The study of how the consumers or clients use various strategies to select, use, and evaluate goods and services, such as the clients' emotions, thoughts, and bodily actions is called consumer behavior. These activities may include consulting search engines, reading blogs about the chosen products or services, engaging in conversations online, and many other things. Consumer buying behavior includes the analysis of customer preferences, expectations, and buying behaviors. There is a need for an understanding of how the client uses several channels to select, buy, and evaluate services and products. This involves an analysis of channels, their utility, cost-effectiveness, quality, availability, service timeliness, reliability, features, pricing, brand name, and more. Understanding this process will help the advertising agencies to deliver quality solutions and represent the brands or companies to the right target audience.
Advertising agencies are constantly engaged in research to understand the buying behaviour of both clients and the market. There is a constant growth in the size of companies and individuals who own businesses. The Internet has made it very convenient for them to reach out to a large audience and create brand awareness. One of the factors affecting consumer behaviour is the convenience factor.
The Internet provides a platform that allows clients to interact with each other, providing a better platform to explore the market and to share their ideas. This interactive communication also provides a good venue for customer buying behaviour analysis. It helps the agencies to understand the changing moods and trends among the customers and identify the potential issues. For instance, if there is some problem in the payment system or the product delivery time, it will be identified and steps will be taken to solve the problem. Similarly, when customers express their preference for one particular brand over another, it becomes crucial for the organization to know their preferences in order to address the same effectively.
Factors like the timings of purchases, the frequency of purchases and the spending patterns of customers are quite significant in measuring customer buying behaviour. An important question here is whether the purchase of the same item at different times of day or season affects the purchase decision of customers. Studies have shown that when employees of a retail store are asked about the timings of purchases and the frequency of their purchases, it is found that they are more satisfied with the earlier purchase. The studies have further indicated that purchasing decisions are influenced by a number of factors such as the ambience of the retail store, the services offered by the retail store etc. Hence, factors such as the timings of purchases, the frequency of purchases and the level of service provided by the retail store can affect customers' buying decisions.
Another important factor that has an effect on the level of consumer satisfaction is the ease at which items can be obtained by the customer. Some people prefer to shop in a single store where all the required items are available whereas others prefer to shop around to find the best bargain. It is generally observed that people are willing to pay more when the purchasing is easy. Hence, to increase consumer satisfaction and profit levels, it makes sense to increase the ease at which items can be purchased.
Another factor that has a direct bearing on customer buying behaviour is the level of service provided by the retailer. Studies indicate that a retailer's service can have a direct bearing on the level of satisfaction of customers. If the staff of a retail store are friendly and helpful, customers will tend to stay for a longer period of time in the store. Similarly, if a customer is not given proper advice or guidance, he/she will discontinue making purchases. This leads to an increase in customer dissatisfaction.
There are many factors that can have an impact on customer buying behaviour. In fact, each individual can be said to be motivated in a unique way to buy products. Therefore, it becomes imperative to understand the factors that make customers feel good while purchasing a product. Understanding these factors can help retailers design a retail operation that makes customers feel good while making more profit. However, it is also important to understand that customers do not always buy a particular item because they feel good about it; rather, they may buy it out of habit or because they need it.
In order to influence customer buying behaviour, it is necessary to create an environment that encourages healthy buying behaviour. For instance, a well-lit and spacious showroom where products are displayed is an ideal place to display goods that are difficult to place in a limited space. Such an environment encourages the feeling of freedom and flexibility as customers can experiment with various items without feeling pressured. Retailers can also use promotional tools such as colour-coding to enhance the feeling of freedom and flexibility and thereby encourage customers to buy more.
