I was studying at Aitchison College Lahore and used to visit Saudi Arabia to see my parents and family members during the summer and winter vacations. I still remember one day when my father took me to the supermarket for some shopping. We stayed there for a couple of hours, passing through many areas within the supermarket. After my father paid for the purchased items, we exited and sat in our car.
My father asked me, "Son, while you were in that supermarket, what did you observe during our shopping?" I was not expecting such a question, but I had a brief discussion with him about it. Sensing my dissatisfaction, he asked again, "What do you think about the people and their buying behaviours in the supermarket?" I couldn't provide a detailed reply, but he advised me, “Look, my son, always remain vigilant and observe the things around you in all aspects. It will always strengthen your ability to learn and to explore progressively in your life.” From that moment on, it became essential for me to stay vigilant and to explore with significant observations.
Regarding this subject, I intend to share my key findings on the robust changes occurring in buying behaviours in today’s world. I have observed that consumer behaviour issues have become more heterogeneous due to cultural differences. This phenomenon makes it increasingly important to understand the factors impacting it. Thus, this study examined the determinants of consumer buying behaviours among Saudis and expatriates living in Riyadh. The study discovered the role of price, motivation, perceived cultural importance, and religious orientation on consumer buying behaviours. The empirical findings confirmed the direct relationship between price, motivation, perceived cultural importance, and consumer buying behaviour. Additionally, price and perceived cultural importance were found to be significantly related to religious orientation.
Understanding consumer behaviour in the marketing domain is of paramount importance. I have examined the influence of cultural factors on impulse buying tendencies among our consumers, highlighting the role of cultural dimensions in shaping cognitive and emotional impulse purchasing behaviours. I have also analysed the impact of celebrity endorsement on consumer buying behaviours, revealing the persuasive influence of celebrities on consumer perceptions and purchase intentions. From a psychological perspective, it is motivation, perception, belief, and attitudes that significantly influence buyer behaviour, with motivation being among the most important factors determining consumer buying behaviour.
A consumer typically goes through five stages before making a purchase: problem recognition, information search, evaluation of alternatives, purchase decision, and post-purchase behaviour
By discussing various factors, it is important to highlight that a reasonable price is a significant concern for buyers. Numerous past and recent studies have consistently observed that price is one of the key attributes essential to consumers. Price represents an exchange element that enables a transaction between a buyer and a seller. Consumers consistently identify price as a crucial factor in making a purchase decision, and in the current period of rising inflation, this concern becomes even more significant. Consequently, companies have been dedicating substantial portions of their R&D budgets to conducting multiple surveys and developing new ideas to meet the demands of different societal classes.
We also observe that MNCs seek to provide practical methodologies for retailers' pricing decisions for store brands in relation to the corresponding national brand prices. In the design/methodology/approach, demand functions for national and store brands are derived by integrating two consumer heterogeneity distributions: reservation price and quality-price trade-off. Furthermore, discussions of consumer brand engagement within the broader brand management literature often adopt a psychological perspective in understanding the nature of the construct. As a result, there has been little focus on consumer brand engagement behaviours, an aspect of high managerial relevance. Key challenges include establishing appropriate measures and better understanding the drivers of brand engagement behaviours.
To address these challenges, numerous studies present a theoretically grounded and empirically validated measure of consumer engagement behaviours based on the Actual Brand Engagement framework proposed by brand experts. This framework's suitability is established through literature on engagement behaviours, conceptualising it by demonstrating the importance of consumer brand knowledge, category involvement, and corporate-level associations in driving engagement behaviours. This approach accommodates the role of brand-, category-, and corporate-level factors. Using data collected from consumers, the framework is empirically validated by demonstrating: (1) the validity of the Actual Brand Engagement framework for measuring engagement behaviours, and (2) its predictive validity in explaining a consumer’s willingness to pay a price premium. Collectively, this addresses both the academic and managerial need for guidance on how to best measure and influence brand engagement behaviours.
It is indeed a vast topic, and I anticipate that it is a crucial area of study for MNCs to remain vigilant and focus more on research. In conclusion, a consumer typically goes through five stages before making a purchase: problem recognition, information search, evaluation of alternatives, purchase decision, and post-purchase behaviour.
If you don't appreciate your customers, someone else will. A satisfied customer is the best business strategy of all, so always focus on the customer.