HNBS 337: B2C & B2B Consumer Decision-Making Process - ASOS Case

This case study analyzes the B2C and B2B consumer decision-making process, focusing on ASOS, a British fashion retailer. It examines the stages of the consumer journey, including problem recognition, information search, alternative evaluations, purchase decisions, and post-purchase evaluations, highlighting factors influencing each stage. The report compares B2C and B2B decision-making processes, evaluating different market research forms and the impact of the marketing mix on consumer decisions. It also explores how marketers can influence the decision-making process in both B2C and B2B contexts, using examples such as loyalty programs and mobile app upgrades to attract customers and build stronger relationships.

B2C & B2B Consumer
Decision-making
Process

TABLE OF CONTENT
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................4
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................4
Analysis of the stages of the consumer journey ..........................................................................4
Identification of the factors that influence the different stages....................................................5
Critically evaluating the different forms of market research by comparing and contrasting the
B2C and B2B products and services (decision-making process) ...............................................6
Evaluating the element of marketing mix which influences the decision-making process as
supporting with examples............................................................................................................7
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
Consumer decision-making Process is one that is adopted by the consumers' so that best
purchasing decision might be made in the future. Also, the present report is based on ASOS
which is very well-known British cosmetic and fashion retailer in UK. Furthermore, the study
will analyse the stages of consumer decision-making journey and will also identify why it is
important for marketers to understand the consumer decision-making. Also, the report will
compare the B2C and B2B decision-making through examples. Lastly, the different approaches
to market research along with ways through which marketers can influence the different stages of
decision-making journey will also be covered in this report in detail.
MAIN BODY
Analysis of the stages of the consumer journey
For company like ASOS that is well-known for its best quality products and services in
UK had been able to become successful over the years through analysing the below consumer
decision-making process followed within the workplace on timely manner.
Problem recognition: This is the first stage where the ASOS team members identifies
why the consumers would the purchase the company products and what are the current needs of t
that needs to be fulfilled in the market. Also, under this stage proper informations is gathered
through conducting the market research in the best manner and major importance is given on the
sales and marketing efforts for the same
Information search: this is where the consumers that wants certain goods of the
company search about the information related to the goods either offline through stores or
through online website of cited firm (Lynch and Barnes, 2020). Moreover, the most common
methods used by the firm is through the word of mouth for the store visitors. Furthermore,
company is also concern over the website SEO optimization so that company products results in
top searches
Alternative evaluations: Under this stage the consumers after collecting the data
compares the products with that of the competitors so that rational buying decision than might be
made. Also, ASOS with team members focuses on convincing the customers that their products.
Purchase decisions: This is the main stage in consumer decision-making process where
the consumers after collecting all the facts and conducting market research makes the purchase
decision through arriving at logical decisions. Also, in this stage consumers mind could not be

influenced or changed by the ASOS as the purchase decisions is made final and could be
changed only in exception cases.
Post purchase evaluations: This is the last stage where sellers identified whether the
consumers are happy with the purchase of the certain products or not. Also, it helps in
identification the areas of improvements so that better products might be offered to the customers
in future to increase the sales of the business.
Thus, each of these stages helps the firm to identify and provide goods that are high in
quality and specifications so that certain needs of customers could be met in timely manner.
Identification of the factors that influence the different stages
In the current era it is very important for the marketers to map the journey of the
customers as it helps in identification of each touchpoint of importance where the customer
experience might be maximized. Furthermore, mapping such kind of journey allows ASOS
leaders to gain the insights about how personalize customer experience might be provided
through its various products or services (Goldsmith, Griskevicius and Hamilton, 2020).
Moreover, in ASOS such type of mapping have helped in benchmarking various work so that
success of the firm could be easily measured. Furthermore, it helps the firm to understand the
differences in buyer personas as they move from the prospect to buying funnel. Thus, the
mapping of consumer journey allows the marketers to create the logical order of buyer journey
so that best methods and techniques in production than might be applied within the workplace to
ensure the maximum efficiency
Also, it can be said that in ASOS company that is working in highly competitive market
and is facing stiff competition from other marketers it is helpful that this decision-making
journey would allow in best marketing of the products in target market so that maximum sales
could be generated in the future. Moreover, retail market is highly competitive and hence better
understanding of decision-making process would help the marketers to compares the current
products with that of competitors so that certain modifications than might be made. Also,
marketers are able to research about various product options so that the same might be added
within the existing product line (Schamp, Heitmann and Katzenstein, 2019). Also, customer
journey map is able to influence the decision-making as marketers through this are able to build
empathy towards the customers' so that repeated purchases could be made in the future.
Furthermore, it helps ASOS to optimizing the customer journey through building more brand

