The study of consumer behavior is an engaging one as it analyzes the procedures about how the customers choose a product and thereafter secure, utilize and dispose that product. The study also involves the experiences of the customers about that product and that which ideas satisfy the needs and desires of consumers (Solomon 2014). Analyzing consumer behavior and receiving feedback from them in regular intervals are essential in product development and its marketing. Companies when launching a new product in the market lay immense emphasis on how consumers make their choice while buying a particular product; the study is also critical in the sense that how a new product will receive response from the potential customers helps the companies to identify the product’s opportunity in the present market (Kardes, Cronley and Cline 2014). Study reveals that consumer behavior principally depends on three factors, which demand crucial focus on the manufacturer’s part; the factors are personal, psychological and social. While psychological factors include the perception of the product as a brand in the market the leads the consumers to buy that product, personal factors or characteristics of the customers may vary from one to another. Social factors, on the other hand refer to influence of society or community that affects a customer’s choice.
Consumer behavior is further analyzed in the critical investigation of the interviews that were taken from two customers who have bought the mobile handset of Apple iPhone 7 some months back. Significantly, the customers were chosen from two different economic zones, one from a developed country like United Kingdom and the other from a developing country like Argentina (Weinstein and Cahill 2014). The critical analysis on the interviews attempt to probe into the fact how Apple has been successful to emerge as the customers’ premium choice irrespective of geographical or economical borders.
The core aim of marketing department is to gather information and analyze them in order to evaluate the product or service’s current market position and what features the product offers that have compelled them to buy the same (Solomon 2014). Now, if the case of Mark Douglas is critically analyzed adequate information can be found on the target market of the chosen product iPhone 7 and that how customer like Mark make their decisions to choose their product.
Firstly, analyzing the target market it is found that customers in the developed countries who are regular and consistent users of Apple’s products, not only iPhones but also other goods like iPad, iPod, MacBook are most likely to become frequent and definite buyers of iPhones. As mentioned by Mr. Mark Douglas, the premium reason for him to choose iPhone 7 is that he has been a dedicated user of the iPhone brand. In fact, much of iPhones’ sales depend on its superior brand value that has been attracting customers. Especially, in the developed countries this trend is noticeable where the price does not matter that much whereas brand value does (Brian 2015). This kind of customer behavior lacks rational action and thereby, creates immense opportunity for the company’s marketing personnel.
However, Mark also mentions about considering the iOS factor whenever he buys an iPhone and since he possesses other Apple goods the ecosystem facility also acquires a significant position in the process of Mark’s decision making. According to him, Apple has done great in synchronizing all its devices together and the feature is really facilitating for the customers who frequently buy Apple’s gadgets. It has been seen that this feature almost compels people to keep switching to more and more Apple’s products and it is a good way of marketing (Huang and Sarigöllü 2014). Mark’s consideration on the ecosystem feature or for that matter considering the new improved processing features of the phone are more of a rational behavior in line with the Theory of Reasoned Action. As the theory states, Mark’s intention was clear behind buying iPhone 7 and he is rational in the sense that he decides to buy it because he has a pre-existing idea of its outcome because of his previous experience. This intention-based behavior has had a significant impact behind Mark’s purchase of the iPhone 7 (Sata 2013).
iPhone 7 has been a much advertized good of an already popular brand. Besides, Mark had his previous experiences with the same brand of phones and hence, gathering information about his future purchase was not a very difficult job (Brodie et al. 2013).
As for Mark, when he switched to android he had poor experience with it and as a regular brand-inclined buyer he was less interested to find other alternatives. This brand loyalty serves as the greatest point in Mark’s decision-making.
This stage does not seem to be applicable for Mark, as he had made his mind beforehand.
When Mark was asked to share his experience with iPhone 7, it does not seem that everything has been good with it. He has faced a couple of operational problem, which he himself admits to be annoying. However, when he was asked to review his decision, the answer was positive, which implies that the product is able to meet his pre-purchasing expectations and requirements (Pescher, Reichhart and Spann 2014).
