motivation

 

The personal aspect is a quite important influences customer decision making. The most important aspect of personal aspect is motivation. I always think about why I buy this products and why I want to have it? Then, I think the motivation can drive me to choose the different type of products. I read the Maslow’s hierarchy of needs before. This author makes the human needs into five levels: physical needs, safety needs, belongingness, love and esteem and self-actualization. Author also argues that when people finish their lower-needs, they may want to get the higher-needs.

Taking me as an example, if I only have the physical needs, I may just behavior loyal customer. I buy something just for satisfied my physical needs. For example, I feel hungry, then I go to the nearly shop to buy a sandwiches. But if I satisfy this level, I may want to go to the clean environment. Then I may want to ask my friends to joining the dinner. This is really different. In the top of needs, if I also repeat my purchase, I may have the strong positive attitude with that. For example, I buy a course for satisfy my self-actualization need, which means I need to work hard and spend money and time for finish course. If I also buy it, I may have more loyalty for this brand.

 

With the increase the motivation, the involvement will from low to high. For example, I only have the physical need of motivation. I feel cold, I may just to buy a warm clothes. But if I satisfy the lower-needs. I want to get belongingness or esteem, I need buy clothes to make others impressive, and therefore, I may pay more money and time on clothes, which means I increase my involvement on clothes.

 

Therefore, understand customer’ motivation is really important aspects for understand their customer. For me, I may have different motivation to buy a product. For example, I may buy a product from Zara, result in I want to get the belongingness form my group. But when I become a loyal customer in Zara, I need to get the esteem from this brand. This esteem can be divided into two parts, one is get esteem from the shop staff, other one is when I wear this clothes, I want to get other people esteem. Therefore, when I increase my motivation, I also increase my involvement. I spend more money on clothes. This is important to keep your customer loyalty.

How to keep my loyalty?

 

 

When I review these blog, I am trying to find out why I keep my loyalty? Firstly, I think is nature choose, which means I am a person who don’t like to change. Therefore, I may buy same thing in same brand. For example, I always buy the daily food in Tesco. Secondly, I think the companies need to keep my satisfaction to keep my loyalty. For example, I am a loyal customer for Argos before, but their staff very impolite with me, then, I feel dissatisfaction with Argos to change my loyalty. Thirdly, I think the brand need to improve their brand image to keep my loyalty. I am loyal customer for Tesco, when I want to buy a juice, then I choose the apple juice of innocent. I think the juice of innocent is a good product, because price is reasonable and taste is good. The most important thing is innocent give their 10% profit to charity. I feel this brand has the strong brand image, and then I become a loyal customer for this brand.

As these three points, in my mind, if the marketer can satisfied my required, I may increase my psychologies commitment to become a true loyal customer. Therefore, I think keep the customer satisfaction is really important. For example, I really like Tesco this brand, because their location, price and service quality. Therefore, I am a true loyal brand customer for Tesco. Tesco has some useful strategies for keep their customer loyalty. For example, I can have the Tesco membership card if I apply it. If you have the membership card, you can collect the point from you purchase, then you can use these point for next purchase. Moreover, you also can receive the vouches for promotion. These strategies can make you feel the service quality and you know you are special customer for them. If you have any questions, you can ask them online, and then they will help you solve it. Tesco also use different type shop for their customer. For example, you can book the goods online. It will help me to save time. I think this is why I am loyal this bran. They also give some promotion for their products. For example, some fruits and vegetables which are only have 3 or 4days can be tasted, Tesco will make the promotion for these products. You can save money and you also think they will not sell you the expired food. Besides, Tesco make the packaging products. For example, the deal meal, which is about one bottle water, one sandwiches, and one snacks. In this packaging, you can save more than 30p. I like this packaging, because if you buy the sandwiches and water, you can get the price decrease and also get the free snack, which makes you not only feel the products have quality, but also you get the preferential price. I think this is good for customer. I feel really good when I shopping in Tesco.