awareness and highlighting the best things about the products' so that more potential customers
might be added towards the business. Thus, it can be said that marketers establishes those moves
that are different from others through analysing various factors that influences consumer decision
like social, technological, political etc. and also allows in remaining focused on developing
programs that would generate more profits in the future (Dellaert, 2019). Also, one of the best
example is development of various loyalty programs and up gradation in the mobile app so that
more offers and discounts would attract large number of people towards the company products
and services. Thus, in short it can be said that to build the stronger customer relationships and to
attract greater sales it is very important to analyse each customer touchpoint carefully so that
competitive advantage is maintained and also the firm is able to sustain in market for longer time
period.
Critically evaluating the different forms of market research by comparing and contrasting the
B2C and B2B products and services (decision making process)
The consumer decision-making process mainly help in understanding with gaining proper
alternatives as to evaluates the decisions taken by the consumers for purchasing the products of
the company (Mishra, Singh and Koles, 2021). The decision-making process in the B2B and
B2C, the consumer decision-making process mainly includes 5 stages which helps the company
in serving the products according to the consumer needs as for satisfying the wants with properly
evaluating.
B2C decision making process B2B decision making process
In the B2C decision making process mainly
includes in Selling the products directly to the
consumers. The ASOS established as the
online retailer for Selling wide range of
fashion products. With using this model the
company is taking feedback from the
consumer as to improve its services for
serving and catering their needs by addressing
all the latest trends and demands (Qin, Peak,
and Prybutok, 2021). The decision making
Business to business decision-making mainly
includes taking the decisions as for
purchasing the products and services from
the other business. With this business model
mainly helps in growing and improving the
business performance by Selling products
and services to gain the market growth
(Panwar and et.al., 2019). As the businesses
mainly takes the decisions based on
evaluating the needs and comprising the

process mainly includes by recognising the
needs.
Example: ASOS is mainly offering large
images and establishing good headlines as for
Selling the products direly to the consumers
with using online platform for Selling wide
range of product to target market and
retaining loyal consumers.
Thus. B2C model required high level of
competition , this impacts the company which
tends to shift the consumers to other
companies for fulfilling needs with switching
for obtaining products.
available sources wit selecting the best
supplier for obtaining low cost products and
services.
Example: If ASOS doing business with the
another company, the company must sell its
range of fashion products to another business
as to retain the market image.
Further more, ASOS for entering into the
new market as for serving its services by
establishing the online stores as by
collaborating with the other business for
reaching the new target market.
Thus, the decision making process while
doing B2B is more complex in nature than
the B2C, as negotiating and working with the
other business as for maintaining and
working for gaining equal benefit.
Thus, The different factors which mainly influencing the buying behaviour of the
consumers influencing the prices, culture, personal factors and perception. The company must
ascertain all the factors as for producing the product with increasing the sales of the products
sold by ASOS.
Evaluating the element of marketing mix which influences the decision making process as
supporting with examples
The decision making process of the consumers mainly aims in identifying the decision by
ingathering the information as for taking the best alternative solution for increasing the sales of
the products produced by the company. Different approaches used by the company as for
understanding the decisions making process of the consumers includes the quantitative,
qualitative and the mixed approaches (Achary and et.al., 2018). The qualitative method is mainly
used as for analysing the individuals beliefs, perceptions, expectations and the attitudes while
purchasing products from the business as to fulfil needs and wants with taking right decisions.

Whereas the quantitative method of researching mainly helps in analysing the consumer decision
making patters by using the statistical analysis as for defining the needs which helps in defining
the consumer behaviours for purchasing the products.
With operating as the B2C business mode, ASOS company must opt for using the
qualitative researching methods which helps in understanding the decision making of the
consumers. By using this, it helps in ascertaining for producing the quality of products and
services. This result in building relations with the consumers by establishing the consumer
relationship model with taking regular feedbacks of the products and taking surveys by asking a
reviewing the comments and taking opinions. This results in providing great opportunities to
ASOS for producing products for serving large consumers market by using online platform.
While operating the B2B business model, the company can use the quantitative methods
which helps in understanding the number of willing companies available in market as for
working and operating the business and entering by expanding the new opportunities. This
mainly helps in focusing on increasing sales for earning revenues by using the quantitative
method.
The marketers mainly influences the stages of the decision-making process in the B2B
and B2C business contexts. As in the B2C process the marketers of ASOS influences the
decisions of the consumers with researching the consumer which are purchasing the products
frequently (Martín-Consuegra and et.al., 2018). As for choosing various products from the wide
product ranges, the market of the company mainly influence the decision-making of the
consumers by effective displaying the products images and describing in detail abut the products
being displayed at the website. In ASOS the markets are mainly displaying range of products
with specifying the different brands as for targeting the consumer for producing the best fashion
products under one roof by Selling online.
Further more the marketers also influences the decision of the consumers regarding the
prices. The company in mainly producing the quality products at low prices as for retaining the
consumers by Selling the best quality products (How Marketing Influences Consumer Decisions,
2022). The marketers are mainly targetting as for Selling the products at affordable prices this
helps in Selling wide range of product at low prices. Thus, marketing with using various
campaigns and using different products and pricing strategies and using the effective tools helps
in marketing and promoting the products.

