The Three “C’s” of Consumer Characteristics
Consumer Buyer Types
Companies today are forced to operate under increasing business environment pressures. These pressures are known as the three C’s: competition, consumers, and change. Companies have been fighting for customers for decades. Companies treat customers like royalty to lure them to buy goods and services. Finding and retaining customers is a critical success factor for most businesses.
Take a closer look at the consumers. Consumers can be divided into two types: individual and organizational. Individual consumers get much of the media attention, and organizational buyers do most of the shopping in cyberspace. Organizational buyers purchase items not intended for personal consumption.
There are two dimensions of shopping experiences: utilitarian (shopping to achieve a goal or complete a task) and hedonic (shopping because it is fun and because people enjoy it). Understanding these dimensions can provide insight into consumer behavior.
Consumers can also be categorized into three other categories:
- Impulsive buyers (who purchase products quickly).
- Patient buyers (who purchase products after making some comparisons).
- Analytical buyers (who do substantial research before making the decision to purchase products or services).
Many companies do not sell directly to consumers but to intermediaries; however, these companies should still be concerned with developing a relationship directly with the end users. After all, it is the end user that supports everyone in a network of value-creating relationships. (Evans, Jamal, & Foxall, 2009).
Be smart and be encouraged,
Evans, M., Jamal, A., & Foxall, G. (2009). Consumer behaviour. (2nd ed.). West Sussex, UK: John Wiley & Sons Ltd.