CONSUMER BUYING BEHAVIOR

CASE STUDY ON
FAMILY INFLUENCES
GROUP MEMBERS :
SHAHNOOR KHAN (20)
TABASSUM NAGOTHANEKAR (34)
TALHAH PATEL (40)
ABDUL K.SHAIKH(46)
PRASHANT SHEJWAL (53)

PROF. R. B. TANDON
 FACTS

The store is a multi brand outlet, stocking washing machines of IFB,

Videocon, BPL, National, Godrej and local brands.
The washing machines are available in automatic, semi-automatic and
manual modes.
The store caters to all segments of society, be it high income,
middle class or low income groups.
Sale is observed to be highest during marriage season and at
festival times.
The housewives have a great influence in purchase decision
as they are the ultimate users.
With media exposure, the children have good knowledge
of the product and their opinion also was given weight age
by the parents.
 ISSUES
When customers come to buy an automatic machine they usually come
with their spouses, who mainly looked at the aesthetics, functioning, ease of
operation and handling and price factors.
Many customers do not make a purchase on the first visit , and
would also lower their choice on coming back after careful
considerations.

APPARENT PROBLEMS
The entire family is involved in making a purchase decision,
so different members would have different criteria’s.

Thus the entire sales process gets delayed.

Actual sales take place after several visits.

 REAL PROBLEM
As the entire family is actively involved in the decision making process, the
entire sales process gets delayed, hence it is not beneficial for the store.

SOLUTIONS
The sales person should be able to convince the entire family in
the first visit itself. He/she should be able to provide the customer
with their exact requirement.
The salesperson should be able to clear all objections of the
customers mind on the spot itself.
The advertising and promotions of the products should
be able to make the purchase decision easier.
 QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Q1. Do you feel that group interaction helps the buyer too, in his decision
making process? Elaborate.
Ans. Yes group interactions at times do help the buyer in his decision
making process. This is especially true when the buyer may not
exactly be aware of the product needs, functions that is he may not be
the end user.
For e.g. when a husband buys a washing machine for his wife, he
will not be the end user ,so it is important for him to include her
opinion because she will be more aware of what she requires.
Moreover it may also be possible that the children at home
are more aware to the technical aspects and thus it is
imperative to include them in the decision making
process.
But at times it is also possible that the customer is well
aware about the product and is the end user .thus in such
situation the collective decision making process would
be of no use ,and would be a reason to delay the
entire buying process would be delayed and might
also cause the customer to lose an opportunity .
Q2. What should be the role of the marketer in the above case regarding
advertisement, promotion, persuasion and closing the sales?
Ans. The role of marketer in the above case is simply to make the
purchase decision easier for the customer, so that they do not have any
Post Purchase Cognitive Dissonance (PPCD) as well as spread word
of mouth for others to ease their decision making.
For the marketer its very important to understand and cater to the
needs of not just the person who takes the decision for purchase
but also the people who are involved in the decision making
process as in the above case we have seen the decision
maker may or may not be the end user.
 ROLE OF THE MARKETER

Advertisements
T.V. ads in between daily women soaps.
Point of Purchase materials & Ads near detergent soap markets.

Weekly special price offers in leading newspapers.

Advertisement in women's magazines.

Pamphlet distribution in malls and other shopping areas.

Insertions in newspapers.

Promotions
The store can offer some trials at their premises.

They can also arrange a day wherein the husbands

will be thought how to wash clothes and there will
be other activities as well.
 Persuasion

Providing discounts, freebies and a bumper draw contest options.

Easy payment options with EMI’s with 0% interest rates.

Delivering a product on the door step of the customer.

Persuading them on brand name and services offered.

Extended warranty schemes.

 Closing the Sale
Being friendly with customers, but at the same time able to clear all their
technical objections.
Salesman should help buy and not force a product, he must see that
the customer gets his requirement and walks away delighted.
Ensuring the customer is not forgotten after sale, provide after sales
support.

Delivery of product on time as per the customer’s

requirement.

Giving a proper/practical demonstration about the use of

the product.
THANK
YOU