Ch 18 Summary: Postpurchase Behavior

Consumer decisions taken after the purchase such as ease of use of product affect further
related purchase behavior. Specifically, there are two kinds of behavior post purchase. One is
about the decisions on product installation and use and the other is about decisions on products
related to the item purchased. Consumers expect ease of installation and set-up of the product.
In order to ensure buyer satisfaction, information about how to use should be supplied along
with the product. Secondly, accessories or related goods purchase decisions are taken by the
consumer after evaluating the quality of value received from the purchase. Many automobile
manufacturers also supply items like stereo speakers, mud guards etc. to support the sales of the
automobile.

Manufacturers need to ensure that the retailers and distributors provide high quality
after-sale or warranty service to protect the reputation of their brand. The marketer should
understand how his product is put to use by the consumer and whether there can be other uses
of his product. An effective warranty will provide assurance of service quality to the consumer,
increase confidence about product choice made, reduce thoughts of risk of purchase and
dissonance. A strong warranty will have positive effects on product evaluation. Once the
customer is satisfied with after-sales service, he will spread the message through word-of-mouth
publicity. Similarly, if the after-sales service experience is negative, the customer will reach out
to a larger number of people to share his concerns. Related products can be sold by marketers if
they make themselves aware of buyers’ interests.

Consumers engage in a postpurchase evaluation process to rethink their buying decisions.

It helps in broadening consumer’s set of experiences and provides a check on how well he is
behaving as a consumer. Satisfaction is a core element of the evaluation stage. It refers to the
buyer’s state of being adequately rewarded in a buying situation for the purchase he has made.
If consumer expectations regarding the nature and performance of the product, costs and
benefits of efforts expended before purchase and social benefits accruing to the customer are
met, he is satisfied.

Group No. 4 | Consumer Behavior