• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
QuestionPro

QuestionPro

questionpro logo
  • Products
    survey software iconSurvey softwareOur flagship survey solution. Sophisticated tools to get the answers you need.research edition iconResearch SuiteTuned for researchers. Get more insights. Response based pricing.CX iconCXExperiences change the world. Deliver the best with our CX management software.WF iconWorkforceEmpower your work leaders, make informed decisions and drive employee engagement.
  • Solutions
    IndustriesGamingAutomotiveSports and eventsEducationGovernment
    Travel & HospitalityFinancial ServicesHealthcareCannabisTechnology
    Use CaseNPS+CommunitiesAudienceContactless surveysMobile
    LivePollsMember ExperienceGDPRPositive People Science360 Feedback Surveys
  • Resources
    BlogeBooksSurvey TemplatesCase StudiesTrainingHelp center
  • Features
  • Pricing
Language
  • English
  • Español (Spanish)
  • Português (Portuguese (Brazil))
  • Nederlands (Dutch)
  • العربية (Arabic)
  • Français (French)
  • Italiano (Italian)
  • 日本語 (Japanese)
  • Türkçe (Turkish)
  • Svenska (Swedish)
Call Us
+1 800 531 0228 +1 (647) 956-1242 +52 999 402 4079 +49 301 663 5782 +44 20 3650 3166 +81-3-6869-1954 +61 2 8074 5080 +971 529 852 540
Log In Log In
SIGN UP FREE

Home CX Customer Experience

Buying behavior : What it is + Complete Guide

buying behavior

Every individual makes so many decisions a day for many things, from buying an ice cream to buying a car. These insignificant decisions of an individual influence many others and drive the sales industry.

These decisions define both their customer journey and their Buying Behavior and are very important for an organization’s growth.

What is buying behavior?

Buying Behavior is the series of actions and interactions that a consumer performs before, during, and after making a commercial transaction. Experts usually study this process in market research and business owners to detect areas of opportunity that allow them to improve their processes and the way in which they market their products or services.

Consumers usually develop well-defined behavior patterns that, when analyzed, yield highly valuable insights that allow decision-making based on data.

Importance of Buying Behavior

Decoding the buying behavior and building products based on it will guarantee successful product and service in any industry.

Buying behavior defines:

  • How a person thinks while choosing a product.
  • What is influencing people?
  • How do their friends and family influence the decision?
  • Reason for discarding a particular product.

And if a product maker knows the above, they can easily figure out the trick to sell their product.

Four types of Buying Behavior

1. Extended Decision-Making.

This type of buying behavior can be observed for expensive products, which involves high investment and involves a group of people. This involves in-depth research as the customer won’t buy these kinds of high-end products daily and high monetary risk is involved.

2. Limited Decision-Making.

Limited decision making is a buyer decision making that is used when purchasing products that require a moderate amount of time and effort to where the buyer compares models and brands before making a final choice for the purchase decision.

 

3. Habitual Buying Behavior.

Habitual buying is the buying behavior of buyers/consumers where they make repeat purchases number of times of an already known brand without the process of high involvement and decision. The product here is perceived as commodity and doesn’t provide much difference from its rivals or competitors.

4. Variety-Seeking Buying Behavior.

Variety-seeking or variety-seeking buying behavior is when a buyer desires to search for an alternative product even if the buyer is satisfied with a current product. In this case, mostly the cost of switching products is low, and so the consumer may perhaps simply move from one brand to another brand.

Factors affecting buying behavior

  • Psychological Factors. 

This is one of the major influences for buying behavior. These factors are powerful enough to influence a buying decision for a buyer but are very difficult to measure.

Factors like Motivation to buy a product, Perception of the other people towards the product, Learning about the product (Pros and Cons), Attitudes and Beliefs of previous consumers and other people also have an impact on influencing a buying decision

  • Social Factors. 

