Nowadays, as technology rises to make things easier for everyone, consumers have become accustomed to simplicity. This customary also affects the buying decisions of consumers. That’s why thriving businesses today always find a way to simplify the buying process of their customers, by learning to avoid complicated buying process
Understanding The Buying Process
The buying process is the path or sequence that a consumer takes to make a purchasing decision. These steps in sequential include:
- Recognition of needs and wants.
- Information searching and processing.
- Identification and evaluation of alternatives.
- Purchase decision.
- Post-purchase evaluation.
However, those steps are now considered as complicated buying process, and businesses avoid that. As a business, you want consumers to take three steps to ensure their patronage, and it includes:
- Recognition of needs and wants.
- Purchase decision.
- Post-purchase evaluation.
Recognition of Needs and Wants
This is the first step. Consumers recognize that they have a problem that needs solving or unmet needs that warrant actions.
Information Searching and Processing
Once consumers recognize their needs, they may look for information to help identify and evaluate alternative products, services, experiences, and outlets that fulfill that need.
Identification and Evaluation of Alternatives
After finding and processing gathered information and alternatives, consumers evaluate the products that can potentially be the solution and make a choice that varies on their financial resources and psychological requirements.
Purchase Decision
From the words itself, this step marks the decision of consumers to buy the product base on the journey they took.
Post-purchase Evaluation
After consumers purchase a product this step marks the decision if they will be a repeat buyer or not. This will also influence what they will say to others about the product.
Now that we know more about these steps, simplifying the buying process to the consumers may be difficult. Especially if they are those who are meticulous. However, going back to the three steps of a simplified buying process, to do it means we have to drive them not to do the other steps after the recognition of needs and wants and go straight to purchase decisions. Why? It’s simple. If they take the 2nd and 3rd steps, most likely, you will lose them.
You have to get them on the first step. Once you recognize consumers’ needs for your products, formulate a marketing strategy that will give them what they need and may actually want. You have to attract them to purchase right away. But you have to be honest and transparent with information about your product as it will affect the post-purchase evaluation.
And once they decided to buy your product, you have to ensure that the process of purchasing from you is simple and easy. If it’s difficult to buy from you, customers will tend to take the 2nd and 3rd steps and your product will be out from the options. The last step, which is the post-purchase evaluation, will be the effect of how you get them on the first step, and how easy it was to make a purchase decision and the purchase process.
Truly, avoiding complicated buying process would take a lot of formulation of marketing strategies. But doing so would ensure profit and business growth.
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