavior in the strategic development of marketing of any company in the
world. Customers are the most important stakeholders for whom the companies develop
products and services. They are the most essential factor to make the companies
sustain and gain competitive advantage in any type of situation. For identifying how the
customer behavior can influence the strategic marketing of the companies, it is essential
to discuss the related theories depending upon the various external factors influencing
their behavior. Perfect knowledge of customer behaviour depending upon these
theories allow the companies to develop effective strategies to cope up with the
changing demands of the customers every time. This particular essay will be analyzing
the theories and concepts of customer behavior and how these are connected to the
marketing process of a company.
For understanding the customer behaviour in terms of purchasing decisions there
are four most important concepts of theories present. These can be applied in
developing strategic marketing policies of a company. These theories include Hawkins
Stern impulse buying, theory of reasoned action, equity theory, EKB model and
motivation need theory.
Marketing in this modern century is a part of Art and a part of science but both
the side needs to be placed in a balanced role so that the company can it in successful
marketing (De Mooijs 2019). The creative expression can develop marketing campaigns
which attract the customer and arrest the imagination. However after every successful
marketing strategy there are theories which are grounded solidly in the economic,
psychology as well as studies of the human behaviour of the scientific Insight can help
the marketers to resign campaigns about their products and services which speak to the
fundamental designers and concerns of the consumers depending upon the impacts of
the marketing material. In the case of scientific theory of marketing the main focus
remains about understanding of the consumer behaviour (Zeithammer et al. 2019).
These details why the consumers buy a product and act the way to do the theory of
consumer behaviour can speak important issues like how the consumer can purchase
as the individual or in group. The role of emotions in the purchasing decision, role of

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objective reality and post purchase attitudes are also included in this theories.
Understanding of these issues can enhance marketing campaign impact and
effectiveness on the consumers (De Mooij 2019). For determining the consumer
behaviour the marketers of every company must use numerous consumer behaviour
theories.
The theory of reasoned action is generated by Icek Absen and martin Fishbein in
the late 1960s. It focuses on the analysis of the significance of Pre-existing attitude in
the judgement process. The main aim of this theory suggests that the consumer rights
act on the behaviour founded on the perfect intention for creating or receiving a specific
outcome. In this particular analysis the customers are the national actors who
particularly select to deed in the best interests. According to this theory specification has
been the critical point in the decision making procedure. Customer only takes one exact
action before buying when there are equal specific results expected. From this time the
customer decides to take actions till the time of action is accomplished. Purchasing with
a positive result can develop customer satisfaction and word of mouth increases. When
a company develops a product for marketing a positive Association then increase their
customer base and it is the first impression which attract use number of customers in
the market (Mandel e al. 2017). For example many of the Perfume companies associate
their products with the desirability of women which attract the customers of any gender
to buy the product. Secondly the theory of reasoned action can help to highlight the
importance of the affecting consumers through a sales pipeline. The marketers of the
company need to comprehend that an extended gap between the initial intention as well
as the conclusion of the actions can allow consumers to take a long time. They form
question and analyse the result of their purchase. This increases the spread of
popularity of the products through word of mouth and reference.
Engel, Kollet, Blackwell (EKB) model expense the theory of reasoned action. This is out
a five step process which the customers use when they make a buying. The first step of
this model is input where the consumer absorbs the most of the marketing material
which depends on the newspapers, televisions and online (Zhang and Benyoucef
2016). This is the process of Collection of data about the product or services through

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various mediums and in this step the consumers analyse the utility and impact of the
product and services in their own lines. Once the customer collects all the information
then he or she goes into the process of these information. Here are the compare the
input with the past experiences as well as expectations increase the product or service
fails in this first step to meet the expectation or involved in the understanding that the
new updated version is not up to the mark with their past experience then the product
and service fails on the competition. The customers then can move to decision making
step after a long dated of thinking and choose to buy based on their rational inside. The
customers are pretentious with the decision making phases through process variable as
well as external influence (Murphy and Dweck 2016). this includes how the customer
envision herself or himself with the product and service after making buying under that
particular model the marketers get two periods where there input about the strategy of
marketing becomes most appreciated. During this original information stage, the
marketers need to provide the customers with adequate data about products and drive
them to keep the product or service under the consideration to purchase. Marketing
thus become factor in this stage of external influence (Bradford et al. 2017). For
example the lifestyle brands try to instil a demand in the mind of the customer to stare
and feel in a confident technique with their product. In this process the brand product
may not be basically different from their competitors.
The motivation theory is originated from Maslow’s need theory that sends a ripple effect
through an entire psychological communities. Under the theory every people in this
world act to attend their need based on their priority systems. According to motivation
need theory there are five path priority systems in the minds of the consumers which
include psychological, safety, esteem, love and self-actualization. In some of the cases
the product and services are essential to survive. For example the grocery products,
houses, clothes and electricity are essential to be purchased to survive for humanity
(Alvino, Constantinides and Franco 2018). In this regard, identity of the customers play
an important role. Here the concept of dynamic identity and fixed identity can be
referred. In the fixed identity, the demands of the customers do not change very
frequently but in the dynamic identity, the identity changes take place very frequently
which manipulate the purchase decisions. For this reason, a guarantee for the sales of

