Buying centers have numerous of roles of participation in the purchasing decision process. There are users who are the people who actually use the goods and services. Their role in the consumer decision making are very important. The user may help to facilitate the purchase actions by requesting specific products and they made aid in the development of a specific product's specifications. A prime example of this is Office Depot whose customers have influence the purchase of office equipment. A user has the buying power to change the market direction of a business. Because of this businesses are offering a more consumer friendly environment in order to maintain at the forefront of their business community.
Gatekeepers are the controllers of all the information that the buying center members will review. The gatekeeper could be the office manager in a doctor's office that controls informational literature from salespeople from actually getting seen or read. They control of printed material, advertisements, or by making the decisions on whether or not the salesperson could speak with individuals who are making the buying decisions. The office manager or the desk clerks are the first line gatekeepers.
Influencers will shape the buying decision by supplying information to guide the assessment of a substitute product. The influencer also sets the buying specifications of a certain product. The influencer consists of technical staff like engineers and quality control specialists. There are times when a company would hire an outside consultant to help influence their buying decisions. The decider is the person who will choose a good or service that is rendered. The service specialist may influence the decision making of buying a product, but the ultimate decision to buy could come from the manager, the
Cited: urtz, Louis E. Boone and David L. "Contemporary Marketing." Kurtz, Louis E. Boone and David L. Contemporary Marketing. Mason: South-Western of Thomson, 2006. 156-253. Service, United States Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural. North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). January 2008. 26 July 2008 .