Introduction
Consumer behavior is influenced by a complex interplay of many factors. It is deep-rooted in psychology with dashes of sociology thrown in for the sake of determining whether the buyer will decide to purchase or not purchase a product or a brand. Consumer behavior is explained in terms of the actions of the buyers as well as the different approaches someone may take to decide what to purchase and the decision-making process, which can be affected by a variety of factors all relevant to the perspective of the consumer. Consumers generally exhibit different pre-purchase, purchase, and post-purchase behavioral patterns. This paper gives an illustration of consumer behavior based on my shopping diary.
Before going shopping-computer
The first product I intended to purchase was a personal computer. I wanted to buy it for several reasons. First, I wanted to upgrade it from an older version. This is because as technology advances, an older computer will make me be left behind since software will not be able to function properly and newer peripherals may become incompatible. Secondly, I wanted to increase my productivity by getting faster access to the information available online. Lastly, I wanted to purchase it out of necessity. This is because my current status as a student requires me to have a better computer to carry out my studies effectively.
Before buying the computer, I had some predispositions about computers due to the experiences I had with the older version I was having. I was aware of the significant differences that exist among the different brands. However, due to advances in technology, I did not know about the new category of products in the market hence I had much to learn. Therefore, there were some attributes I did not know how to look for. Most of the product attributes, for example, “BASIC language,” conveyed no meaning to me. Thus, to avoid the possibility of making a wrong purchase decision, I decided to go with a friend who had some knowledge of these attributes.
After shopping-computer
At the shopping store, my companion and I encountered a sales representative, who assisted us to know about the attributes of the product class, their relative importance, and the reasons why we were to choose the Hp brand. We noticed that the features of the Hp brand were properly differentiated to influence the buyers to purchase the brand. However, my final decision to purchase the brand was highly influenced by the experiences of my companion. He told me that besides its interesting features, the Hp brand had not given him any problems since he bought it some years ago.
Before going shopping –carpet
My second shopping trip involved the purchase of a carpet. It happened when I was just shopping around to learn what is available, but I engaged in the purchase activity because brand differences were not very much pronounced. I simply made a quick response to a fair price and I considered it more convenient to buy at that time and place. As much as it was a high involvement decision since carpets are costly and they are connected to self-identification, I thought that the majority of them in a given price range is similar.
After shopping-carpet
After buying the carpet, I started to experience post-purchase dissonance. This is because I started to notice some disquieting attributes of the brand I purchased as well as hearing about some favorable attributes about other carpets from my friends. I began to learn more things and I tried to justify the decision I had made to reduce the experience of post-purchase dissonance. Therefore, I first passed through a state of behavior and afterward developed some set of new beliefs towards carpets. I finally evaluated my choice of brand favorably. I think that I experienced the emotions because of the complexity of choosing between a set of available alternatives, my high tendency to experience doubt and anxiety, and the significance of the decision I had made. This experience of worry and doubt made me uncomfortable. Therefore, I intend to reduce such feelings in the future by improving the desirability of the brand purchased, reducing the desirability of the rejected alternatives, reducing the significance of the purchase decision, and rejecting any negative data about the brand bought.
Before going shopping-salt
In purchasing salt, I engaged in habitual buying behavior since there was a lack of significant brand differences. Whenever I go to a shop, I reach out for my preferred brand, Tata salt. I noticed that this usually comes out of force of habit and not because of strong brand loyalty. This is because salt is a low cost and a frequently purchased category of products.
After shopping-salt
During the actual shopping, I noticed that I did not have to go through the usual belief or attitude-behavior sequence. This is because I did not search extensively for beneficial information about the other brands, assess their unique attributes, and make the final choice on the one to purchase. Instead, I discovered that I am a passive recipient of information during the times that I watch an advertisement for Tata salt. The repetition of advertisement messages about the brand formed brand familiarity rather than brand conviction in me. I therefore did not have an attitude towards the brand, but I simply chose it because of its familiarity. After shopping, I did not assess it for the reason that I was not involved with the product. Therefore, in purchasing the product, I developed brand beliefs created through passive learning, and I exhibited post-purchase behavior that was not accompanied by an evaluation of the purchased brand.