 

Therefore, if the companies want to make their behavior loyal customer becomes an attitudinal loyal customer. I think the companies need to think three main strategies for keep their customer loyalty. Firstly, how to keep their customer satisfaction? For example, marketers need to train the staff. Secondly, marketer need to think which kind of promotion is more useful. For example, if a retail brand has the promotion every day, but one day they stop their promotion, they may lose many customers. On the contrast, if the brand really cheap than others, how can make your customer to believe your products have the same quality. Finally, companies may need to improve their brand image to give their customer strong psychologies commitment.

Relationship with brand loyal customer and product involvement

Relationship with brand loyal customer and product involvement

According to Traylor (1981), when the customers make more high involvement in the same brand, which can also lead these customers improve their loyalty of brand. Besides, LeClerc and Little (1997) also illustrated that if the customers have the attitude of commitment to lead them repeat purchase in high-involvement purchase, which is means this customer have high loyalty of this brand. On the contrast, if these customers just have a behavior of repeat purchase in low-involvement purchase, which is means these customers may just have the behavior of loyalty without the psychological awareness (Quester and Lim, 2003).

For example, I always repeat buy the high-involvement product of retail brand with Zara. Even I need to think more about the price and style, I still keep my loyalty with this brand, which means I have a strong positive attitudinal with this brand lead me to repeat the purchase. I really like and trust this brand, I have an awareness to purchase this brand, because this brand can satisfy my needs about the high fashion style and use different material. While means, I am a behavior loyal customer with a low - involvement product of retail brand, like Argos. I go to Argos shopping just for their lower price, nearest my house and guarantee the quality. I like to go to Argos, because this shop is near my flat and have the reasonable price. If I purchase in Argos, I can save time on walking and buy the lower priced products, therefore, I go to Argos frequency for low-involvement daily product.

This main different between the behavioral loyal customer and the attitudinal loyal customer in product involvement, which means when the customer has a stronger attitude of this brand, they may also increase their involvement. Therefore, when customer increases their positive attitude, they may also increase their involvement. For example, I have not purchase holiday before, because Chinese have not realize the holiday is a good way for relax. But when I come to UK, I found a number of British have a habit of holiday. I saw a lot of pictures and recommendations on the social networking. Then, I want to book a holiday too. Therefore, I asked my friends and search for information online, then, I get the travel agency with Thomas Cook. But, when I purchase the holiday at first time, I just bought a cheap and short-term holiday, because I didn’t trust this brand. When I finished that one, I feel Thomas Cook is a responsibly company, if you get the problems, you can call them any time. Moreover, Thomas Cook also give you the after sale service to solve your dissatisfaction. If you have any problem, you can call after sale service and put your recommendations. Then, they will connect with you and help you to solve it. Therefore, I get the positive brand image on Thomas Cook, then, I purchase a quite expensive quality with my friends, because I trust this brand. Therefore, if customer increases their positive attitude, they may also increase their involvement.

 

Two dimensions of loyal customer

 two dimensions of loyal customer

 

 

According to Engel et al (1995), the more and more companies began to segment their customers, which can help them more understand their customer’s need. I am a loyal customer for two brands: Zara and Tesco. But I have two different positions for these two brands. I am an attitudinal loyal customer for Zara, which means I have the positive attitudinal with Zara, while I am a behavioral loyal customer, that means I have the repeat behavior with Tesco.

For example, I may go to Zara for at least one time per month, because I want to look fashion, which can make me feel confident. Their products have the high fashion element and not expensive price, which makes me like Zara. I trust this brand and believe this product is in-fashion. If they have some mistakes, I may not change my loyalty for repeat purchase. If the products have a little problem, I may trust them it will not happen again, because I have the strong brand image for them. I like this brand, even I am not purchasing frequency, I also have the plan to repeat purchase.

I am Tesco loyal customer too, but I am an only behavioral loyal customer for them. I keep my behavior to repeat purchase in Tesco have two reasons: they sell the daily products with the suitable price; they also are the nearest market near my flat, which can save time for me. This is the biggest reason for chooses the Tesco. I want to get convenience for my shopping. But if Tesco moves their place, I may change my mind.

 

This is main different between with behavior loyal customer and attitudinal loyal customer. In the relative with attitudinal-behavioral relationship framework, the real loyal customer is who have the high attitudinal and high attitudinal customer. Therefore, the marketer needs to plan how to transfer their behavior loyal customer to attitudinal loyal customer.