In B2B context it can be said that marketers could influence the decision-making through
analysing the following elements that are as follows:
Place: The company should be very much concern in analysing the factors like the place of
distribution and related time and cost involved in it so certain changes than might be made within
ASOS. For instance: The firm should analyse the total cost of transportation involved in
supplying goods to other business on particular place and should than compares with the
competitors' (so) than certain ways could be identified to reduce the overall cost to maximize the
profits and positively influence more businessman to buy company products.
Promotion: Under this element the marketers need to analyse that what are the best ways
through which goods of the company could be promoted within the market. Also, it helps in
analysing the methods that could be the best used to influence the decisions making process of
the markers (Humphreys, Isaac and Wang, 2021). For instance : Tesco developing the poster
that specified that on the bulk purchase there would be additional 30% discount on the purchase
of specific goods. Thus, such type of promotional techniques usually change the mind of buyers
thus enabling more sales of the business.
CONCLUSION
From the above report it can be concluded that, ASOS is mainly operating as an
multinational retailers for serving wide range of fashion apparels. Further more, The different
stages helps in taking the decision for purchasing the products sold by the companies. Further
more, with comparing and contrasting about the decision-making process mainly helps in
providing an insight of the decisions which is used for conducting business in B2B and B2C.
This report also provided details about the approaches and methods as of the qualitative,
quantitative and the mixed approaches used for identifying consumer decisions. Also the
marketers influences the decision-making stages of the consumers based on the product, price,
place and promotion strategies used by the businesses as for marketing and promoting the
company with increasing sales and earning more revenues for improving growth and market
performance.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Mishra, R., Singh, R. K. and Koles, B., 2021. Consumer decision‐making in Omnichannel
retailing: Literature review and future research agenda. International Journal of
Consumer Studies.45(2). pp.147-174.
Qin, H., Peak, D. A. and Prybutok, V., 2021. A virtual market in your pocket: How does mobile
augmented reality (MAR) influence consumer decision making?. Journal of Retailing
and Consumer Services. 58. p.102337.
Panwar, D., Anand, S., Ali, F. and Singal, K., 2019. Consumer decision making process models
and their applications to market strategy. International Management Review. 15(1).
pp.36-44.
Acharya, A and et.al., 2018. Big data, knowledge co-creation and decision making in fashion
industry. International Journal of Information Management. 42. pp.90-101.
Martín-Consuegra, D., and et.al., 2018. Exploring relationships among brand credibility,
purchase intention and social media for fashion brands: A conditional mediation
model. Journal of Global Fashion Marketing. 9(3). pp.237-251.
Dellaert, B. G., 2019. The consumer production journey: marketing to consumers as co-
producers in the sharing economy. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science. 47(2).
pp.238-254.
Goldsmith, K., Griskevicius, V. and Hamilton, R., 2020. Scarcity and consumer decision
making: Is scarcity a mindset, a threat, a reference point, or a journey?. Journal of the
Association for Consumer Research. 5(4). pp.358-364.
Humphreys, A., Isaac, M. S. and Wang, R. J. H., 2021. Construal matching in online search:
applying text analysis to illuminate the consumer decision journey. Journal of Marketing
Research. 58(6). pp.1101-1119.
Lynch, S. and Barnes, L., 2020. Omnichannel fashion retailing: examining the customer
decision-making journey. Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management: An International
Journal. 24(3). pp.471-493.
Schamp, C., Heitmann, M. and Katzenstein, R., 2019. Consideration of ethical attributes along
the consumer decision-making journey. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science.
47(2). pp.328-348.
Online
How Marketing Influences Consumer Decisions.2022.[Online]. Available
through:<https://cooltool.com/blog/how-marketing-influences-consumer-decisions>
Why You Need a Customer Journey Map . 2022. [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.salesforce.com/ap/blog/2021/04/customer-journey-mapping-explained.html>;