The business must be directed toward the satisfaction of consumers. A consumer buys a particular product because certain motives influence him. What motivates the consumers to buy? Why do they believe what they do? Each consumer enters the selling and buying process with emotional needs and motives that cause them to buy your product or service. In the following article, you will know the types of buying motives. People buy for their reasons, not yours or your company’s. By being more aware of these motives in your potential consumers, you may tell them how your products or services meet their needs.
Motive is a strong feeling, urge, instinct, desire or emotion that makes the buyer react in the form of a decision to buy. It inspires any person to act in a specific direction. Thus, motive can be defined as a force within individuals that forces them to action. This force may be known as motives.
Definition of Buying Motives
The motive may be viewed as an inner state that mobilizes energy and directs it selectively toward buying activity. Many experts have defined the term “motives” in their way. Some of the views are as follows:
“A motive can be defined as a drive or an urge for which an individual seeks satisfaction. It becomes a buying motive when the individual seeks satisfaction by purchasing something.” -J. Stanton
Types of Buying Motives
People are prompted to shop by internal and outside forces as follows:
Internal reasons regularly originate in the minds of human beings and are both physical and psychological. They are broadly categorized into two classes: rational, which might be based on logical reasoning or thinking and emotional, which is based on personal emotions.
External motives are due to outside forces. Since a client is a product from his environment, his shopping motives are affected by external elements. Various factors like income, occupation, religion, tradition, family and social surroundings act as motivators.
Classification on the Basis of Product and Patronage
The types of buying motives can be on the basis of product and patronage, which are as follows:
(A) Product Motives
Product motives give the reason why people should purchase specific products. Product motives are the result of the needs of consumers. Product motives may be of two kinds:
- Emotional
- Rational
1. Emotional Buying Motives
The types of buying motives induces the consumers to act because of some sentiments or passion. Emotional reasons come from the heart instead of the head. These are very strong and are the basis of a dominant buying motive. These are based on personal feelings. These include the following:
(a) Pride
Status is involved here. People feel pride in buying some products. The feeling of pride motivates them to buy a particular product. For example, buying a luxury car, air-conditioner, or a new high-tech product is affected by this motive.
(b) Imitation
This motive implies that some people buy a product on account of being jealous of others. They follow the path of others. For example, women buy a product motivated by this motive. After seeing the other lady having these, they buy sarees, cosmetics, etc..
(c) Affection
This motive motivates any person to buy a specific product because of love and affection for someone.
(d) Comfort
A comfortable life has been a long-lasting desire for anyone. He wants to live in comfort. Hence, this motive motivates people to buy products that provide comfort and convenience in today’s life. For example, washing machines, cars, air-conditioners, televisions, bikes, water heaters etc., are the items that provide comfort to the people.
2. Rational Buying Motives
Rational motives, types of buying motives, are those where people behave rationally in making purchases. They carefully consider all alternatives and choose the best out of them, which gives them the maximum satisfaction. This is a motive which usually appeals to the consumer’s logical judgement. In other words, logical reasoning or thinking is the basis of these motives. Rational buying motives include the following:
(a) Safety
Every consumer puts safety at the top of their list of motives. Every person would like to buy a product which meets the safety standards. The consumer avoids a product which is not safe for consumption or use.
(b) Economy
Every buyer wants the economy in buying. This motive motivates people to save in buying. The economy may be brought about by bargaining the prices. As we know, man is a rational being, and his decisions to buy or not are based on some reasoning or thinking. Hence, he can buy maximum with limited resources.
(c) Suitability
This motive induces the consumer to buy a product that suits his requirements. There is a buyer’s choice in the market. Different varieties of a product are available in the market. However, a rational buyer purchases the product that suits his needs and provides maximum satisfaction.
(d) Utility
A rational buyer always buys a product that fulfills his requirements. Value for money concept is achieved. If a product does not produce immediate, dramatic results, a buyer will not purchase that product.
(B) Patronage Motives
These motives persuade a customer to purchase the products from a specific producer or retailer. The customer’s prior experience with the manufacturer or retailer has been judged beneficial. These are the types of buying motives. Thus, the customer wishes to repeat the experience (manufacturer or retailer). If a competitive product is more or less the same, then these motives can be compelling in the buying decision.
When a person patronizes a particular company or retailer, rational or emotional motives guide him. These motives (rational and emotional) have been discussed as follows:
(a) Prestige
Some people buy products and services from a big store for prestige. They feel that buying from a reputed store will enhance their reputation. This motive motivates the consumers to purchase from Malls and prestigious departmental stores in their locality.
(b) Habit
Habit persuades people to buy a particular product repeatedly. For example, when smoking and drinking become a habit, the concerned person would patronize the brand of tobacco and drinking. He was emotionally attached to that brand. Thus, habit motivates people to buy.
(c) Recommendation
Sometimes, people buy a product or service from a specific producer or retailer on the recommendations made by someone. Thus, after the offers, customers patronize a particular retailer or manufacturer for making purchases.
(d) Cost
The cost of a product is a significant concern for the buyer. It is a crucial motive which induces a person to make a purchase of a product or service which is economical in terms of cost. A person patronizes a retailer or manufacturer whose products are comparatively cheaper and perform well.
(e) Credit Facilities
Credit facilities’ provision motivates people to purchase from a retailer or manufacturer that provides such facilities. People patronize a specific producer or retailer to avail of credit facilities.
(f) Services Offered
People patronize a manufacturer who provides after-sale service, quick response to complaints, prompt redressal of grievances etc. Thus, excellent after-sale services motivate customers to buy from a particular vendor.
(g) Convenience
Convenience is another motive for buying a product or service from a patronized manufacturer or retailer. Convenience can be in the form of saving time, mental peace, physically less moving, etc. People buy from their nearby stores for the sake of convenience. It is a part of types of buying motives.