I will discuss the relationship with customer loyalty and involvement.

 

 

The analysis of what kind of customer I am and lecture review

The analysis of what kind of customer I am and lecture review.

 

As a company, they may have different kind of customer. But the loyal customer gives 50 percent of value for one company. Therefore, a lot of companies pay more attention to loyal customer. I am a loyal customer, which means that I always buy the same brand if I trust them.

In this blog, I want to describe why I want to be a loyal customer. Firstly, I want to explain what factors influence my decision. The cultural factor, social and group influence and economic is three main influences my decision. For example, when I was a little girl, my parents always told me that don’t go to the street market to buy something because they have lower quality. Therefore, this is family influence on me. When I grow to an adult, I may go to the supermarket rather than street market. Another example is that my reference groups have strong influence on me. For example, I don’t like Zara brand before because I think their clothes have different level of quality and style. But my friends like it. When we go to shop, we may often go to Zara, then I have purchased one time. I feel that one quality is good and I like that style. Then, my friend encourages me to purchase again. So, I go to Zara again and bought something again. The price is cheaper than other Chinese brand and the quality is same. So, I become a loyal customer of Zara. The other important reason is Zara have new products every week. So I always can find something new in Zara, I can have the same clothes with my friends.

The individual psychological factors are a main factor to influence my decision. Firstly, I may have the different motivation for products. So, the reason for why I buy this product is also different. For example, I am a loyal customer for Tesco because I buy the daily product in Tesco every day. I need these products in my daily life which it can become my motivation to go to the Tesco. The Tesco has lower prices and more near my flat, which can help me save time and money. Besides, the reason I buy luxury products is getting self-actualization, because I want to reward myself. Therefore, when I earn money I may buy luxury products. I am a loyal customer of Chanel result in they don’t have a lot of new product and they make their product more classic than others. As we know, the Chanel product is quite expensive, so I cannot buy frequently. I want to reward myself, but I don’t have enough money. Therefore, I buy it not only makes me feel better, but also have the high quality for collecting.

Besides, I may have my own trait for purchase. For example, I don’t like to watch the advertisement. Because I have worked in Television station and know some secret of advertisement. The advertisement always exaggerates the trust. So, this is personal dissonance for their make decision.

I also want to think about the satisfaction of the customer. For example, I was a loyal customer for Argos. When I am coming to the UK, my friends suggest this shop for me. I feel good at first. But, when I buy a cleaner and something wrong, I go back to change one. The staff angry with me and speak aloud. She goes to find another one, but they don’t have stock anymore. So, I need to book online and wait 5days. I think its ok and ask how to do it. She began to angry with me. I feel uncomfortable. Although finally I got a new one, I may change my loyalty for Argos. The dissatisfaction of service makes me change my mind in Argos. Although I need to spend more time to search product if I change my mind result in the Argos have various products, but my feeling tells me don’t to go back to Argos. In my mind, I think if the manager can keep the customer satisfaction, they can keep a part of loyal customers. For me, I am a loyal customer of Zara, if they don’t do something to make me feel disappointment, I will keep my loyalty for Zara because I don’t like to change and it can reduce the risk.

In the next blog, I may talk about the different types of loyal customer.

 

 

lecture review about impulse purchaing

 lecture review about impulse purchasing

In the lecture, I learned what mean about impulse purchasing and the stages of impulse purchasing. In my life, I had some experience about impulse purchasing. According to Piron (1991), the impulse purchasing means that a purchase that is unplanned, the result of an exposure to a stimulus, and decided on the spot. Impulse purchases can be further classified depending on the consumer’s experiencing emotional and cognitive reaction.

In my life, I think advertising may makes me to impulse purchasing, but I only impulse on my loyal brand, for example, Argos and Zara. For example, I bought a comb from the Argos yesterday, because it has the attractive advertisements. They make their product in e - stores and make their advertising on social networking. I think this is a good position in their advertising because they face their customer is who like use the internet. This comb has a nice shape. Their advertising told you that if you use this comb, you can make your hair more and healthier. So, in this step, I feel I get awareness to want to have one. But the reasons for pushing me to buy a comb are promotion. If you purchase today, you can get 20% off. Then, I bought this comb immediately. Then, when I got the comb, I realized that I took the impulse purchase because I already had two combs before. This angel shape is necessary for me. If I had planned it and predicted the consequence, I may give up this purchase.

