“Describe the different roles in a business buying center. Then identify each member of the buying group in a medium-sized company that purchases components and assembles small household appliances?”
In a business buying center there are five different roles. The first role are the users. These are the people who will be use the good or product. They influence the buying decisions because ultimately they will be the ones using the product. The second role are the gatekeepers. These personnel are the ones that give product data. They control what information the members of the buying center will review. The third role are the influencers. They are usually specialized staff that break down what the “pros” and “cons” are for a product. The fourth role are the deciders. These aren’t necessarily the ones that have the formal authority about what product is going to get bought. The last member is the buyer. This is the one that has the formal authority to buy a product.
In a medium sized company that purchases components and assembles small household appliances the user would be the ones that are using the appliance. The gatekeeper would be the one in the business that provided the CEO or logistician with the different types of materials that they could use to build their small appliances. They would break down different supplier’s data and cost of supplies on a data sheet. The influencers would be the engineers because ultimately they are the ones designing the small appliances. They would give their expert opinion on what material would work best and why. The decider would be the CEO or someone appointed by him. The buyer would be a salesperson or logistician because they have the formal authority to buy for the company. “Imagine that you are a marketer for one of the following companies: Amazon.com, Apple Computer, Starbucks, Burger King, or a nationally recognized company of your choice. Decide whether your company will expand