Literature Review: Customer Buying Behavior and Satisfaction Level

This literature review explores the buying behavior of customers and their satisfaction levels towards food products, focusing on the food industry, particularly the ice cream sector, with an analysis of Baskin Robbins. It addresses the objective of understanding consumer behavior, considering pre-purchase, purchase, and post-purchase stages. The review covers traditional and cognitive approaches to consumer behavior, examining factors influencing purchasing decisions, such as brand image, health challenges, suitability, environment, service, and price. It also discusses consumer buying patterns, perceived risks, and post-purchase experiences, emphasizing the importance of quality and satisfaction levels in ensuring customer loyalty. The literature review concludes by highlighting the evolving relationship between consumers and producers in the current economy and the significance of customer experience and knowledge.

RUNNING HEAD: LITERATURE REVIEW 1
LITERATURE REVIEW
(Buying behaviour of customers and their satisfaction level towards food products)
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Contents

LITERATURE REVIEW 2
Introduction...........................................................................................................................................2
Project objective....................................................................................................................................2
Project scope.........................................................................................................................................2
Literature review...................................................................................................................................2
Conclusion.............................................................................................................................................3
Reference..............................................................................................................................................4

LITERATURE REVIEW 3
Introduction
Everyone is facing the issue of consumption of goods as well as services on a routine basis.
An individual continuously communicates with services as well as products being provided
by the modern market. On consumption, an individual test the offered products and then form
an opinion for the same. The overall understanding of the buying attitude is of assistance
given by the managers since they support to clear doubt on consumer behaviour and also
helps to foresee the impact of environment and many other kinds of external characteristics
on customers (Bhattacharya et al., 2015). There are so many factors that impact the buying
behaviour that is not in control of marketer and advertisement, however, they still have to aim
at understanding the overall complexity of challenges.
The report will discuss in detail about food industry especially ice cream sector with the help
of analysing Baskin Robbins company. The margin of error in this industry is very low
because of the lifecycle features of the products. Other challenges are supply chain operations
and there are so many particular inventory control challenges like picking the stock as per the
expiry date or manufacturing date and many more (Biswari, 2016).
Project objective
The objective of the report is to understand the buying behaviour of the consumers and their
level of satisfaction in Baskin Robbins. While addressing consumer behaviour, it is important
to study many factors like an act of purchase and pre and post-purchase stages.
Project scope
At the time of addressing the factors associated with consumer behaviour, the studies show
not just the purchase function, but also the stage of pre-purchase experience and post-
purchase experience. The complete study of buying behaviour provides an option to decide
the association that exists between buying behaviour and customer satisfaction (Dutta, 2015).

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The report will focus on the buying behaviour which can be decided, well in advance, to
some extent, but it later becomes challenging to manipulate them in long run, to enhance the
customer satisfaction.
Literature review
There are so many principles and theories that define the reason behind the consumer
behaviour and at the same time, the research on the challenge was started by so many authors
and economists since these people study consumer behaviour and methods to decide them.
The traditional approach, on the other hand, is based on studies that focus on consumer
behaviour is based on the basic approach and also have the positive approach towards the
study of customers (Dutta, 2015). At the starting of the research, so many researchers were
evaluating the behaviour of the customer since the act of purchase is perceived as purchases
happen on the rational basis which further means that a buyer can select products that provide
the most amount of utility as per the taste and prices. The scientist associated with behaviour
focused on the role of environmental characteristics that mostly impact the consumer
behaviour. There are some other authors of a belief system that pattern of the customer is
developed as an outcome to environmental situations. From the cognitive angle, processing
data is an important factor in taking decisions of the consumers. The theory is also taken
consumers as issue solvers who utilise the information of the surrounding to grab from the
environment. Another principle of studying the consumer behaviour is a comprehensive
model for consumer's decision making (Ramesh & Divya, 2015). There are approx. three
models united by similar objectives and cover it to trace the psychological state of people
from one point at which there was awareness of so many options that satisfy a material
required through consumption of the product to the ultimate test of the consequences
(Ellahamy et al., 2015).