In my mind, although the impulse customer has an uncertain aspect of marketing, they can give recommendations a respond favorably. So, lots of companies began to pay attention to impulse customers.

The four stages of impulse purchasing:

1.      Accelerator impulse

2.      Compensatory impulse

3.      Breakthrough impulse

4.      Blind impulse

 

In my life, I think having the experience of accelerator impulse and compensatory impulse. For example, the accelerator impulse purchasing was happening in the last month. In last month, some stores had last sale about their products. Therefore, these products have the lowest price. When I am going to the Zara buy a jacket, I find the dress just have the half price. I trust Zara this brand. I also think some design of shoe very nice. Finally, I bought a dress to go back to home. Then, I found the season too cold to wear a dress. I realized that I get an experience of accelerator impulse result in I buy a dress which is unsuitable for season.

I also have an example is compensatory impulse. In last term, I work hard for preparing my exam and essay. So, I feel really tired and get sick. So, I want to buy something to relieve the pressure. When I finished my essay, I ask my friend to go to shopping. But I don’t have the plan of shopping. I just want to buy something for relieving the pressure. Therefore, I went to Zara again, which can make me feel comfortable and reliable. Then, I bought one dress from Zara, which is my loyal brand. When I go back to home, I find this dress was similar to another one. When I pass the exam, I feel so happy and buy jeans for award myself. This one also belongs to compensatory impulse.

Therefore, when people get influence of external and interior environment, they may get the impulse purchasing for the product. But, taking me as an example, even I may buy something without the plan, I only buy some brands which is I had loyalty.

 

The environmental and group influences on consumer behavior

The environmental and group influences on consumer behavior

In this blog, I want to talk about the environmental and group influences on customer behavior. In our life, the environment and social environment become the main influence factor.

The first one is environmental. The environment is about when our purchase where are we. For example, we may want to get the quiet and friendly environment when we buy the luxury products. When I want to buy the luxury product, I may choose the Harrods market, because Harrods’s market has a safe environment. Therefore, you can search by yourself or ask the sales. You can find a lot of different brands and the direction is clearly in the market. So you may have the higher require about the environment. But, if you want to buy the fruit, you may reduce requirement of the environment. You may just require environment be clean and safety. Therefore, in the different level of involvement, customer may have the different level of requirement.

The other one is a social environment. We can divide the social environment into four factors. The culture is a big part to influence us. For example, when I come to the UK, the big challenge is we have different type of food. I want to eat noodles rather than bread at the breakfast. My stomach feels uncomfortable at first. Then I feel better. The other example is we have different attitudes about the social event result in the Chinese more shy than foreigners. So when we meet the new culture, we may experience the four steps: honeymoon, rejection, tolerance and integration. For me, when I come to the UK, I feel everything is fresh and interesting. Then I may find some different thing makes me uncomfortable. Then I give up some traditional behavior to suit the new environment. After that, I may tolerance the different and feel better. Finally, I get integration. This is culture influence customer behavior. Besides, Chinese traditional culture also influence me have more tolerance mistakes.

The second one is preference groups which are about Primary / Secondary, Dissociative, Formal/ Informal, Automatic, Virtual, Normative compliance, Groups modify behavior by socialization, Value-expressive, Groups can develop members’ self-concept. The formal and informal preference group also influences our behavior. In the formal group like classmates, people may want to have the same thing with each other. For example, when we prepare the exam, we may want to have same reference book with each other. This is because we want to learn how other to do when they prepare the exam. The different habits may divide people into different informal groups. For example, I like to watch movies, I may find out some friends who have the same habit. Then we may buy movie tickets together.

 

The third one is a subculture. This one is talking about the age, Lifecycle and so on. For example, people who have the similar age, they may choose the same brand and market, because they have the same cultural background. For example, when I was 5 years old, I and my friend’s favorite products is Barbie. But now Barbie is not my first choice. Because the same age group may choice the same thing results in their same feeling and background.