We are social beings and we live around many people and influence each other’s buying behavior. We try to imitate other people and also wish to be socially accepted in society. Hence the buying behavior gets influenced by other people around them. Some factors that influence the buying behavior socially are Family, Reference Groups, Roles and status, etc.

  • Cultural factors.

We are associated with a set of values and ideologies that belong to a particular community. Whenever a person comes from a particular community, his/her behavior is highly influenced by the culture relating to that particular community hence influencing the buying behavior.

Some factors that influence the buying behavior culturally are Culture, subcultures, castes, religion, etc.

  • Personal Factors.

Factors that are personal to the buyers influence their buying behavior. These personal factors always differ from person to person, thereby producing different perceptions and consumer behavior. Some factors that influence the buying behavior personally are Age, Income, Lifestyle, etc.

Five stages of consumer behavior

Stage 1: Problem Recognition.

The buying behavior starts off with the buyer having requirements with the product/service as well as with the problems they had with the previous product/service which was either offered to them or bought by them. This is visible or obvious in a number of ways from the pv of a seller.

For example: 

In some cases, the buyer might not know the product/service they are looking for or unsure of the requirements they are looking to have in the product/service. 

Whereas, In some cases, the buyer knows exactly what they are looking for in the product/service and are well prepared with the requirements they want to have in the product/service.

Ask yourself these questions to understand the buying behavior:

  • What scenarios or incidents will push people to look for your offerings?
  • What are the different ways to create a demand for your products?
  • How do you get the people to realize a need you can fulfill?

Stage 2: Information Gathering.

This might seem simple to do at first, but as soon as any potential buyer realizes they have a problem/issue with the service/product they use, the number one tool the people turn to is Google. This is where the brand comes in targeting the buyers through SEO and making sure the brand comes in the sight of the right buyers whenever the buyer googles their problems/issues with a product.

For example:

An office worker whose computer is slowing down, in this scenario the office worker will most likely reach his colleagues and if the issue is not resolved, he will revert to google to find different ways to get the issue resolved.

Stage 3: Evaluating Solutions.

After doing their research, buyers typically make a shortlist of brands or products for their needs. At this stage,  the buyers look at specific solutions to their problems regarding the product they are looking for. The objective here is to position your product as the best choice for the shopper. One of the best ways is to allow the consumers to ask questions through Q&A or FAQ’s on the brands website.

For example:

Someone who’s dealing with a slow computer would be deciding whether they should hire an IT expert, purchase software or buy a new computer altogether.

Stage 4: Purchase Phase.

All the efforts have now led buyers to choose your brand at the purchase phase of the customer journey. This is where the buyer is ready to get the credit card and buy the product.

It’s an excellent position to be in, but don’t get in a hurry or be too happy. You can still lose the prospect if you don’t offer them a smooth checkout experience. Always strive to make the process as quick and painless as possible for the buyer or consumer.

Stage 5: The Post-Purchase Phase.

Congratulations! You have now converted a looker into a buyer who is now a customer. Now is the time to gather feedback regarding the onboarding experience of the customer, their experience with the product and services offered, ask them to leave a review and rating on the Google platform. This will help increase incoming traffic and help in optimizing SEO.

The more the lookers, the more are the chances of converting them into a buyer!

Online surveys are the most efficient method of conducting buyer behavior studies. You can create a survey using survey software and send it to your target audience. You can also customize the survey flow to ask only relevant questions to respondents.

QuestionPro CX can help you learn more about your potential customers and conduct research studies. If you need any help with designing a survey and collecting data, connect with us. We’d be happy to help!

