Introduction
Our group was composed of three members. We decided to buy different varieties of smartphones that have been recently introduced in the market. Although each member had a different reason for making their purchase we all followed the consumer problem-solving model which involves several steps of purchasing that made the whole process to be different (Peter et al, 1999). The problem-solving model involves the following steps:
- Problem recognition
- Information search
- Evaluation of alternatives
- Purchases
- Post-purchase
Group Member 1
Problem recognition
I had the desire to buy the new blackberry touch 9800 mobile phones as soon as I saw it being advertised on the television a couple of weeks ago. Later on, a friend of mine bought the phone which allowed me to have a closer look at the features and specifications of the phone. At that point, my ideal state was that I needed to buy the phone while my actual state was that I could not afford a new phone at that moment. I, therefore, had to look for a second-hand phone online.
Information search
I was aware of the risk involved in buying a product online but I had to take my chances anyway (Haubul 2000, p. 7). Due to my consumer loyalty, I decided that I will buy the product from E-bay as a result of the success of the transactions that I had conducted with them previously (Fedorikhin & Cole 2004, p. 8). This formed the basis of my internal source of information about the product and where to purchase it from. To supplement my information, I looked upon the internet the current selling price of the phone on various stores around the city and compared it with the price I wanted to purchase it for and I realized that I will get it at a relatively cheaper price. I also asked for advice from my friends and family about my purchase and they all supported me.
Evaluation of alternatives
In the course of my purchase, I had alternatives to where to buy the phone from. I could buy it directly from the stores downtown or I could buy the phone online. I decided to buy the phone online due to my limited budget. It was also easier to get a good second-hand phone online. Online shopping is also faster, does not have long queues and I could purchase the product from anywhere I was as long as I had an internet connection and the product will be delivered to my home address (Haubul 2000, p. 9).
Purchase
I purchased the phone online from E-bay and it took one week to arrive. On arrival, the phone was in the exact condition as stated on the website and had all the features I wanted. I was happy since I had just purchased a product I wanted at my price range
Post Purchase
After purchasing my new blackberry touch 9800, I was satisfied with the features. I could take clear pictures, upload them instantly on the internet, play online games, have internet access, multi-task, and so on. The phone was what I was hoping for giving me satisfaction (Solomon et al 2006, p.41).
If this phone was a car, I would compare it to the range rover because of the class and luxury it reflects. If this product was an animal I will compare it to the elephant because of its might and power. If this phone was a person I will compare it with Barrack Osama because of its intellectuality.
Group Member 2
Problem Recognition
To satisfy my love for listening to music and the need for communication I decided that I will purchase the Apple iPhone. This is because I spend a lot of time traveling and making important calls all quite often. This phone will satisfy my needs because it has got a large internal memory, support different forms of both audio and visual data, has got a long battery life, and has got a simple but sophisticated look. Once my friend told me about the phone my ideal status rose. My real status however went down because it was on a Sunday and most stores for selling phones are closed so I had to wait until the next day to make the purchase leading to problem recognition (Bruner and Pomazal 1988, p.55).
Information Search
I had little internal information about the product I was about to purchase. I, therefore, decided to lookup more information about the product from the internet to supplement my knowledge about the phone (Haubul 2000, p. 7). I was able to identify the various models of iPhones and the different price ranges and the shops which had the best offers.
I had a fixed budget for the phone. I also felt that it was necessary to buy a rubber casing to prevent the phone from physical tear and wear which would cost extra money. I finally decided that I will buy the phone from the Apple shop which was the official supplier of the iPhone in the region. This assured me that I will purchase a legitimate product of high quality at the best price (Alber and Wesley 2000, p. 123).
Evaluation of Alternatives
I had to decide before my purchase which iPhone I was going to buy. The main difference between these phones was their internal memory capacity and the color of the phone. Since I did not mind what color the phone would be, my main trouble was to select the phone which had the internal memory size within my price range. I decided to buy the iPhone with a 16GB internal memory after narrowing down my options (Alber and Wesley 2000, p. 123)…
Purchase
I purchased the phone from apple shops the next day in the afternoon. My iPhone was exactly as I thought it would be and they gave me a 10% discount for being the first customer to buy the phone that week. As a result of their generosity, I will return to purchase from them the next time I need a phone or any related item or better yet I will refer consumers to them (Solomon et al 2006, p.40).
