Business Studies

Consider a purchase you recently made (for interest, assume that the purchase was over $100).

Describe your decision process in a minimum of 175 words:
• How did you determine your need?
• How did you search for information?
• Did you evaluate alternatives?
• Did you have criteria upon which you made your choice?
• How did you assess your purchase?

ANSWER

Purchasing Process

Before buying an agricultural machine, carrying out need evaluation was necessary to evaluate whether the device was going to meet my needs. Determining my needs was accomplished by soliciting information from the vendors and conducting a keyword search. I also outlined the goals which the item would help achieve. Calling the company for further clarification on the product was another practical approach towards determining the need.

Searching for Information

Data were retrieved from the company’s website, where details of the item with information about its features, advantages, suggested usage, and other information existed. I also contacted customer service for more clarification regarding the product. These sources were fundamental in the decision-making process. Other sources included salespeople who gave out their advice concerning the item. Private sources that are not marketer-oriented were also helpful, such as advice from friends and families.

Evaluating Alternatives

Before making the final decision, I evaluated the existing alternatives on the scale of attributes that can deliver the benefit that I wanted. Usually, the brands and items that customers compare highlight the other options being considered by clients during the problem-solving process (Stankevich, 2017). I committed a significant time to make a comparative approach and review different values, warranties, terms, and conditions of sale.

Criteria of Making a Choice

Every customer has a choice when making a purchasing decision. I also had criteria that were used before making an actual purchase. The product was evaluated based on its diverse strengths and weaknesses. Some of the attributes considered when selecting the item from the company involved price, quality, service, speed, scale, and breadth of offerings. Finally, the purchase was made and accessed by picking the most preferred brand.

References

Stankevich, A. (2017). Explaining the consumer decision-making process: critical literature review. Journal of International Business Research and Marketing, 2(6).