Understanding Customer Experience

Introspective research analysis report with implications

Word count:

1. Introduction
 2

The following report is about a consumer who is an international student living

in the UK. The consumer is a 28-year-old male living with his partner in a suburban
area. He works as a part-time warehouse assistant and earns £ 700 per month. He
is fond of cooking, writing and watching movies and shows, in addition to spending
time on social media.

Having come from a different nation, he constantly converts £ into his home
currency. This is to keep a check on his expenses and manage savings to repay his
loan for education.

The payments were made in both cash as well as a debit card and usually
shops alone with a set shopping list. The consumer is a rational buyer and is thrifty
except when it came to ordering food online.

2. Methodology

The data collected is of purchases made by the consumer between 28 October

2021 to 18 November 2021. The receipts of purchases were majorly from physical
stores in and around a town in the UK and a few online purchases. The purchasing
activity was carried out in physical stores between 12:00 pm to 6:30 pm and was
mostly in supermarkets for household items and groceries.

3. Findings

Over 21 days, the purchase data collected, brought to light, the consumer’s
buying patterns and factors influencing the purchase decisions. The purchases are
also categorised based on online and offline purchases as well as the type of
product purchased.

3.1 Situational Factors

N1035137
 3

3.1.1 Time

The consumer makes his purchase mostly over the weekends and on the days
he is not at the university. The trend shows that he visits a supermarket to buy
groceries and other FMCG products two times a week and this is usually hours
before he starts to cook. His busy schedule forces him to plan the shopping when it
is usually quiet and moderately crowded. The time spent waiting in a queue
frustrates the consumer and prefers a shorter checkout time (Caballero et al.
1985).

3.1.2 Money

The data collected shows that the regular purchases range between £ 5 to £
20 and the consumer prefers to choose discounted products. On almost every visit
to The Food Warehouse, the consumer falls for their psychological pricing strategy
(Lopez 2014) and ends up buying multiple products that are discounted and
available to mix and match. For example, one packet of cheese was priced at 2 £
and when two units were purchased, it was priced at £ 3. (see Appendix 1 -
3.11.21). The consumer mostly used the contactless option of paying via Apple Pay
(Jain et al. 2020) in addition to this being a convenient method of payment (Shin et
al. 2014).

As stated by Palmer (2010), the exposure to the internet and having multiple
alternatives has driven Gen Y to turn to a new way of life: thrift. This is noticed in
the consumer in question as he spends time researching to find the best option to
meet his needs, making him feel empowered. For example, when the consumer
needed a cabinet for the kitchen and wardrobe clothes, he sought out the best
options that would be economical, easy to transport and fit through the narrow
walkway to his apartment. After a few days of research on platforms selling used
products, Amazon and eBay, he found the perfect solution that catered to his
needs. He subsequently purchased a detachable 16 cube, DIY storage cabinet on

N1035137
 4

eBay of which he could use 3 for the kitchen and the remaining for his clothes (See
Appendix 1).

3.1.3 Purchase Type

It was noticed that the consumer went to Aldi, Tesco, Home Bargains or The
Food Warehouse to purchase convenience products. This implied that these
products were frequently purchased and were low priced with less time taken to
make the purchase decision. The purchases were mainly premeditated and a small
fraction was impulsive.

Most of the restaurant purchases that were carried out resulted in higher
perceived service value and positively impacted both utilitarian as well as hedonic
value to the purchases (Ryu et al. 2010).

3.1.4 Decision Making

The consumer is particularly disciplined with his spending behaviour, keeps a

checklist and rarely indulges in impulsive purchase decisions. He is the primary
decision-maker when it comes to convenience products. However, he sought his
partner’s help in making decisions for shopping products such as furniture,
electronics and apparel (Hendon and Hamilton 1977).

3.2 Physiological Factors

According to Mischel (1963), an individual’s psychology determines his

behaviour. Applying this to marketing and consumer behaviour makes it easier for
marketers to segment the market better.

The following aspects further explain the psychological factors that influence
the consumer in question.

N1035137
 5

3.2.1 Perception

Figure 1, Source: Bamossy and Solomon (2016)

Figure 1 depicts the process of perception stated by Bamossy and Solomon

(2016) which highlights the 3 stages impacting perception: exposure, attention and
interpretation. The information is stored based on stimuli which are then
interpreted by an individual according to their unique needs and biases. This
ultimately supports the development of perception.

Perception is pivotal in the consumer’s decision-making process. The

consumer opts to go to The Food Warehouse each time his primary purchase is a
fresh food item as the name of the store has the word ‘food’ in it. The psychological
pricing adopted by the store makes the consumer think he is getting a better deal
but ends up spending a long time contemplating and eventually purchasing more
(Wänke et al. 2007).

