Consumer Behavior and Marketing Strategy Essay

Why study consumer doings? By studying consumer doings we try to understand & gain brain wave into Consumer decision making processes What we buy, how we buy, and why we buy Enables us to become relegate consumers and marketersDefinitions of Consumer Behaviour The study of individuals, groups, or organizations and the processes they give to select, secure, use and dispose of outputs, services, experiences or ideas to requite needs and the impacts that these processes have on the consumer and society. The dynamic interaction of cognition, behaviour and environmental events by which human beings conduct the exchange aspects of their lives (American selling Association) Those behaviours performed by decision-making units in the purchase, usage and disposal of straightforwards and services (Kotler & Levy) The decision process and physical activity individuals engage in when evaluating, acquiring, using or disposing of goods and services (London & Della Bitta) finishing of Con sumer BehaviorMarketing Strategy/ regulatory Policy/Social Marketing/Informed Individual Consumer Behaviour and Marketing StrategyCross heathen Variations in Consumer BehaviorCulture is the most pervasive external campaign on an individuals consumption behavior. It would be difficult to sink the importance of refining as a motivator of consumer behavior. The attitude hatful possess, the determine they hold dear, the lifestyles they enjoy and the inter personalised behavior patterns they adopt be the outcomes of the heathenish settings. Failure to c arfully consider cultural differences is often creditworthy for monumental marketing failure.The concept of CultureCulture is the complex all that includes knowledge, belief, art, law, morals, customs and any other capabilities and habits acquired by humans as members of society. First, subtlety is a comprehensive concept. It includes almost everything that influences an individuals thought processes and behaviors. Second, s ocialisation is acquired. It does non include inherited responses and predispositions. Much of human behavior is intentional rather than innate, culture does not affect a wide stray of behaviors. Third, the complexity of modern societies is such that culture r atomic number 18ly provides detailed prescriptions for distract behavior.Culture provides boundaries within which most individual think and act. Finally, the nature of cultural influences is such that we be seldom aware of them. One think behave, feels in a manner consistent with other members of the same culture because it seems vivid or right to do. The boundaries that culture sets on behavior are called Norms which are simple rules that specify or prohibit certain behaviors in special situations Norms are derived from Cultural Value, widely held beliefs that shared standards of what is acceptable or unacceptable, good or bad, desirable or undesirable. Violation of cultural norms results in sanctions, or penalties ranging from mild social disapproval to banishment from the group. Variations in cultural determine Cultural values are widely held beliefs that affirm what is desirable. A useable approach to understanding cultural variations in behavior is to understand the values embraced by different cultures. The classifications of cultural values1. Other orientedIndividual/Collective, Youth/Age, elongate/Limited Family, Masculine/feminine, Competitive/Cooperative, Diversity/Uniformity 2. Environmental oriented Cleanliness, instruction execution/Status, Tradition/Change, Risk Taking/Security, Problem solving/Fatalistic, Nature 3. Self-oriented Active/Passive, bestial gratification/Abstinence, Material/Nonmaterial, Hard work/Leisure, Postponed gratification/immediate gratification, spiritual/SecularThe use people make of space and the meaning they as sucker to their use of space constitute a second form of nonverbal communication. In America, the office space in corporations generally is allocated according to rank and prestigiousness rather than need. A second major use of space is personal space. It is the nearest that others can come to anyone in various situations without feeling uncomfortableSymbolsA symbol may be defined as the sign or representation of something moral or intellectual by the images or properties of natural things as the Lion the symbol of courage. Different studies on cultures identified two types of symbols used by people in communication among them, they are1. Referential symbol2. Expressive symbolRelationshipThe rights and obligations compel by friendship are another nonverbal communication variable. Americans, more so than most other cultures, make friends quickly and easily and wander them easily also. To most Asian and Latin Americans, good personal transaction and feeling are all that really matter in a long term agreement. Americans negotiate a contract, the Japanese negotiate a relationship. In many countries, the written word is used simple to satisfy legalities. In their eyes, emotion and personal relations are more pregnant than cold facts.AgreementAmericans depose on an extensive and generally, highly effectual legal system for ensuring that business obligations are honored and for resolving disagreements. many an(prenominal) other cultures have not developed such system and rely instead on friendship and local moral, principles, or informal customs to guide business conduct. In many developed counties, prices are render for all buyers, but in some Asian and Middle east countries, the procedure is differentThingsThe cultural meaning of things leadfs to purchase patterns that one would not otherwise predicts. The different meaning that cultures attached to things, including products, make gift bad a particular difficult task.EtiquetteEtiquette represents generally accepted ways of behaving in social situations. Behaviors considered rude or obnoxious in one culture may be quite acceptable in anothe r. Normal voice tone, pitch and speed of speech differ between culture and languages as do the use of gestures. For example, a Japanese executive will seldom say No directly during negotiations, as this would be considered impolite. Considerations in sexual climax a foreign market Is the geographic area Homogeneous or heterogeneous with respect to culture? What needs can this product or a version of it fill in this culture? Can large of the people needing the product afford it? What values or patterns of values are relevant to the purchase and use of this product? What are the distribution, political, and legal structures for the product? In what way can we communicate about the product? What are the Ethical implications of marketing this product in this country? http//www.somewherein web log.net/blog/alihusainkaisar/29525858http//www.somewhereinblog.net/blog/abdullah_muslim2010/29411963OUTCOMES Individual/ Firm/ SocietyCONSUMER DECISION PROCESS Problem actualisation/Inform ation search/Alternative evaluation/Purchase/ Use/ evaluationMARKETING STRATEGY Product/Price/Distribution/Promotion/ utilityMARKET SEGMENTATION Identify product related need sets/ sort out customer with similar need sets/ Describe each group/ aim attractive segment(s) to targetMARKET ANALYSIS Company/Competitors/ Conditions/Consumers