       

Authors: Debashish Gahan, Ronak Shah

SHARE THIS ARTICLE:

About the author
QuestionPro Collaborators
View all posts by QuestionPro Collaborators

Primary Sidebar

Take full control of your customer journey

Make immediate business actions with our CX management platform

Learn more

RELATED ARTICLES

HubSpot - QuestionPro Integration

XDay 2020 North America Recap

Oct 30,2020

HubSpot - QuestionPro Integration

People-Centric Culture: What It Is & How to Build

Jan 09,2023

Release Notes - May 2021

May 27,2021

BROWSE BY CATEGORY

  • Academic
  • Academic Research
  • Academic Research
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Assessments
  • Audience
  • Brand Awareness
  • Brand Awareness
  • Branding
  • Business
  • Business
  • Case Studies
  • Communities
  • Consumer Insights
  • Consumer Insights
  • Customer effort score
  • Customer Engagement
  • Customer Experience
  • Customer Experience IN
  • Customer Loyalty
  • Customer Loyalty
  • Customer Research
  • Customer Satisfaction
  • Customer Satisfaction
  • CX
  • Decision Making
  • Employee Benefits
  • Employee Engagement
  • Employee Engagement
  • Employee Engagement
  • Employee Retention
  • Employee Retention
  • Employee Retention
  • Employee Retention
  • Enterprise
  • Events
  • Forms
  • Friday Five
  • General Data Protection Regulation
  • Guest Post
  • Insights Hub
  • Intercept
  • Life@QuestionPro
  • LivePolls
  • Market Research
  • Market Research
  • Marketing
  • Marketing
  • Marktonderzoek
  • medewerkersonderzoek
  • Mobile
  • Mobile
  • Mobile App
  • Mobile diaries
  • Mobile Surveys
  • New Features
  • non-profit
  • NPS
  • Online Communities
  • Polls
  • Question Types
  • Questionnaire
  • QuestionPro
  • QuestionPro Products
  • QuestionPro Products
  • Release Notes
  • Research
  • Research Tools and Apps
  • Revenue at Risk
  • Startups
  • Survey Templates
  • Surveys
  • Surveys
  • Tech News
  • Tips
  • Training
  • Training Tips
  • Trending
  • Uncategorized
  • Video Learning Series
  • VOC
  • Webinar
  • Webinars
  • What’s Coming Up
  • Workforce
  • Workforce
  • Workforce
  • Workforce Intelligence
  • Workforce Intelligence
  • Workforce Intelligence

Footer

MORE LIKE THIS

Find out how the Service Profit Chain increases profits by giving great customer service and keeping workers interested.

Service Profit Chain: What it Is + Step-by-Step Guide

Jun 2, 2023

When it comes to research, ethics is a crucial component that guides how we conduct our studies. Learn everything about it.

Ethics in Research: Understanding its Importance + Best Practices

Jun 1, 2023

Unleash Servqual power: Recognize this model for evaluating service excellence and providing excellent customer experiences. Learn how now!

Servqual: What it Is + How To Understand the Model

May 31, 2023

Understanding customer behavior can drive remarkable experiences and foster long-term customer loyalty.

Behavior Science: The Delight of CX Management — Tuesday CX

May 30, 2023

Other categories

  • Academic
  • Academic Research
  • Academic Research
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Assessments
  • Audience
  • Brand Awareness
  • Brand Awareness
  • Branding
  • Business
  • Business
  • Case Studies
  • Communities
  • Consumer Insights
  • Consumer Insights
  • Customer effort score
  • Customer Engagement
  • Customer Experience
  • Customer Experience IN
  • Customer Loyalty
  • Customer Loyalty
  • Customer Research
  • Customer Satisfaction
  • Customer Satisfaction
  • CX
  • Decision Making
  • Employee Benefits
  • Employee Engagement
  • Employee Engagement
  • Employee Engagement
  • Employee Retention
  • Employee Retention
  • Employee Retention
  • Employee Retention
  • Enterprise
  • Events
  • Forms
  • Friday Five
  • General Data Protection Regulation
  • Guest Post
  • Insights Hub
  • Intercept
  • Life@QuestionPro
  • LivePolls
  • Market Research
  • Market Research
  • Marketing
  • Marketing
  • Marktonderzoek
  • medewerkersonderzoek
  • Mobile
  • Mobile
  • Mobile App
  • Mobile diaries
  • Mobile Surveys
  • New Features
  • non-profit
  • NPS
  • Online Communities
  • Polls
  • Question Types
  • Questionnaire
  • QuestionPro
  • QuestionPro Products
  • QuestionPro Products
  • Release Notes
  • Research
  • Research Tools and Apps
  • Revenue at Risk
  • Startups
  • Survey Templates
  • Surveys
  • Surveys
  • Tech News
  • Tips
  • Training
  • Training Tips
  • Trending
  • Uncategorized
  • Video Learning Series
  • VOC
  • Webinar
  • Webinars
  • What’s Coming Up
  • Workforce
  • Workforce
  • Workforce
  • Workforce Intelligence
  • Workforce Intelligence
  • Workforce Intelligence