3.2.2 Learning

According to Drèze and Nunes (2011), the experience from purchasing a

product and the learning that comes with repeatedly being exposed to an outcome
drives the customer purchase behaviour. The consumer learned that the vegetables
bought from The Food Warehouse lasted longer and remained fresh. In addition to

N1035137
 6

this, the ‘buying multiple units for less’ and ‘mix and match’ options at the store
made the consumer a loyal customer.

3.2.3 Attitudes

Figure 2, Source: Internet, adapted from ABC model by Ajzen and Fishbein
(1977)

Ajzen and Fishbein (1977) defined attitude to be evaluations made around

ideas, people and things over time. Figure 2 shows the 3 aspects that drive the
attitude of an individual. The model is used against the consumer in question about
purchasing at Mr T’s, the observations are as follows (See Appendix 1).

N1035137
 7

Affect: The consumer had worked a trial shift at the pizzeria and learned
about the operations and the kitchen. He also enjoyed the free pizza at the end of
the shift.
Behaviour: Frequently ordered naan and pizza during the data collection
period.
Cognition: Noticed first-hand, the hygiene and quality of the food at Mr T’s,
and believes that the standard would remain the same, being the best fast-food
option in the area.

3.2.4 Personality

When the consumer took the Big 5 personality test, he scored high in
conscientiousness which displays dependability, self-control and perseverance.
According to Lee and Cott (2009), individuals who displayed control over decisions
and thought before acting displayed post-purchase regret. This is proven when the
consumer bought paint for his new flat. After comparing prices in different stores,
he found the most economical option at BBM Bargain in his desired colour.

The purchase was made at x for a 2.5-litre variant (Refer Appendix 1), which
should have been sufficient for the wall. However, the quality of the paint turned
out to be inadequate, forcing the consumer to buy another one at a higher price
and quantity. This caused high levels of regret in the consumer, he was unhappy
about the money that was wasted and ended up cycling to work instead of taking
the bus to be able to make up for the loss incurred (Novliadi et al. 2018).

3.3 Motivational Factors

Figure 3, Motivation process Source: Adapted from Engel et al. (1995)

N1035137
 8

The above figure illustrates the process involved in motivation. The flat the
consumer lives in did not have a mirror (drive) and as time passed, he and his
partner found it difficult to dress up and wanted to buy a mirror (want). Eventually,
after consideration and evaluating the price and alternatives, a purchase was made
at Argos for a long mirror which is now installed on the wall (Engel et al. 1995)
(See Appendix 1).

3.4 Environmental Factors

Having come from a country that experiences a tropical climate, the consumer
preferred when the climate was sunny. It was noticed that the consumer preferred
to shop when the sun was out and it also induced positive emotions (Tian et al.
2021).

According to Spence (2015), stores use olfactory methods to entice

consumers. This could be noticed and further proven when the consumer in
question ends up buying a cake when he walks past Stacey’s bakery (See Appendix
1).

3.5 Social Factors

The consumer’s neighbour, who is a local, has greatly influenced his purchase
behaviour. One such can be noticed in Appendix 1, the last two times the consumer
visited Tesco, he purchased muffins. This was purely due to the neighbour who
spoke highly about the quality and taste. Here, word of mouth and the influence of
a friend or peer has caused the purchase (Salvy et al. 2012)

4 Discussion

N1035137
 9

4.1 Personal Reflections

The overall experience of studying and critically analysing my purchase data

was eye-opening. I have understood my traits better and have been successful in
evaluating the reason behind each purchase. The introspective observations carried
out have helped me be an aware student of marketing in addition to being a smart
customer.

My purchase behaviour has enlightened me about my transgressions,

restricting my goal to make the most of less (being frugal). I will seek to change
the behaviours that make it easy for marketers to lure me, in addition to adhering
to the practices that help me make cost-effective decisions. The only barrier noticed
is my passion for food and the dipping temperatures in the UK. This drives me to
purchase fast food from takeaways nearby and mobile applications like Just Eat.

I had always thought of sustainability as a feminine practice (Brough et al.

2016), it was during the pandemic that I learned about the positive impact of
sustainability. I had spent time reading about how the pollution levels decreased,
personally experienced it in the city. Eventually, with all the information gathered
and some persuasion from my mother, I vouched on being environmentally
conscious.

Working at a multi-national organisation with a stable job had made me

extravagant with spending money. It was after I moved to the UK, I have adopted
a fugal and utilitarian approach towards spending money. The habit of constantly
keeping a check on my expenses keeps me quite disciplined. The need to
accumulate savings to pay off my debts drives my self-concept in the current
scenario.

4.2 Implications for Marketing

N1035137
 10

My customer journeys over the last 21 days can be classified into two based
on the type of goods purchased: convenience and shopping goods. Most purchases
include everyday consumables, FMCG products and restaurant orders. These don’t
involve much pre-purchase planning, as some of the decisions were made
impulsively based on external factors. However, the shopping products which
included furniture were planned decisions as there were multiple factors to tackle
into account before making the purchase decision.

