This is the second of a series of three articles that illustrate the process consumers go through prior to making a purchase, what happens during the purchase, and the post purchase behavior. Service providers can achieve great success in competing for customers if they conduct extensive research to understand consumers’ pre-purchase behavior (e.g., wants, needs, desires) barriers to purchase, and post-purchase sentiments (e.g., satisfaction, willingness to buy the service again, and likelihood of spreading word of mouth [WOM]).
Figure 1 below illustrates the key components of the consumer purchase/buyer model. This model was developed in 1968 by economists and, over time, other academic fields including sociology, psychology, and consumer behavior have created similar models for their disciplines. Our model reflects those designed by economists.
Part One of this series addressed sections 1-3 of the consumer purchase/buyer model. Part Two – the subject of this article – will address sections 4 and 5 of the consumer purchase/buyer model, and Part Three will address the Moment of Truth and post-purchase behavior. Sections 1-5 of the consumer purchase/buyer model reflect pre-purchase behavior.
READ THE FULL ARTICLE BY DR. STOWE SHOEMAKER IN THE FALL 2025 EDITION OF GAMING & LEISURE MAGAZINE.