A purchaser buy a product or service for the first time. The greater cost or risk, the larger the number of participants and the greater their information gathering. New task buying is the marketer greatest opportunity and challenge. The process passes through several stages. They are:
1. Awareness
2. Interest
3. Evaluation
4. Trial
5. Adoption
Systems Buying and Selling
Many business buyers prefer to buy a total solution to a problem from one seller.
System buying – The practice that originated with government purchases of major weapons and communication systems. The contractor who has awarded the contract would be responsible for bidding out and assembling the system subcomponents from second tier contractor. This is the prime contractor provides a turnkey solution.
System Contracting – A single supplier provides the buyer with all required MRO supplies (maintenance, repair, and operating supplies). During the contract period, the suppliers managed the customer inventory.
System selling is a key industrial marketing strategy in bidding to build large scale industrial project, such as dams, steel factories, irrigation systems, pipelines utilities, and even new towns.
Participants in the Business Buying Process
Purchasing agents are influential in straight rebuy and modified rebuy situations whereas other department personel are more influential in new-buy situations.
The Buying Center
1. Initiators
Users or others in the organization who request that something be purchased
2. Users
Those who will use the product or service. In many cases, the users initiate the buying proposal and help define the product requirement.
3. Influencers
People who influence the buying decisions, often by helping define specifications and providing information for evaluating alternatives. Technical personel are particularly important influencers.
4. Deciders
People who decide on product requirement or on suppliers
5. Approvers
People