Consumer and industrial buying behaviour

Consumer buying behaviour studies how individuals choose, buy, use and dispose of products — and it matters because marketing that misunderstands the buyer wastes its budget on the wrong message, channel or price. The buying process runs through need recognition, information search, evaluation of alternatives, purchase decision and post-purchase behaviour. Worked example: a student buying a laptop recognises a need (old machine too slow), searches reviews and friends' advice, compares two models on processor, weight and price, buys one, and then either recommends it (satisfaction) or regrets it (dissonance) — and the firm's job is to influence every stage, not just the sale. Industrial buying differs: it is formal, multi-person, larger in value, and driven by derived demand (demand for inputs comes from demand for the final product).