Customer Buying Decision

Behind the visible act of making a purchase lays a decision process that must be investigated. The purchase decision process is the stages a buyer passes through in making choices about which products and services to buy.

Buying Decision Process:

STAGE 1

Coca-Cola is a soft drink product which can be seen as a product to reduce the need of thirst. Coca-Cola satisfies in the first place a useful need, it takes away the thirst of a consumer. But coca-cola can also be seen as to satisfy a pleasure need.

STAGE 2

The choice of drinking cola when one is thirsty depends on a consumer's cultural environment, his or her learning experiences and his or her history. For example, in western countries it is normal to drink coca-cola when you are thirsty, while in developing countries people will satisfy this need with water. Based on what is learned and what the cultural conditions are, people will or will not drink coca-cola.

The need recognised is thirst which could also be reduced by drinking water or another soft drink. Consumers have a variety of brands of beverages to choose from. As coca-cola is a popular brand, they don’t search much about the information of the product as well as its competitors. Coca-cola is more like a want than a need so generally people skip this step.

STAGE 3

As Coca-Cola has so many strong competitors in the market, this step is very important for the process. It not only competes with other soft drinks but all other beverages and water which satisfy the need of thirst. Though competition is very high in this market but most people will choose coca-cola as their favourite because it satisfies their stimulus.

STAGE 4

As Coca-Cola is the best-selling soft-drink in the market, people don’t take much time to buy it. When there’s a can of generic cola behind a counter right next to a can of Coke, chances are a customer is going to go for the Coke. Coke’s customers are very loyal to the brand and buy coke most of the time to satisfy their want.

STAGE 5

Coca-Cola is known around the world and to many cultures which makes the company very much productive. People don’t think before purchasing Coke for the next time. Coke’s customer are very loyal to this product and as they develop a particular taste, they don’t like to buy any other soft-drink. They are very satisfied with the product.