A large number of buyers, by their rational choice, prefer to buy from a particular shop or store. They apply their judgement and intelligence before patronising a particular shop.
They always measure the benefits of extending their loyalty to a particular shop or store. The rational patronage motives include the following:
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a. Credit facilities:
Some rational buyers patronise a particular shop or dealer because of the liberal credit facilities offered by that shop or the dealer. In fact, almost all the sellers operating in the modern day market offer credit facilities to attract customers.
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Sometimes, costly and durable goods are offered on installment basis by certain stores in order to attract the consumers. Thus, credit facilities, installment offer and other such facilities play an important role in attracting customers to a particular shop. As a result, customers patronise those shops in order to avail such facilities.
b. Close location:
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Close location is also an important reason for a shop to be patronised. Some customers prefer a shop to others because of its proximity to their residence. Shops and stores so located are easy to reach and ultimately save a lot of time for the consumers.
c. Treatment:
Generally, people prefer to patronise a particular dealer or shop because they receive warm and cordial treatment from that dealer. In fact, modern business depends largely on the courtesy of sellers. Customer is the king and he expects to be treated accordingly. If due respect is shown to the customers, if they are attended promptly, and presented with large variety of articles to choose from, they develop a kind of liking for and extend their loyalty to that shop.
d. Wide choice:
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Now a days, people want to buy their requirements from a standard shop offering large varieties of articles of different style, size, weight, colour, taste and prices. The ultimate aim is to get maximum satisfaction from the goods purchased. Varieties enable consumers to pick up the goods best suited for their requirements. Therefore, customers patronise such shops which offer a wide range of varieties.
e. Additional services:
As a part of their rational motive, consumers usually are loyal and prefer such stores which offer them with additional services. Sometimes, sellers provide door delivery, receive order over phone, replace defective parts and repair articles at concessional rates, accommodate complaints and so on. Such provisions go a long way in establishing a harmonious relationship with the consumers. Extension of such additional services automatically attracts consumers to patronise a particular shop. —
The above discussion on buying motives clearly indicates that there are a large number of motives which influence consumers to buy products and services. However, it is quite difficult to point out all the buying motives. Again, buying motives differ from person to person and place to place. Sometimes, two or three buying motives may work simultaneously in the minds of the customers.
Nearly all purchases, when examined carefully, have one dominant motive followed by a few other secondary motives. For example, a luxurious bed may be available at a discount. The customer’s buying motive may be luxury and comfort followed by economy. As is already pointed out, buying motives differ from person to person. It is so, because the buying motive depends on the income, social status, circumstances and viewpoint of the customer.
A luxury or pride for one customer may be the necessity for another. Sometimes, it becomes difficult to classify buying motives into product and patronage and emotional and rational. For example, two officers of equal income and status may purchase scooter of the same brand. For the first officer, it may be purchase driven by the rational product motive.
The second officer might have purchased the scooter as a matter of prestige and ego. Thus, for the first case, the scooter purchase is rational product motivation, whereas in the second case, the purchase is emotional patronage motivation.
Whatever the type of buying motive may be, it cannot be denied that the problem of marketing is mostly guided by the attitude of the buyers. A salesman, who is able to recognise the buying motives, can successfully influence his customers.
In modern marketing, the salesman is not selling a product, but selling the benefits and services associated with the product to the consumers. Therefore, once he is aware of the buying motives of the consumer, he can suggest and explain to the consumer how best the product can match his needs and motives. Thus, sufficient knowledge of buying motives and buying habits is highly essential for a salesman for an effective and successful sales deal.