questionpro-logo-nw
Help center Live Chat SIGN UP FREE
  • Sample questions
  • Sample reports
  • Survey logic
  • Branding
  • Integrations
  • Professional services
  • Security
  • Survey Software
  • Customer Experience
  • Workforce
  • Communities
  • Audience
  • Polls Explore the QuestionPro Poll Software - The World's leading Online Poll Maker & Creator. Create online polls, distribute them using email and multiple other options and start analyzing poll results.
  • Research Edition
  • LivePolls
  • InsightsHub
  • Blog
  • Articles
  • eBooks
  • Survey Templates
  • Case Studies
  • Training
  • Webinars
  • Coronavirus Resources
  • All Plans
  • Nonprofit
  • Academic
  • Qualtrics Alternative Explore the list of features that QuestionPro has compared to Qualtrics and learn how you can get more, for less.
  • SurveyMonkey Alternative
  • VisionCritical Alternative
  • Medallia Alternative
  • Likert Scale Complete Likert Scale Questions, Examples and Surveys for 5, 7 and 9 point scales. Learn everything about Likert Scale with corresponding example for each question and survey demonstrations.
  • Conjoint Analysis
  • Net Promoter Score (NPS) Learn everything about Net Promoter Score (NPS) and the Net Promoter Question. Get a clear view on the universal Net Promoter Score Formula, how to undertake Net Promoter Score Calculation followed by a simple Net Promoter Score Example.
  • Offline Surveys
  • Customer Satisfaction Surveys
  • Employee Survey Software Employee survey software & tool to create, send and analyze employee surveys. Get real-time analysis for employee satisfaction, engagement, work culture and map your employee experience from onboarding to exit!
  • Market Research Survey Software Real-time, automated and advanced market research survey software & tool to create surveys, collect data and analyze results for actionable market insights.
  • GDPR & EU Compliance
  • Employee Experience
  • Customer Journey
  • About us
  • Executive Team
  • In the news
  • Testimonials
  • Advisory Board
  • Careers
  • Brand
  • Media Kit
  • Contact Us

QuestionPro in your language

  • English
  • Español (Spanish)
  • Português (Portuguese (Brazil))
  • Nederlands (Dutch)
  • العربية (Arabic)
  • Français (French)
  • Italiano (Italian)
  • 日本語 (Japanese)
  • Türkçe (Turkish)
  • Svenska (Swedish)

Awards & certificates

  • survey-leader-asia-leader-2023
  • survey-leader-asiapacific-leader-2023
  • survey-leader-enterprise-leader-2023
  • survey-leader-europe-leader-2023
  • survey-leader-latinamerica-leader-2023
  • survey-leader-leader-2023
  • survey-leader-middleeast-leader-2023
  • survey-leader-mid-market-leader-2023
  • survey-leader-small-business-leader-2023
  • survey-leader-unitedkingdom-leader-2023
  • survey-momentumleader-leader-2023
  • bbb-acredited
The Experience Journal

Find innovative ideas about Experience Management from the experts

  • © 2022 QuestionPro Survey Software | +1 (800) 531 0228
  • Sitemap
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Use