Before going shopping- biscuits
During my shopping trip, I exhibited variety-seeking behavior in buying biscuits. I switched brands because the utility that I derived from changing brands was more than the utility of consuming the same brand again. Therefore, I purchased a different brand simply due to the desire for change and not due to dissatisfaction. The atmospherics in the shopping store was the major reason for switching the brands. I was persuaded by the attractive display of the other brand of biscuits. The urge to switch the brand was stimulated by an external stimulus, which was beyond my control, to a level that it became a drive.
After shopping-biscuits
During the shopping, I noticed that I was in positive emotion. This is because since I was in positive emotion, I strived to maintain or keep that state by avoiding purchases that might have changed my emotion. I, therefore, employed a variety-seeking behavior as a main motivational technique. Purchasing the same brand many times leads to a lowered stimulation level to a consumer because the behavior ceases to be new or complicated. This repeated purchasing makes one experience boredom. The consumer may consequently strive to increase his or her motivation by trying some other brands.
Other shoppers affected my purchasing of biscuits. I overheard one shopper saying that the brand I was to switch to was crunchier with better taste. As they bought the product, they created a bandwagon effect, which made the other shoppers, who were not yet decided, to buy the product. Therefore, I felt obliged to take the risk and try the other brand. After shopping for the biscuits, I felt that I was satisfied since the product I purchased met my expectations. The manufactures of the product faithfully stated the performance of the product. I, therefore, have a favorable memory of the product that can make me purchase the brand once more.
Before going shopping-camera
Using action and learning, individuals get different beliefs and attitudes, which consequently affect their consumption behavior. On my shopping trip, I bought the Nikon brand of the camera because I had the belief that it is the best in the market and that no other brand can compete with it in taking quality pictures. I possibly got this belief from previously acquired knowledge, attitude, or conviction, and it had an emotional charge associated with it. The beliefs I had about the product were very significant because they yielded to the formation of particular product and brand images that influenced my decision to purchase the Nikon brand. Although I had a specific product in mind to purchase, I engaged in an information search to learn more about the different brands that exist in the market. I inquired from friends about their possible experiences with the product and they gave me credible positive information about the brand. I sought more information from commercial sources such as advertising campaigns, promotional media materials, and consumer reports.
After shopping-camera
During the shopping spree, I felt that I had a good shopping ability when shopping for this type of product. This is because I had done adequate research on the product and I was able to make the best choice among the different brands that were present. I was therefore successful in fulfilling the product acquisition motives since I was satisfied with the brand I purchased.
Before going shopping -e-book
Finally, before I purchased the e-book over the internet, I had the feeling that engaging in online shopping is insecure and I feared losing any payments. I also thought that I was likely to lose the privacy of my personal information. Nevertheless, I decided to purchase the product because of the convenience. I wanted to buy the e-book during non-business hours and I got the convenience I needed by purchasing it online. Besides, I belong to a virtual group that usually sends me information about the best online stores to purchase from.
After shopping-e-book
As I visited the website of the online book store, I ended up buying other products other than the product I initially wanted to purchase. These products included a copy of one of my favorite magazines and a couple of other interesting novels. I bought these other products because they were offered at discounted prices and free shipping costs were provided for first-time shoppers. After the shopping, I did not see any considerable difference between the online store and the common high street retailers since the products I purchased adequately met my needs. This is because I enjoyed an equally rewarding internet shopping experience that provided me with quality products.
Conclusion
According to this shopping diary, it is evident that buyers exhibit different purchasing behaviors for different products. Before a consumer purchase a product, he or she must go through the stages of predispositions, the perceived need for a product, information search, evaluation of alternatives, purchase behavior, and post-purchase behavior and the consumer behavior is affected largely by the complex interplay of cultural, social, personal, and psychological factors, and among these factors, cultural factors are the most influential. The evaluation criterion in the consumer purchase decision is usually seen as cognitively driven and rational and it is either objective or subjective. The objective evaluation looks at the particular physical characteristics, for example, shape, form, color, prize, and durability of the product or the brand. Subjective evaluation refers to the symbolic value of the product’s benefit.
The thoughts and feelings of a shopper before and after carrying out the shopping activity are very much different depending on the variety of the product to be purchased and the level that he or she is involved in the buying. The prospective consumer has a reservoir of information concerning general or specific products. These play a huge role in the final decision made by the buyer to purchase or not to purchase a product or a brand.