BUYING MOTIVES

To better understand the reasons underlying consumer purchases, marketers devote considerable attention to examining buying motives-that is, those factors that compel a consumer to buy a particular brand. This because they are aware that consumers do not buy products. Instead they buy motive satisfaction or problem solutions. For instance, consumers that buy perfume, aftershave lotion actually buy romance and sex appeal.

Buying motives have two broad classifications:

• Rational.
• Emotional motives.

A) RATIONAL MOTIVES

These are motives promoted by reasons, i.e. consumers buy products on the basis of good prices, higher quality or better customer care by the company. These and other factors are briefly explained below:

1. Price is a major determinant of what consumers buy and in what quantity, especially in poverty-ridden country in Nigeria. Majority of the consumers will favour products that offer value for money i.e. modestly priced.
2. Quality also propels a large number of consumers to prefer one product or brand to another. For instance in spite of the high cost of GSM a substantial number of telecommunication subscribers prefer it CDMA, which is more cost effective because of the perceived quality of the former.
3. Need Satisfaction is a strong motive for purchase among large number of consumers. Every rational consumer buys a product for the purpose of solving a specific problem or satisfying a specific need.
4. Customer Service provides another reason for choosing to buy one brand of product or the other. In this world of intense price and quality competition many wise marketers are now turning to customer service to differentiate their offering from the clutter market and stay ahead of competition.

B) EMOTIONAL MOTIVES

These are motives arising from feelings, emotions etc. Consumers buy for less tangible reasons of fear, self-preservation, pride emulation and sociability.

1. Fear: Some purchases are made out of the fear being criticized, isolated or excommunicated by a peer group in the case of consumer goods, industrial buyers may buy a particular brand of product for the fear of being sanctioned by the superior who might have interest in such a brand.
2. Self-preservation: Many purchases are made out of the need for self-preservation and not because there is a rational need for such products. This is the case with many innovators who buy new products as soon as they are launched into the market. Some buyers buy Glomobile’s Blueberry in order to achieve self-preservation.
3. Emulation: This is purchase made to imitate peer groups or others. The poor academic performance of some students in examination might lead one to believe that they are in school simply because their friends are there.
4. Sociability: This is a desire to belong to specific class in the society. Many women that bleach their skin do so to achieve social standing.