4 Factors Influencing Consumer Buying Behaviour

It is always an important task for a business for profit-oriented organizations to study the needs, wants, and demands of the consumers. Consumers always look as per their personal choices. But marketers must know that there are several factors, other than personal choice, which can also affect consumer buying behaviour. They have been studied by enormous researchers and marketers as well. Philp Kotler and his co-writer Armstrong also wrote in their book “Principles of marketing” that there are actually 4 factors that can affect the decision of the consumers in their buying behaviour. They are as follow:

Have a look at the model above, I will relate my purchase with this model, And I will show which factors really affected my buying decision:

My recent purchases

Recently, I wanted to buy a smartphone for myself. I am changing a smartphone after 2 years, So here I will be discussing my purchase of a smartphone.

Factors that affected my purchase decision:

Personal factor

1. being a good student, I need a good smartphone from which I can stay up to date with my workings, stay in contact with my friends and family.

2. I have a middling budget, so it is obvious I will buy the best quality smartphone within that budget which should also provide me with the best and wanted features.

3. From the start, whether it’s a smartphone or clothes or anything, I buy things from a well-known brand, and after such a long time I am changing a smartphone and switching the brand, so I want the smartphone of a well-known brand.

4. I always tend to buy the best quality rather than focusing on how good features it has, Buying a smartphone from a good brand like Samsung, Apple, Nokia will provide me with good quality plus good features too.

Social factor

1. My family suggested buying a smartphone of a well-known brand which gives the best features.

2. My friends suggested buying a smartphone of Samsung because is relatively less costly. Whereas, many advertisements on social media related to this brand smartphones are revolving. Its reviews are amazing too.

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Here, In this case of my purchase decision I think I followed my personal factors in my decision making, However somehow social factors supported my decision (Family members), Looking at the model below defines my purchase decision clearer:

I intend to focus on my Personal factors rather than worrying about cultural factors or any other. However, I intend to listen to suggestions which in this case are supported by my family.

Finally, I bought a smartphone (Decision supported by my personal and social factors), I bought an Apple Smartphone within the budget which provided me with the best features.

This was a High-Involvement decision. Because in this decision I was buying a smartphone which I tend to use for Longer-term, So I visited the market and matched my budget and features according to the needs and when both factors (Personal factors matched my needs), and social factors (Family group suggestions which supported my decisions), At the end I bought Apple (Well-known brand) iPhone 6S, Which had all the features I wanted and within budget.
Moreover, I focused on the 4 P’s too, The product, price, promotion, place considering my personal factors matching with 4 Ps. This is how my purchase decision was really affected.