 

The final one is our family, which has the powerful influence our life, because the family may help us to choose the religion and eating behavior. For example, for my family, we like eating fish in the New Year. So we have the same decision in the New Year. They also told me which brand is good or not. For example, my mother told me Tesco is an English brand, which has lower price and higher quality than local market. Therefore, I trust this brand.

 

Overall, this is environmental and group influences customer behavior.

Gibbs models and reflection (1988)

Gibbs models and reflection (1988)

Gibbs models and reflection is a circular process of reflection. This cycle included six steps, which from description to go to feeling, evaluation, analysis, conclusion, action plan. Then, this circle will from action plan to go back to the description. This cycle is talk about the reflection about different area. In this blog, I want to talk about this model in marketing.

1 Description is about to describe the event of your reflection. In marketing we always focus on what the customer buys. For example, this week I bought an umbrella. So, in this step, I will describe this product. Because this step is talking about what did you buy? In my own case, I bought is this week, because the old one is broken. So I ask my friends where they bought an umbrella. I ask my friends because I am not familiar with umbrella marketing. Then, I choose the Argos for shopping, which is my familiar one. Finally, I have it.

2 Feeling is about what you thought in your purchase. We need to use the five whys model in this step. Because we need to find why we recall thinking this event and still want to buy it. Then, we need to explain what I was feeling. For me, the reason is very easy because the weather. Nowadays, the weather is terrible and rainy. My old one was broken last week, so I think I need to get a new one. Then, I go to store to find it and buy it. I feel so result in I can use my umbrella in the raining day. It can help me avoid the problem and protect me and my clothes. But the umbrella is too weak to use it under the heavy wind.

3 evaluations are about what was the good or bad experience in your consumption. In my case, I think I ask my friends first are a useful experience. Because this is my first time to buy an umbrella in the UK. I don’t know where can find it. So I need to ask my friend to gain information about the umbrella. A bad experience is I just think about the design and price, I forgot to thinking about the usage and realistic. This is a big problem because the umbrella is a product for daily use and I use it under the heavy wind. So the realistic need to be a first point when I choose the product.

4 analyses need us to analysis the data from your experience and others. For example, I need to think the quality of the product first. I need to think about my purchase experience and compare with others. I need to find what I am doing well or bad. Then I need to interview others about what the most important reason when they buy the umbrella and dose this choice give you satisfaction. Then, I can analysis the data and get the result about what we need to do first.

5 Conclusion is about what else you could have done. For me, I have used a different view to thinking about the process of purchase umbrella. Then, I need to think how to make the difference. Therefore, when I want to buy something I need to have experiential perception. Then I need to think about a product itself about which aim and functions are the most important. It can help me to make clearer the choice. If I feel satisfaction, I will repeat my purchase again and may become their loyal customer.

6 action plans is about if this event come again, what would you do. For example, if this umbrella is broken again. I need to plan to have a new one. So I need to use this experience and to get the better one. Therefore, I plan to buy a long umbrella with higher quality. Then, I need to compare the design and price. The experience helps me to make the correct decision, and I also need to think what I am feeling in last purchase. If I feel satisfaction, I will plan the same brand in the future.

When you have finished these steps, you can act your plan. Then go back to the description again.

This is a cycle of your reflection of consumption. When you use this cycle to buy the products, it can make the suggestion and help you to buy a more suitable product for you.

The Hierarchy of effects models

The Hierarchy of effects model

 

The Hierarchy of Effects Model was created in 1961 by Robert J Lavidge and Gary A Steiner. This model has seven steps which are included ignorance, awareness, knowledge, liking, preference, conviction and purchase.

The first step is ignorance. The meaning as the title said, in this step, customer ignored the products. For example, when the juicer machine has been invented, if I didn’t know this machine, I may ignore this product. Because I never know this machine result in I haven’t cognitive about this product.

The next step is awareness, this step is talking about the customer has the awareness of the product through advertising. For me, if when I watching the TV advertisement, I found juicer machine can make life easier. Therefore, I may have the awareness about the juicer machine. The big challenging is the marketer cannot ensure the customer will have the awareness about the product brand. So, the marketers must critically analyze their advertisement, which can promote more and more customer have awareness about their products.

