Assignment 15A- Figuring Out Buyer Behavior No. 2

Alternative evaluation:

            For the people I interviewed, getting the most quality without spending an exorbitant amount of money for groceries is what matters most (the most bang for your buck). However, I did notice an exception-  they are willing to pay more if it ensures a higher quality foods/produce, i.e organic, ethically sourced, sustainable (things that mattered to some of the people I interviewed). In this case of grocery alternative evaluation, both quality and price matter.

How/where do they buy:

            The segment is more likely to buy in person (in store) than online. Though there is a wave of online grocery shopping available, I am targeting the people who still enjoy the grocery shopping experience, one where you can feel the produce, smell the fruit, select what you want, the ripeness, etc. They are more likely to use cash or debit/credit card, as these are the most common ways to pay for groceries. Also, this is not a B2B purchase, this is a B2C purchase.

Post-purchase evaluation:

            Things that help them determine if it was a good purchase/about the rightness of the purchase are- the quality of the food, the price (or quality given the price), how much they enjoyed the experience (e.g customer service, availability of products) and possibly if people that matter to them, like the food (e.g if their significant other likes a certain deli meat or if their child likes certain snacks only sold at the store). Conversely, things that make them think the purchase was a bad idea are- the products are too expensive given the quality, poor selection, bad customer service, they do not find products that make the store stand out versus other grocers.

Interviews:

1.     The first interviewee told me that price is the biggest factor when choosing a grocer for her because she doesn’t have that much money to dedicate to grocery shopping after she pays for rent, utilities, etc. She currently goes to Walmart the most since it is the cheapest place, but she would consider another option if it means she can save more. She does not usually get specialty foods, mostly sticking to basics like chicken breast, rice, pasta, frozen peas and broccoli. She does not want to sacrifice quality just because she is looking for the lowest price and what would make her consider that it was a good purchase is the quality she gets for the amount she spends.

2.     The second interviewee believes in spending more if that means he gets better quality foods. He believes in buying ethically sources produce, free range eggs, organic alternative milks and dedicates more money to that because he wants better quality foods for his body. What keeps him going back to a grocer is if they offer everything he needs in one place and if the store has specific products/snacks he likes. Rightness of purchase to him means he feels good about the products he purchased because he bought ethical products. He usually shops at Publix or Trader Joe’s.

3.     The third interviewee values highest quality possible without paying too much. He values both price and quality but balances his purchases by buying organic for certain things he deems as worth spending on. For example, he purchases organic for foods on the “Dirty Dozen” list (foods more likely to contain pesticides, etc.) and saves money where ever else he can so he ca buy those higher quality foods. His usual grocery store is a mix between Publix, Target and Lucky’s Market. Rightness in his purchases comes from his ability to save money where he can and splurging on the organic, no GMO certified produce/products he really enjoys consuming.

Conclusions:

            There are many alternatives to choose from when people go grocery shopping. Each person goes to a specific store for a specific reason. People may choose to purchase from Walmart because it is the cheapest (save money, live better), from Publix because it has a smaller selection with Pub subs /great customer service, etc. Post Purchase evaluation for this segment is based on quality of the products and how much they enjoyed the food after consumption.