The consumer behavior in this case involves all the aspects of a systematic decision-making before purchase. The three factors of consumer behavior personal, psychological and social seem to have deep impact in the Context of Elena. Buying an iPhone 7 was Elena’s personal choice of shifting to iOS from Android regarding her complaints with the latter. However, it will be wrong to say that behind her decision-making only personal choice has had impact; iPhones have significant brand value in the global market and Elena herself admitted that her friends who were already having a happy experience with it influenced her decision. This is a potential sign that psychological factor has also played significant action behind Elena’s decision (Petty, Ostrom and Brock 2014).
Coming to Elena’s purchase of iPhone 7 as a customer from a developing country, this incident is of vital importance in re-identifying the target customers of the brand. Apple as a brand has prominent existence in the customer’s preference list of the developed countries; however, Elena’s purchase instance shows that people with moderate to high income in developing countries who are aiming to use a handset of premium brand with iOS opt for iPhones in the first place (Weinstein and Cahill 2014). In addition, the global rage of iPhone has generated considerable amount of curiosity and interest among the customers of developing countries. Hence, it is evident that the marketing department of iPhone and Apple must consider the emerging economies like Argentina and the like as potential target market.
To investigate Elena’s decision-making process, seven stages of standard decision-making procedure have to be analyzed in relevance with this case.
Elena’s identification of her decision was quite logical and organized (Pescher, Reichhart and Spann 2014). She was determined from the very first time that she would like to experience iOS, something different from android that she had been using until now.
Elena was well-informed about iPhone 7 as it was already much in news and discussion of its specifications were all over in the internet. Besides, Elena had the opportunity to obtain first-hand feedback about the brand from her friends which influenced her decision-making considerably (Brodie et al. 2013).
Elena identified the fact that android phones were cheaper and had experience with these alternatives, which were unsatisfactory. Thus, she had become determined to buy an iOS phone i.e. iPhone 7.
In this stage, Elena contemplated on her decision of purchasing as she herself admitted that she had to reconsider this due to the high price range of the handset. She had to consider whether the new phone will meet her needs and whether it is worth the price.
When Elena was asked to review her decision, she was quite confident about making a correct decision. Though she was having some minor trouble, she opined that the phone has met most of her requirements and expectations; hence, the decision is proved as an appropriate one (Oliver 2014).
Conclusion
Therefore, from the discussion above it can be understood, that consumer behavior can be of different types. In fact, behavior of one consumer may contrast with another and hence, it is very unpredictable. At present, two distinct emotions come to play a crucial role in the decision-making process of the consumers. The sense of brand consciousness and the degree to which it is advertised play a major role for the customers whereas some customers prefer to take their decisions logically, systematically going through all the decision-making stages. Besides, it can also be inferred from the discussion that consumer behavior varies according to different target markets. Due to this reason, studying consumer behavior has been an indispensible for marketing personnel from all over the world.
Reference
Brian, J., 2015. Segmentation Marketing: A Case Study on Performance Solutions Group, LLC.
Brodie, R.J., Ilic, A., Juric, B. and Hollebeek, L., 2013. Consumer engagement in a virtual brand community: An exploratory analysis. Journal of Business Research, 66(1), pp.105-114.
Huang, R. and Sarigöllü, E., 2014. How brand awareness relates to market outcome, brand equity, and the marketing mix. In Fashion Branding and Consumer Behaviors (pp. 113-132). Springer New York.
Kardes, F., Cronley, M. and Cline, T., 2014. Consumer behavior. Cengage Learning.
Oliver, R.L., 2014. Satisfaction: A behavioral perspective on the consumer. Routledge.
Pescher, C., Reichhart, P. and Spann, M., 2014. Consumer decision-making processes in mobile viral marketing campaigns. Journal of interactive marketing, 28(1), pp.43-54.
Petty, R., Ostrom, T.M. and Brock, T.C., 2014. Cognitive responses in persuasion. Psychology Press.
Sata, M., 2013. Factors affecting consumer buying behavior of mobile phone devices. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, 4(12), p.103.
Solomon, M.R., 2014. Consumer behavior: Buying, having, and being (Vol. 10). Engelwood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Weinstein, A. and Cahill, D.J., 2014. Lifestyle market segmentation. Routledge.
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