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On the other hand, the traditional approach on consumer behaviour featured consumers as a
matter of proactively assigning the right meaning to the products and impact the environment,
despite being just a passive individual. There was also a belief that the procedure of
purchasing is not considered very rational since the customer provide the personal touch,
therefore providing subjective answers to all kind of purchases (Pleshko, and Heiens, 2015).
Consumer buyer behaviour pattern
The different kinds of consumer behaviour decide purchasing decision of the customers.
There are large as well as an expensive purchase as well that will need the buyer to think
more and also need a huge number of decision making procedure students. As per some
researchers, there is four kinds of consumer buying pattern rely on the stage of their
involvement in the procedure of purchasing and overall awareness of the distinction between
different brands of goods (Noone and Maier, 2015).
The complicated buying pattern is shown in case of the immense degree of the involvement
of the customer in the buying procedure and knowledge of important differences in case of
brands. Generally, such behaviour pattern is duly noted in few purchases of many expensive
products (Ramanathan et al., 2017). There is time, the buyer does not have enough data about
the product section a, therefore, needs more data. It is important for the marketers to form
strategies to assist the customer and make them understand the relative significance of the
features of goods and inform the consumer about the methods associated with one brand
different from another (Qin and Surachaikulwattana, 2017).
Baskin Robbin is considered as a market leader in many countries and was perceived as the
premium brand in ice cream industry. There are so many niche players as well will the
parlour concept like Baskin Robbin and M&M, Move and Pick, Ben and Jerry and other are
established players in the market and there are so many local popular brands as well in the

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market who give tough competition to the company. The important thing for this market to
understand is location is very crucial because it makes sure that enough footfalls and the
existence of optimal rental profile for sustainable outlet level of profitability. Brands are part
of pro-biotic and low-fat ice creams which mainly focus on health enthusiast and there is the
new process of manufacturing which further decrease the air-based content in ice cream
providing high value for money to the customers, however, the overall acceptance of these
products is yet to put in right kind of evaluation in the market. The important thing to
understand here that the ice cream market is heading towards fierce competition (Organ et al,
2015). Another important thing to understand is that for whom this competition can enhance
the total revenue as well as the profitability of players or melt the overall aspiration in the
industry. Premium ice cream has the tendency to have low overrun along with high level of
fat content that any regular ice cream and the producer utilises high quality of elements (Qin
and Surachaikulwattana, 2017). More amount of overrun further results in a fluffy and light
ice cream with more air as well as less of anything else consisting fat. Less amount of
overrun results in a creamy and dense texture of the ice cream with the little amount of air
and high amount of fat. The lower is the overrun, the smoother and creamier will be the
texture of the ice cream. However, low overrun is not present in super-premium ice cream
however Baskin Robbins has a huge range of such ice creams (Dutta, 2015).
The important thing to understand here for Baskin Robbins is that the desire of the consumer
to transform and also postpone the buying pattern mainly depending on all the perceived risks
associated with it. The level of risk is impacted by the amount of money needed to buy along
with doubts of the consumers along with the degree of self-confidence of the buyers. So to
reduce the risks related to purchasing as well as consumers postpone decisions until good
times and at the same time collect added data aiming at the country of origin and giving due
guarantees for the same. It is important for the management of the Baskin Robbins to keep in

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mind the features that force the buyer to think about all the risks of buying and therefore must
also provide customers with data that decreases the perceived amount of risk of purchasing it
(Sari et al., 2017).
Right after the purchase, the overall customer experience either have a high satisfaction level
or high dissatisfaction. Right after the purchase has made the producer to yet continue the
work with the consumers especially during post-purchase time (Lee & Yun, 2015). The
marketer must also test the degree or level of customer satisfaction, the current reaction right
after acquiring the goods. Right after purchasing the product, the customer must stumble on
some last season unnoticed flaws. There are some who can refuse to keep all the defective
things and some will remain completely indifferent to its drawback, on the other hand, there
are many that may find that the current drawbacks are only rising the overall value of the
product (Srivastava and Bhide, 2017). However, the important thing to note here is that this
factor doesn’t hold true in case of food products and ice creams.
Pre-purchase: health challenges, brand image and suitability:
Brand image: the customers focus on the type of image the brand that exists as per the
depiction of the purchase. The important thing here to understand is that specific status
symbol, many other personal brand needs and quality that the customer may possess. It is
also crucial that the brand also maintain the high level of goodwill which is satisfying to the
customer (Srivastava and Bhide, 2017).
Health challenges related to ice cream: the customer in today's time is very health conscious
and is also becoming quite aware of rising in health challenges and its overall impacts. It is
crucial that the brand also meet the need of the customers and make sure health-based
advantages rather than disadvantages (Awan et al., 2015).