4ISSUES IN CUSTOMER RESEARCH
these items is present. Now there are various companies which operate in the market
with similar types of products and services and customers show their behaviour to
choose one of these products and services from these competitors. The safety needs,
Esteem and love are also important factors which determine the customer behaviour
and the companies which market on this basis can reach the customers more effectively
to motivate for purchasing their products and services. The production services are
marketed on the basis of self-actualization which creates a feeling of empowerment in
the minds the customers.
All the business goals has adapted mass loss motivation needs theory to explain the
needs of the customers to design their marketing messages in specific way ( Samiee et
al. 2016). Every successful advertising campaign may not carry awareness about the
product but found a place anywhere in the hierarchy of needs. For this reason the
marketers do not need to bring their customers but they themselves feel to meet the
needs and getting attracted to the products and services of the company. This is how
the consumers are inspired to prioritise purchase towards the base of Hierarchy (Ranas
and Paul 2017). This is why it is vital that the marketers dropped particular message to
instil a sense of demand and urgency in the minds of the consumers. The marketers are
able to utilise the motivation needs theory by Maslow. This is due to the fact that this
particular theory enable them to create an artificial nail for the customers the luxury car
makers in this modern world are focusing in this pattern where they bring about the
need for safety and security feature in the vehicles over there is thick therefore the
customers think that they must spend more money on the expensive luxury cars
because this is the one way to provide security for their own and safety.
Hawkins Stern Impulse theory is mainly focused upon the rational action in the
customer behaviour. This theory believes heavily on the idea of the impulse behaviour.
This theory argues that a unexpected buying impulse fits together with the rational
purchasing decision. This paints a complete picture of the average customers (Naidus
2018). According to the theorists, impulse purchases can be driven by the exterior
stimuli. These have no connection to the old-fashioned decision making. Stern has
established four groupings of the impulse buying. These include pure impulse

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purchases, reminded impulses, recommended impulse purchases as well as planned
impulse decisions.
Firstly, the pure impulse purchase can be exemplified in the grocery stores where
the display of candy bar can attract the customers more. Secondly, the reminded
impulse can increase products associated with one another. For example keeping a
display of buns beside a meat cooler can remind the customers to make purchase of
the buns (Jain, Khan and Mishra 2017). In the suggested impulse purchase, mentioned
can be made about warranty process of any products where the customers get attached
with one brand for their warranty with the products. The companies through this process
suggest that the quality of profit is guaranteed and the customers will get servicing more
competitively. In the case of planned impulse purchase decisions, the customers know
why they are going to buy the product (Taufique and Vaithianathan 2018). Despite the
fact that in this type of purchase, the customers not sure about the specifics of the
products but they plan to purchase it. In case of the purchasing of refrigerator, the
needs or demands of purchase is so implicit that nothing can. The customers to
purchase it though they do not now the specifications.
Impulse buying behaviour provides an oven of opportunities to the marketers as this is
the place to show their capability of attaching the customers. Each of the factors that
specified the product can attract the customers. Starting from the quality assurance to
the display of the products in the showrooms, product utility to packaging, and all the
factors can effectively create impact on the impulse control of the customers (Han and
Stoel 2017). Now the marketers who can capture these impulsive thoughts of the
customers can develop strategies for attractive marketing and reach the customers
more effectively.
Transaction utility theory refers to the factors like design, dimensions, colour and other
features of the product and their availability. The utility theory benefits the purchase of
the consumers depending upon forms, place, time and possession (Calder, Isaac and
Malthouse 2016). The product availability in the desert place and desired time also
manipulate the behaviour of the consumers in making Purchase Decision. In addition to
this the position of ownership and Service Guarantee can also inspire the consumers to

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make a decision in support of purchasing. This is the reason why the marketers in this
particular scenario are needed to you understand the need and focus more on the
utilisation of the products manufactured. According to the acquisition transaction utility
theory there are two kinds of utility related with the consumer Purchase Decision (( Shin
et al., 2018). One is acquisition utility and another is transaction utility. The acquisition
utilities can represent the perceived financial gain or loss connected with the Purchase
as well as function of the product usefulness along with purchase price stock on the
other hand the transaction utility is concerned with the apparent pleasures and
displeasures connected with the economic aspects of buying is resolute by the
differences between the Internal locus price and purchase price (Kooti et al. 2016).
These are the reasons why proper understanding of customer behaviour
therefore goes far beyond to figure out why people buy the box of rice in the local
grocery store rather than going for malls and buy expensive packaged rice. The
importance of knowing as well as understanding consumer behaviour in the modern
marketing has become vital. This is the reason why customer behaviour decision
processes as well as the consumer behaviour analysis have become the keys to know
how to market the products in the way which is sure to draw perfect sale ( Shin et al.,
2018). This is the reason why strategies of marketing include perfect sitting of the
product next to the dozens of the others and ensure right packaging. Perfect knowledge
of the advertising to showcase the products and services. This can develop the
placement of the products in a niche and target customers accordingly. It is the process
that ensure that a customer will choose that particular product every time.
Every model has different aspects of capturing consumer behaviour for the
durable products. These consumer behaviour models are basically connected with the
psychology of the customers relating to the Purchase Decision making. When a
customer is deciding to understand their demand they start to get information from
various channels (Han and Stoel 2017). this is the reason why the marketers also need
to have proper understanding of utilising channels so that their product can we getting
exposure in the market and more customers get information about their own products
and services. The more the products or services get the chance of exposure in a market

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the more it gets popularity as word of mouth is one of the most important factors for a
successful marketing. These models represent a purchasing pattern of the consumer for
the durable products and services relating to their high quality depending upon the
needs in the market.
Therefore it can be concluded that the theories and debates surrounding consumer
behaviour and their practical relevance to the development of marketing strategy re
essential for the sustenance of the companies and gaining a competitive advantage.
Perfect knowledge of customer behaviour depending upon these theories allow the
companies to develop effective strategies to cope up with the changing demands of the
customers every time. There are various factors both internal as well as external that
manipulate the customer behaviour and they decide their needs and then plan to make
a purchase. This is the reason why the marketers keep on getting information of the
market demands and then strategize their policies.

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