Post Purchase
It was difficult to operate this phone and make a phone call using it due to its complexity. The phone also had short battery life. This made my expectations about the phone to go down since the phone did not satisfy my needs (Solomon et al 2006, p.42). I am now thinking of selling the phone to a friend.
If the iPhone was a car I would have compared it to the Ferrari because of its sophisticated nature to operate it. If it were an animal I would compare it to with the hare because of its cunningness. If it were a person I will compare it with the kind of people who are difficult to get along with.
Group Member 3
Problem Recognition
I wanted to get by my uncle and aunt a good present for their fourth wedding anniversary. Both of them worked as stockbrokers and needed a good phone which had features that could enable them to work even when they were not at the office. I, therefore, decided that I will buy them the blackberry touch 9800 and the Apple iPhone as presents.
Information search
I own the Apple iPhone and my friend owns the blackberry touch 9800 therefore I am aware of the features these phones have. Being loyal to these brands I will purchase these phones from the same shops which we originally bought our phones from so that my uncle and aunt get products of the same quality as us (Solomon et al 2006, p.42) However I had to go through other shops to check for the current prices of these phones and also to see whether there are new versions of the phones in the market. This is because I wanted to get the current information regarding these phones before I make any final decisions on what and where to buy ((Bruner and Pomazal 1988, p.56).
Evaluation of Alternatives
I had the alternative of buying both of the phones from a new shop which sold them slightly cheaper or to buy them from the shop which we originally bought our phones from for the same price. I did not trust the quality of the products which the new shop had so I decided to buy them from the original shop which we bought our phones from as a result of consumer loyalty (Solomon et al 2006, p.40).
Purchase
I purchased the phones a day before the anniversary, wrapped them well, and waited for the next day to give them their presents.
Post-purchase
When my uncle and aunt received the phone they were pleased with me. This is because the phones helped them to accomplish a lot of tasks in and out of the office. They could check the status of the market online, communicate with their clients via text and email, and the phones also entertained acted as a form of entertainment during the leisure time thanks to the games, radio, and music features that these phones had. They were really satisfied with the phones (Solomon et al 2006, p.41).
If these phones were a car, they will be the Mercerize Benz since they can be used both for work and leisure. If the phones were a person they will be like a soul mate that you would like to live with forever. If these phones were an animal they will be like a dog which is a man’s best friend.
Conclusion
From the discussions in the above cases, we have seen that consumer behavior varies from one individual to another even though they are consuming a product of the same class. This is because we all have got different tastes, preferences, and levels of satisfaction. From the above cases, however, we have noticed that every individual followed the basic steps of the problem-solving model that assists in decision making while a consumer is purchasing a product.
References
Alber, J, and Wesley, H. (2000) Knowledge Calibration: What Consumer Know and What They Think They Know. Journal of Consumer Research, 27, 123
Bruner, C., and Pomazal, R.J. (1988) Problem Recognition. The crucial first stage of the consumer decision process. Journal of Consumer Marketing, 5(1), 53-63.
Fedorikhin, A., and Cole, C.A. (2004) Mood effects on attitudes, perceived risk on choice: Moderators and mediators. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 14 (1), 2-12.
Haubul, G. (2000) Consumer Decision Making in Online Shopping Environments: The Effects of Interactive Decision Aids. Journal of Marketing Science, 19 (1), 4-21.
Peter. J.P., Olsen. J.C. and Grunet. K.G. (1999) Consumer Behaviour and Marketing Strategy. European Edition, Mcgraw-Hill international.
Solomon, P., Bamossy, S. and Askegarrd, H. (2006) Consumer Behaviour: A European Perspective. 3rd Edition, Prentice Hall.