The next step is knowledge. This step is talking about the customer begin to want to have the knowledge about products. For example, when I know the juicer machine, I may want to know how the juicer working and which brand of juicer best. So I go to Argos, which is I have loyalty brand retail, and ask their sales about products. In this step, I willing to gain the knowledge about the product through the advertisement, web site and packing.

The fourth step likes. This step explains that customer like the product. The customer may like their product result in the future. So, the marketer needs to know the how to encourage the product and how to customer like their products. For me, I may like the juicer because it can make the life easier and save my time. Therefore, I like this product when I watched the video about juicer.

The next step is preference. In this step, customers need to choose the brand or specific one to buy. Because when the customer searches the products, they may find a lot of different kinds of brand or others. They need to compare with benefits of different companies. For example, when I through the advertisement and compares the price online, I may choose which one can guarantee quality and have various the functions.

The conviction is the next step. This stage is about the customers ensuring about the purchase. The marketer must encourage them to buy products and makes them reassure. So some marketer gives the sample for customers. For example, Argos promise I can try their products for one week, if I am dissatisfied with the machine, I can refund the product. It can make me reassures with the products.

The final step is purchase. This step is very simple to make the decision. The designer needs to make sure the process is easy and simple to use. Because if process too difficult or too complex for customers have time to change their mind. For example, when I finished searching and want to buy it online. If the process is simple, I can buy it quickly. Otherwise, if the process is too complex, I need to complete a lot of forms. I will give up the process. If I don’t have enough time, I may want to buy next time. But if I don’t finish purchase immediately, I may change my mind next time.

 

These seven steps are talking about the process of customer from ignored the product to purchase the products. These seven steps can divided into three stages.

1: cognitive (this stage is about your hand). The customer thinks the products and gathers the knowledge about products.

2: affective (this stage is talking about the heart).in this stage, customer need to ensure how they feel about the products. Customer like the product and convicts it.

3. Conative (this stage is talking about the customer behaviour) customer buys the product at this stage.

These three stages are about the customer behavior.

Overall, this is processed about the customer with exposure. So manager needs to know what is happened each stage, which can help them to sale their products.



 

decision making: the consumer decision process model

decision making: the consumer decision process model

The consumer decision process model is needed recognition-search for information- valuation of alternatives- purchases- consumption-post-consumption evaluation.

The first step is the need recognition and problem awareness is talk about why did you make the decision. Taking me for the example, if I made the consumer decision, the first thing is why I make this decision. For example, I made the decision about the study ms management in NTU. The first thing is why I want to study postgraduate and why I want to study in the UK. The reason is studied in UK just one year. It can save time and save money. The other reason is UK is a traditional country and has the highest quality education. These reasons are about UK. Sometimes we also have some personal reason. For me, my father wants to me to help him to manage the company; therefore, I want to study management in the UK, which can give me a high quality education. In this step, we need to think why we want to make this decision. Then, we can get the various reasons, like internal reason or external reason.
The second step is the search information. This step is talking about the why, where and how. For me, I just think which place is suitable for me. Firstly, I choose UK result in the length and quality. Then, I want to choose the school can make the direct course without a business background. Using these two reasons, I find the NTU. The course is most suitable for me.
The third step is the evaluation of alternatives. This step is about the criteria did you use? For me, I think the cost is an important part, because I can get the postgraduate and learn English with less money. This step always talks about the influence on people.
The fourth step is purchasing. What factor result in you chooses? It is a main process in this step. For me, I need to help my father; therefore, I need to study the management. This course just one year and cheaper than others. So I pay for it.
Consumption is fifty steps. This step always talks about the when the customer use the consumption how they feel and engaging. For me, I learn a lot. Firstly, my English improves quickly, because I live in the English speaking country. Secondly, I have learned a lot of management theory and some useful management skill. Finally, I save the money and get a quality education. Therefore, I gain a lot from this course and feeling good.
The last step is post-consumption. For me, I haven't finished it. So, I guess I will post the quality and value of consumption of others.
This is what I think about the consumer decision process model. I will find more evidence after class.