Repeat buying
When a consumer buys a product on promotion, this may lead to developing a habit towards purchasing that brand and some evaluation about the performance of that brand. It may also happen that since the brand is purchased on promotion, the consumers’ attitude towards the brand weakens, and the probability of purchase in future declines. Repeat purchase may result because of habit formation that may develop because the brand is bought more than once due to sales promotion. Much depends on the satisfaction of the consumer with the brand purchased on promotion.
For example, if a customer purchased a Godrej refrigerator on promotion and was satisfied, it is very likely that next time when the need arises, the customer would purchase the same brand again on promotion, or other products of the same manufacturer when available on promotion.
Repeat purchasing is often the result of habit formation and learning. Sales promotions stimulate the customers to by a product and this becomes the first step towards establishing a habit. Another route is not to allow the brand user to shift to some other brand by rewarding and reinforcing the already established behaviour.
In case of low-involvement products, the role of habit is more important. The consumer does not want to devote much time to thinking and pre-purchase evolution in making a purchase decision. Habit helps the customer avoid any cognitive effort and helps as a simple and convenient way to decide which brand to purchase.
Once a consumer gets used to the long-lasting effect of Duracell batteries, it becomes a habit and he would not think much before going in for the same brand again.
In case of high-involvement products, it is assumed that learning takes place when the consumer experiences the actual performance of the product and makes an evaluation. A favourable evaluation is likely to help sustain the habit. In some cases, even consumers with low involvement often make evaluations that may have repercussions with regard to developing the habit.
This holds true to a great extent in case of industrial products, where the actual experience after initial usage is very important.
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