98 CHAPTER 4 UNDERSTANDINGBUYERBEHAVIOR
Summary
Inthischapter,therudimentsofbuyerbehaviorwerepresented.Thechapteris dividedintotwoparts:
consumerbehaviorandorganizationalbehavior.Inthecaseofconsumerbehavior,thediscussionbegan
withsixstagesintheconsumerdecision-makingprocess.Thesestagesincludeneedidentification,
informationsearchandprocessing,evaluationofalternatives,product/service/outletselection, pur-
chase.andpostpurchasebehavior.
Followingthematerialwasa discussionofthefactorsthatinfluencethisdecision-makingprocess.
Thesituationalinfluencesconsistofthecomplexity,marketofferings,anddemographics.External
influencesincludetheculture,socialclass,referencegroups,andthefamily.Finally, theinternalinflu-
encesidentifiedwerelearning/soci:tlization,motivation,pcrsonality,lifestyles, andattitudes.
Thefinalsectionofthechapterdealtwithissuesgermanetohoworganizationsmakebuying
decisionscomparedtohowconsumersmake buyingdecisions.;)iscussionbeganwitha description
ofthecharacteristicsoforganizationalbuying.Thesectionconcludedwitha descriptionorthestages
followedinorganizationalbuying.Thesestageswereproblemrecognition,generalneeddescription,
productspecification,supplier'ssearch,proposalsolicitation,supplierselection,order-routinespec-
ification,andperformancereview.Marketer'sVocabulary
Market A groupofpotentialbuyerswithneedsandwantsandthepurchasingpowertosatisfythem.
Need Abasicdeficiencygivena particularsituation.
Want Placingcertainpersonalcriteriaastohowa needshouldbefulfilled.
Informationsearch Involves thementalaswellasphysicalactivitiesthatconsumers must per-
forminordertomakedecisionsandaccomplishdesiredgoalsinthemarketplace.
Attitude Anopinionweholdtowarda person,idea,place,orthing.
Cognitivedissonance Negativefeelings theconsumerhasafterpurchase.
High-involvementdecisions Decisions thatareimportanttothebuyerbecausetheyareclosely
tiedtoself-imageandhaveaninherentrisk.
Low-involvementdecisions Decisionsthatarenotveryimportanttothebuyerbecauseegois
notinvolvedandriskislow.
Culture Alargegroupofpeoplewitha similarheritage.
Socialclass Peoplegroupedtogetherbecauseofsimilaroccupation,wealth, income,education,
power, andprestige.
Referencegroups Individuals whosharecommonattitudesandbehavior.
FamilyIifecycle Predictablestagesexperiencedbyfamilies.
Learning Changesinbehaviorresultingfrompreviousexperiences.
Socialization Theprocessbywhichpersonsacquiretheknowledge,skills,anddispositionsthat
makethemmoreorlessablemembersoftheirsociety.
Motivation Aninnerdriveorpressuretotakeactiontosatisfya need.
Personality Atermusedtosummarizeallthetraitsofa personthatmakeshimlherunique.
Lifestyle Aprofileofanindividualasreflectedintheirattitudes,interests. andopinions.