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Suitability: the product must meet the demand of the consumer and factors like flavour, taste
and elements must also be in line the needs of the customers and their wants.
Purchase: environment, service and price
Price: the important thing for Baskin Robbins to understand that although the brand is
premium ice cream maker consumers still highly price sensitive so the product provides
worth for the money spent on it in terms of quality, the satisfaction of consumer and quantity
and providing satisfaction to consumers. As consumers in the form of kids are also an
important segment to target (Srivastava and Bhide, 2017). This is why proper care should be
provided as far as pricing is related.
Environment: it is also important to take care of environment since it has become an integral
part of the strategy these days because of the consumer awareness.
Services: the services must be fast so that consumer wait time must be less and address the
satisfaction and the outcome in the formation of an ideal brand image.
Post-purchase: satisfaction, quality
Quality: it is obvious that quality holds a lot of importance and it plays an important role in
deciding whether the consumer will re-purchase the product or not. Here, taste and quality are
two important elements that decide the level of satisfaction of the consumer and thus play a
crucial role in deciding the approach in direction of product (Srivastava and Bhide, 2017).
Level of satisfaction: highly satisfied is a complete picture which is based on the experience
of consumer along with brand basing of different products.
Satisfaction level analysis
The present condition of economy mainly changes the association that exists between
consumer and producer. Such transformation can be very effective as well as fast when it

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related to experience as well as knowledge. It is important to understand some fundamental
of communication that exists between the producer and consumer while meeting the
requirement of the latter. The basic concept of customer satisfaction is a complicated process
of a large number of elements which changes for a different set of businesses and customers.
To manage the complications, it is important that one should first recognize the particular
elements and only then one must make some efforts to maintain them at the right level. The
element of satisfaction is related to the subjective kind of perception on how any suppliers
meet the requirement or the expectations of specific customers (Srivastava, 2018). The
overall reflection of the overall quality of the products in the mind of the customer can be
confirmed or not part of the real case. In the other case, consumers feel some level of
dissatisfaction and also the association between customer satisfaction and profit level of the
organization is easily identified. The important thing here is the satisfied consumers that are
dedicated to the organization. Without right calculation of consumer satisfaction, executive
cannot make an efficient decision about what is required to improve the product and services.
It can only be managed when measuring in right manner (Allah et al., 2015).
Conclusion
The report clearly shows that although it can definitely be possible to mention and discuss
consumer behaviour in a specific market like ice cream with a successful company like
Baskin Robbins, the case to adjust with the product is rare and challenging. On the other
hand, every product must suit to the needs and demand of the customer in the market since
Baskin Robbins is a global company, it becomes important for them to bear this in mind
(Srivastava, 2018). There are many elements that decide consumer behaviour are not
impacted, they yet have to be part of the study to clearly understand the profile of the
consumer and many specifications of buying behaviour in this market. As per the behaviour-

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based products can be very well adjusted to suit the important needs of consumers. As an
outcome, the report of buying behaviour will also increase the level of sales, however, raise
the level of satisfaction among the customers.

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Reference
Allah my, M.A., Morsy, M.A., Saad, H.E. and Qoura, O., 2015. Does Corporate Social
Responsibility Affect Attitudinal Loyalty? Evidence from Fast Food Chains in
Cairo. International Journal of Heritage, Tourism, and Hospitality, 9(2/2).
Awan, H.M., Siddiquei, A.N. and Haider, Z., 2015. Factors affecting Halal purchase
intention–evidence from Pakistan’s Halal food sector. Management Research Review, 38(6),
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Bhattacharya, S., Mishra, B.B. and Mishra, U.S., 2015. Impact of cyber atmospherics on
buyers of different e-retailing sites: Literature review and conceptual model
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Biswari, I., 2016. To increase the retail penetration of Amul Ice cream and to study the
consumers’ buying behaviour for Ice cream.
Dutta, S., 2015. Study on Product Awareness and Brand Image of Amul Ice-Creams in and
around Siliguri Subdivision of North Bengal. International Journal, 3(5).
Lee, H.J. and Yun, Z.S., 2015. Consumers’ perceptions of organic food attributes and
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food. Food quality and preference, 39, pp.259-267.
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management. Journal of Revenue and Pricing Management, 14(4), pp.231-244.
Organ, K., Koenig-Lewis, N., Palmer, A. and Probert, J., 2015. Festivals as agents for
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choices. Tourism Management, 48, pp.84-99.

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Pleshko, L.P. and Heiens, R.A., 2015. Customer satisfaction and loyalty in the Kuwaiti retail
services market: why are satisfied buyers not always loyal buyers?. The International Review
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