Understanding Consumer Buying

Behaviour through Observation

Consumer
Buying
Behaviour

Psychologi
cal factors

Personal Cultural
factors factors

Social
Factors
Consumer Buying Behaviour is mainly determined by :

:

Frequency Involvement Cost

●
One Time ●
High ●
High
●
Continuous ●
Low ●
Low
Types of Consumer Buying Behaviour
The types are:-
1. Routine Response/ Programmed Behaviour : (usually
for routine, low involvement, low cost items; like
food items)
2. Limited Decision Making : ( buying product
occasionally; like clothes)
3. Extensive Decision Making : (High involvement,
high cost, unfamiliar items, Infrequently bought
products; like cars)
4. Impulse Buying : (without any conscious decision
making)
Assignment: PART 1
TOPIC :
Purchase of Vegetables from Organized retail stores
like Big Bazaar
VENUE:
Food Bazaar
Number of Consumers Observed: 4
- Housewife from Upper Middle Income Class
- Housewife from Lower Middle Income Class
- Husband from Lower Middle Income Class
- Young Self-employed Female/ Immigrant
Observation 1: Housewife from Upper
Middle Income Class
Housewife shopping with her maid
It is inferred that she was shopping for a large period.ie.
Monthly / Half monthly
Was dressed casually(kurti)
Arrived at the store by Car ( since driver was picking up
the items)
Shopping was mainly planned; but a few POP purchases
were made
Expected to have less information/ knowledge of products
and quality(hardly any inspection)
She was mainly picking up packed and refridgerated
items; and instructed her maid to take the other
vegetables of the required quantity
She was mainly taking properly packed items (shows
quality conscious)
Most of the times, she arrived at her purchase decision
with the assistance of the sales person
Sales person provided a lot of assistance in respect of
information about a few products and choosing good
quality
Mode of payment = Credit Card
Observation 2: Housewife from Lower
Middle Income Class
Housewife was shopping alone
Dressed formally(simple salwaar kameez)
 Inferred that she was shopping for routine purchases
Most of the purchases were impulse; few planned
Expected to have come by local public transport/
walking
She was more dependent on her inspection of the
product; more price sensitive
Limited her purchases to only what is sufficient
Asked the sales person only for the price of the
products and a little information about some products
that were unknown to her
Preferred to take products that were open, with her
inspection rather than products from the refridgerated
section
She took an approximate time of about 20 minutes to
complete her overall purchase decision
Mode of payment was by cash
Observation 3: Husband from Lower Middle
Income Class
Husband mainly did the shopping, though wife was
around too
Was dressed formally (shirt and trousers)
Shopping was planned (even the quantity)
Was looking across many products, asked questions
about the same, but purchased only what was planned
Rarely inspected the products; just took vegetables as
per the quantity required
Paid by cash
Observation 4: Young Self-Employed
Female/ Immigrant
Was shopping alone
Dressed very casually
Purchases were very limited; no impulse purchases
Preferred to purchase branded products/categories
and a few refridgerated items
Not price sensitive
Asked sales person very few questions; about the
freshness of the product
Mode of payment was cash
PART 2: Music Systems
TOPIC:
Observations in respect of purchase of music systems
VENUE:
Electronic stores namely: Croma and I-Store
NUMBER OF CONSUMERS OBSERVED : 4
 Family of 4
 Mother and son
 Group of friends in twenties
 Father and son
Observation 1: Family of 4
 Though whole family was involved, father was in complete
control of the process
 Looked at all available brand with options open for all
brands
 Emphasis on features and price compatibility
 Purchase decision involved views of sales person regarding
features etc. It followed logical sequence of browse,
compare and buy.
 Father received all possible information from the sales
person and made the decision in consultation with his wife.
Children had limited say in the matter
 As product involved is high involvement, consumer
took his time. It took almost 30-45 minutes to
complete the whole purchase
 Sales person played an important role. He was the
information provider but had limited role when it
came to actual buying.
 Appearance was formal
 Must have come by car ( judging by appearance)
 Mode of payment = Credit Card
Observation 2: Mother and son
 Shopping done by son( aged 13-17) and mother.
Mother was not aware any thing but son is
 Looked at various brands, more so brands of son’s
liking. But mother was also looking at other brands
( less brand conscious, more price conscious)
 Purchase was planned
 Son looked for  brand name, features
Mother  Offers/discounts, price, warranty, service
Purchase process:
Son skims through models  sales guy concentrates
on him giving relevant information without even
being asked  son chooses a model  mom enquires
about price, warranty etc  if doesn’t fit, sales guy
shows next model again trying to convince son
Average time taken was 45 min
Sales person is a powerful influencer
Mode of payment = Credit card
Observation 3: Group of friends
 A guy in his twenties is doing shopping. He is
accompanied by his friends and not family
 Shopping better planned than others. Aware of what
they want, aware of different brands, models
 Do tend to stick to a select few brands even though
may browse through all. This normally depends upon
brand image/ name
 Browse to look for latest features, compatibility with
what he wants. Here price tend to take a back seat.
 Process:
Browse  Go directly to concerned brand  Ask sales
person for warranty, service more than features 
consult friends make a decision
 Friends are prime influencers rather than sales
persons
 Average time taken is 30 minutes. But it can be a two
staged process
 Casual to very casual dressing
 Mode of payment = Credit card
Observation 4: Father & son
 Father and son are doing shopping. Both unaware and
undecided about the product
 Purchase planned but poorly
 Go through all available brands, models. Have
extensive interaction with sales person
 Not particularly sure what they are looking for
Purchase process completely directed by sales person
Average time taken approx 45-60 minutes (also
involves going to different stores)
 Sales person has complete influence
 Dressing is very formal
 Mode of payment = Credit card
 Quite gullible
Comparative Conclusion
Vegetables Music System
 Routine/Programmed  Extensive Decision
Behaviour making
 Role of sales person is  Role of sales person
negligible varies from information
 Shopping is planned provider to heavy
but actual product influencer
purchase may be
impulse buying