The buyer persona developed based on introspection makes me an ideal

customer who could be persuaded by marketers using the psychological pricing
strategy. My reaction to this type of pricing was driven by emotion and perception
and not reason (López 2014).

I spent a lot of time on the internet researching the perfect solution for my
storage needs. Internet and social media advertisements could persuade my
purchase behaviour.

In conclusion, my personality, values and motives could make it difficult to

segment and target me. However, a gastronome like me could be an ideal customer
who makes small impulsive food purchases at supermarkets, bakeries and delivery
applications.

References

N1035137
 11

Arnold, J., Cooper, C.L. and Robertson, I.T., 1998. Understanding human behaviour
in the workplace. Financial Times-Pitman Publishing.

Ajzen, I. and Fishbein, M. ISHBEIN, M., 1977. Attitude-behavior relations: A

theoretical analysis and review of empirical research. Psychological Bulletin, 84(5)

Bamossy, G.J. and Solomon, M.R., 2016. Consumer behaviour: A European

perspective. Pearson Education.

Brody, R.P. and Cunningham, S.M., 1968. Personality variables and the consumer
decision process. Journal of Marketing Research, 5(1), 50-57.

Brough A.R., Wilkie J.E.B, Ma, J., Isaac, M.S., Gal, D., 2016. Is Eco-Friendly
Unmanly? The Green-Feminine Stereotype and Its Effect on Sustainable
Consumption, Journal of Consumer Research, 43 (4), 567–582.

Caballero, M.J., Lumpkin, J.R., Brown, D., Katsinas, R. and Werner, S., 1985.
"Waiting in line: a primary investigation", in Klein, D.M. and Smith, A.E. (Eds),
Marketing: The Next Decade, Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the Southern
Marketing Association, Southern Marketing Association, Florida Atlantic University,
Boca Raton, FL, November 13-16, 46-9.

Del Hawkins, I. and L Mothersbaugh, D., 2010. Consumer Behavior Building

Marketing Strategy.

Drèze, X. and Nunes, J.C., 2011. Recurring goals and learning: The impact of
successful reward attainment on purchase behavior. Journal of Marketing Research,
48(2), pp.268-281.

Engel, F. J & Blackwell, R.D, Miniard, P.W, 1995. Consumer Behaviour. The
Dryden Press. 10th Edition

Hendon, D.W. and Hamilton, W.C., 1977. Partner Interaction and Influence on
Purchase Decision of Married, Engaged, and" Going Steady" Couples. Journal of the
Academy of Marketing Science, 5(3), 339-348.

Jain, A., Sarupria, A. and Kothari, A., 2020. The Impact of COVID-19 on E-wallet’s
Payments in Indian Economy. International Journal of Creative Research Thoughts,
2447-2454.

Lopez, S 2014, Value-based Marketing Strategy: Pricing and Costs for Relationship
Marketing. Vernon Press. Wilmington.

Mischel, T., 1963. Psychology and Explanations of Human Behavior, Philosophy and
Phenomenological Research, 23(4), 578-594.

N1035137
 12

Novliadi, F., Zahreni, S. and Iskandar, L.M., 2018. Consumer purchase regret: how
personality influences outcome regret and process regret. Journal of Business and
Retail Management Research, 13(1).

Palmer, K., 2010. Talking to Gen Y about the new culture of thrift; companies
fumble as they try to appeal to 20-something consumers. U.S. news & world report,
147(3), 29.

Ryu, K., Han, H. and Jang, S.S., 2010. Relationships among hedonic and utilitarian
values, satisfaction and behavioral intentions in the fast‐casual restaurant industry.
International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management.

Salvy, S.J., Kluczynski, M.A., Nitecki, L.A. and O'Connor, B.C., 2012. Peer influence
on youth's snack purchases: A laboratory analog of convenience store shopping.
Eating behaviors, 13(3), 233-239.

Seung Hwan Lee and June Cotte (2009), “Post-Purchase Consumer Regret:
Conceptualization and Development of the Ppcr Scale". Urbana: Association for
Consumer Research Advances in consumer research, 36, 456.

Shin, S., Lee, W.- jun and Odom, D.O., 2014. “A Comparative Study Of
Smartphone Users Perception And Preference Towards Mobile Payment Methods In
The U.S. And Korea”, Journal of Applied Business Research (JABR), 30(5), 1365–
3176.

Spence, C., 2015. Leading the consumer by the nose: on the commercialization of
olfactory design for the food and beverage sector. 4, 31 .
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13411-015-0041-1

Tian, X., Cao, S., Yan Song, Y., 2021. The impact of weather on consumer behavior
and retail performance: Evidence from a convenience store chain in China. Journal
of Retailing and Consumer Services, 62.

Wänke, M., Herrmann, A. and Schaffner, D., 2007. Brand name influence on brand
perception. Psychology & Marketing, 24(1), 1-24.

Appendix 1

N1035137
 13

N1035137
 14

TFW

N1035137
 15

N1035137
 16

N1035137