Marketing communication: principles and practice

C O N S U M E R B E H A V I O U R A N D C O M M U N I C A T I O N
68
Table 3.5
Characteristics of purchase situations
Buying situation
Familiarity
Information need
Option search
First-time buy
Decision-makers 
Lots of information
All options are new
have not faced this 
problem before
Rebuy
The problem has 
Little or none
Alternative solutions 
been faced before
are not needed
Modified rebuy
The problem 
Past experience is 
New solutions are 
significantly differs 
supplemented with 
sought
from past experience new information

---

mostly to the first-time buy, with certain phases omitted for repeat purchases
because they are not necessary (Figure 3.12).
Marketing communication for consumer markets differs from that of
business-to-business markets. These are summarized in Table 3.6.
IMPLICATIONS FOR MANAGERS
The marketing manager must be able to analyse buyer and consumer
behaviour, as follows (adapted from Wells and Prensky, 1996: 59–60):
1. Identify the activities of consumers when they are purchasing and
consuming.
C O N S U M E R B E H A V I O U R A N D C O M M U N I C A T I O N
69
Problem
recognition
Need
identification
Product
specification
Product &
supplier
search
Evaluation
of options
Supplier
selection
Evaluation
a performance
gap is found
there is a
desire to close
the gap
desired
characteristics
determined
what and who can
meet the need?
appropriateness
of offers – long-term
or short-term
relationship?
criteria-based
analysis
performance
monitoring and
specification
review
Figure 3.12
Phases of the corporate buying decision process
Table 3.6
Consumer vs. business-to-business marketing communication
Factor
Consumer
Business-to-business
Communication context
Informal, for self
Formal, on behalf of others
Size of DMU
One or few
Many
Promotional methods
Mostly advertising and sales 
Primarily personal selling
promotions
Orientation
Emotions and imagery
Rational, logical informing
Decision period
Short
Lengthy
Word-of-mouth impact
Close social network
Wider network in 
organization and beyond
Targeting and research
Sophicated methods widley 
Limited but increasing use
used
Budget
Mostly for brand management
Mostly for sales management
Evaluation and 
Range of techniques
A limited number of 
measurement
techniques
Source
: Adapted from Fill, 1999: 113

---

2. Distinguish the activities of diverse consumer market segments during
the purchase and use of a particular product, and recognize the factors
that contribute to the different patterns of activities.
3. Determine which of the background characteristics explain which
segments carry out the purchase activities in different ways.
4. Understand how consumers enact behavioural processes when they buy
and use a product.
C O N S U M E R B E H A V I O U R A N D C O M M U N I C A T I O N