Consumer Behavior What is Consumer Behavior ? Consumer behavior is the study of consumers and the processes they use to choose, use (consume), and dispose of products and services, including consumers’ emotional, mental, and behavioral responses. Understanding consumer behavior is crucial for businesses to create effective marketing strategies that can influence consumers’ decision-making processes. Consumer behavior incorporates ideas from several sciences including psychology, biology, chemistry, and economics. Consumer buying behavior studies various situations such as what do consumers buy, why do they buy, when do they buy, how often do consumers buy, for what reason do they buy, and much more. Importance of Customer Behavior • Understanding consumer behavior benefits marketers in several ways: • Identifying market gaps and product needs. • Assessing product relevance and obsolescence. • Optimizing product presentation for maximum impact. • A consumer behavior analysis provides valuable insights into: • Consumer thoughts and emotions regarding different alternatives, including brands and products. • The factors that influence consumers when making choices between various options: • How consumers behave during the research and shopping phases. • The impact of the consumer's environment, including friends, family, and media. • To effectively understand consumer behavior, marketers should: • Study consumer purchasing patterns to identify trends. • Adapt their marketing strategies to align with changing buyer preferences and behaviors. How Maggi utilized their Consumer’s Behavior Identifying Weak Spots: Instead of trying to break entrenched habits related to lunch and dinner, Nestle identified a weak spot in the consumer behavior: "Evening Snacks." This was an area where habits were not strong, and there were issues with available options. Repositioning: Maggi was repositioned as an "in-between" meals product and an alternative to evening snacks, primarily targeting children who were more receptive to new tastes. This shift in focus catered to the needs of Indian mothers and children. Building Cues: Maggi created external cues through TV advertisements and internal triggers with its "2 minutes cooking" tagline. The product's availability in nearby stores and distribution in schools further reinforced these cues. Simplicity: Maggi emphasized simplicity, making it easy for users to prepare with just a few steps, no special skills required, and familiar flavors. Small, affordable packets were introduced to encourage trial. Rewards: The delicious taste of Maggi itself acted as a reward, triggering cravings and internal triggers. Nestle also offered extrinsic rewards like gifts for returning empty packets, aligning them with the target audience's interests. Re-Invention: Maggi allowed users to customize their noodles by adding vegetables, enhancing compatibility and quality, and catering to diverse customer needs. Conclusion : In essence, Maggi's success was the result of understanding and leveraging consumer behavior, particularly by targeting weak spots, simplifying the product, and creating cues and rewards that encouraged regular use. This approach allowed Maggi to establish itself as a beloved brand in India.
